Mexican Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Birria de Res (Quesabirria Tacos)
Slow-braised chilli-stewed beef folded into crisp cheesy tacos served with a rich consommé for dipping.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Toast and Soak Chillies: Stem and seed the dried chillies, toast briefly in a dry pan, then soak in hot water until soft.
- 2
Blend the Adobo: Blend the soaked chillies with the tomatoes, garlic, onion, cumin, and oregano into a smooth sauce.
- 3
Braise: Season the beef, sear it, then add the chilli sauce, bay leaves, cinnamon, and enough water to cover. Cover and braise gently for 3 hours until fork-tender.
- 4
Shred: Remove the beef and shred it; skim and reserve the red consommé broth.
- 5
Make Quesabirria: Dip corn tortillas in the consommé fat, lay on a hot griddle, add cheese and shredded beef, fold, and crisp both sides.
- 6
Serve: Serve the tacos with chopped onion, cilantro, lime, and a bowl of warm consommé for dipping.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
60/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving475
Calories
49 g
Protein
1 g
Carbs
28 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Birria began in Jalisco as a chile-marinated braise traditionally made with goat, served for weddings and celebrations as a rich, brothy stew. The beef version, birria de res, and especially the cheesy quesabirria taco dipped in consome exploded out of Tijuana and Los Angeles in the late 2010s into a global street-food sensation. The viral move is a crisp, cheese-griddled taco dunked into the deep red braising broth, the consome, for each bite.
Listahan note
This version makes a beef birria rich enough to both stew and griddle into quesabirria tacos, with the chile broth saved as the all-important dipping consome.
Technique cues
- Toast and soak the dried chiles, then blend and strain the adobo so the braise is silky rather than gritty.
- Skim the bright orange fat off the top of the finished broth and use it to griddle the tacos so they fry up crisp and red.
- Dip the assembled tortilla in the consome before it hits the griddle so the shell soaks up flavor and crisps at once.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Make the adobo and braise the beef, then shred the meat and skim the fat while the broth settles.
- Make-ahead
- Braise the birria a day ahead so the flavor deepens and the fat is easy to skim from the chilled broth.
- Leftover move
- Use leftover meat and consome for birria ramen, quesadillas, or a simple bowl of stew with onion and lime.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Braise, blend, and strain into one pot, and griddle the tacos in the skimmed fat to avoid extra oil and pans.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
beef chuck and short rib
main protein
Purpose: A mix of marbled chuck and rib gives both shreddable meat and gelatin-rich body to the broth.
Handling: Cut chuck into chunks and leave ribs whole, searing before braising.
Adaptation: All chuck works, or add a beef shank for extra body and collagen.
dried guajillo and ancho chiles
adobo base
Purpose: Guajillo brings color and fruit while ancho adds sweet depth, the backbone of birria adobo.
Handling: Toast, soak, blend with aromatics, and strain into the pot.
Adaptation: Add a chile de arbol or two for more heat, or use New Mexico chiles if needed.
tomatoes
adobo body
Purpose: Tomatoes round out the chile adobo with body and a gentle acidity.
Handling: Char and blend with the soaked chiles and spices.
Adaptation: Canned fire-roasted tomatoes work in a pinch.
corn tortillas
taco shell
Purpose: Corn tortillas dipped in birria fat griddle into the crisp, red quesabirria shell.
Handling: Dip in the skimmed fat or consome, then griddle with cheese and meat inside.
Adaptation: Flour tortillas can be used but lose the traditional corn crisp.
Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
melty taco filling
Purpose: Stretchy melting cheese is what makes a quesabirria, binding the meat in the crisp shell.
Handling: Melt on the griddle inside the folded taco with the shredded beef.
Adaptation: Low-moisture mozzarella is the easiest stand-in for Oaxaca.
white onion and cilantro
fresh garnish
Purpose: Diced onion and cilantro cut the richness of the cheesy, fatty tacos.
Handling: Dice and chop fine to scatter over the finished tacos.
Adaptation: Pickled onions add an acidic twist if you want more brightness.
Technique notes
- Chill the broth so the fat sets on top, making it easy to lift off a clean layer for griddling the tacos.
- Keep the consome simmering and serve a cup with each plate for dipping every bite.
- Press the cheese-and-meat taco firmly on the griddle so the cheese forms a crisp lacy edge.
Ingredient swaps
- Weeknight shortcut
- Pressure-cook the marinated beef to get fall-apart meat in about an hour instead of several.
- Gluten-free direction
- Use corn tortillas and verify the chiles and spices have no wheat additions.
- Lower-fat direction
- Skim and reserve less fat, griddling the tacos in just a light brush rather than a generous layer.
Serve alongside
- a cup of consome for dipping
- Arroz Rojo (Mexican Rice)
- lime wedges and diced onion
- pickled jalapenos and carrots
- Mexican lager
- agua fresca de jamaica
- horchata
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate the meat and consome separately for up to four days; both deepen in flavor.
- Reheat the meat in some of the broth, then griddle fresh tacos to order for the best crunch.
- Freeze meat and consome separately for up to three months and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Equipment
- large Dutch oven or pot for braising
- blender for the adobo
- fine-mesh strainer
- cast-iron griddle or skillet for the tacos
Make this household-aware
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Plan it in Listahan
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