Destination
Puerto Vallarta
The story
Quesabirria — the beef-and-cheese taco dipped in consomé — is the most viral Mexican taco of the last decade. It started in Tijuana in the 2010s as a mash-up of two Jalisco traditions: birria (chile-braised beef, historically goat, from Jalisco) and quesadilla (cheese folded in a tortilla). A Tijuana taquero — usually credited as Efrain Rodríguez at the taco stand Tacos Fitos — noticed that dipping the taco in the birria's red-orange rendered fat gave it a crisp red skin, and adding a slice of cheese inside gave the eater a molten interior. He served it with a small bowl of the strained consomé (the braising broth) for dipping, and within five years quesabirria had spread from Tijuana across the US and back down into Mexico.
Method
Warm the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Season the beef with salt. Brown the chunks in batches, 8 minutes total, until deeply coloured on all sides. Lift out and reserve.
In the same pot on medium heat, toast the guajillos and anchos 30 seconds a side. Soak in hot water 15 minutes.
Char the tomatoes, onion and garlic on a dry pan 6 minutes. Toast the cumin, oregano, cinnamon and cloves 30 seconds.
Drain the soaked chiles. Blend chiles, chipotles, charred vegetables, spices, vinegar, salt and 300ml water to a very smooth paste. Strain through a sieve.
Return the beef to the pot. Pour in the chile paste, add bay leaves, extra oregano and beef stock. The liquid should just cover the beef. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook 3 hours over low heat until the beef falls apart.
Lift the beef out with a slotted spoon; shred with two forks. Skim the deep red-orange fat off the surface of the braising liquid into a small bowl (you'll use this to dip the tortillas). Strain the remaining broth — this is the consomé for dipping.
Heat a heavy flat pan or plancha over medium-high heat. Dip a tortilla into the reserved red birria fat, coating both sides. Lay it on the pan. Add a scatter of cheese, then a small pile of shredded birria, then more cheese on top. Fold in half and press with a spatula. Cook 90 seconds a side until the outside is crisp, deeply red-orange, and the cheese is molten. Repeat for all tacos.
Set 4 tacos on each plate. Top each with a pinch of raw onion and chopped coriander. Beside each plate, place a small bowl of the warm strained consomé. Serve with lime wedges and salsa. Eaters dip each bite of taco into the consomé before eating.
Tips
- The fat is the secret. That red-orange layer floating on top of the birria pot is the ingredient that makes quesabirria different from a regular quesadilla. Skim it, save it, use it to dip the tortillas.
- Oaxaca cheese is authentic; mozzarella works. Oaxacan string cheese (quesillo) is the original filling. Low-moisture mozzarella is a close substitute and easier to find.
- Braise low and slow. Three hours over the lowest heat. A hard boil breaks the beef into dry threads and ruins the texture.
- Serve the consomé hot. Reheating the strained broth to piping-hot in a small pot right before serving is essential. Warm consomé is a disappointment.
- Make ahead. The birria itself holds beautifully for 3 days in the fridge and 3 months frozen. Only the taco assembly is same-day.
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