Quesabirria

Quesabirria is the dish that conquered social media and then the world — but it originates in Tijuana's loncheras (food trucks), themselves built on the centuries-old birria tradition of Jalisco. Corn tortillas are dipped in the deep red, chilli-and-spice-stained birria fat, crisped on a griddle, filled with slow-braised beef and melted cheese, then served with the intensely flavoured braising broth as a dipping consommé.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Birria beef

• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) bone-in beef short ribs or beef chuck, cut into large chunks
• 4 dried guajillo chillies, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried ancho chillies, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried chile de árbol (for heat)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 medium tomato, quartered
• ½ white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp (15ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1 litre (4 cups) beef stock or water
• Salt to taste

Tacos

• 12 corn tortillas (15 cm/6 in)
• 200g (7 oz) Oaxacan quesillo or mozzarella, shredded
• White onion, finely diced
• Fresh coriander, chopped
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Toast dried chillies in a dry pan 30 seconds per side until fragrant. Soak in hot water 20 minutes until softened. Drain.
2. Blend soaked chillies with garlic, tomato, onion, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar and 250ml (1 cup) of the stock until completely smooth. Pass through a sieve.
3. Season beef with salt. Heat a large oven-safe pot over high heat and sear beef in batches 4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove.
4. Pour chilli purée into the pot and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens and thickens. Return beef and add remaining stock. Bring to a boil.
5. Cover and braise at 160°C (325°F) for 3–3½ hours until the beef shreds easily. Remove beef, shred meat and reserve the broth as consommé.
6. Skim the red-orange fat layer that rises to the surface of the consommé and set it aside in a shallow bowl — this is for dipping the tortillas.
7. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Dip each tortilla into the reserved fat so it is thoroughly coated. Lay on the griddle, top one half with shredded beef and cheese. Fold and cook 2–3 minutes per side until the tortilla is crisp and the cheese is fully melted.
8. Serve immediately with a small cup of hot consommé, diced onion, coriander and lime.

Cook's Notes: The key is using the fat-layer from the braising liquid — not the broth — to dip the tortillas. This is what gives quesabirria its characteristic deep red colour and crispy exterior. Goat meat (birria de chivo) is the traditional Jalisco version; beef is the Tijuana innovation. The consommé is essential — half the pleasure is dipping.