Birria Tacos (Quesatacos)

The best of both worlds, quesadilla meets taco. These Birria Tacos (Quesatacos) are packed full of delicious flavor that comes from a stew that is slow cooked until the meat it is fall-apart tender. The meat is then packed into a corn tortilla, smothered with cheese and cooked like a quesadilla. No wonder why they took social media by storm, they are probably one of the best things you will ever eat, seriously!

In all honesty it took me a long time, far too long, to jump on Birria Tacos (Quesatacos) social media trend. Trust me, I am beating myself up about that. Y'all, these quesatacos are on another level. If you are a fan of Mexican cuisine or just a taco lover, you will LOVE these Birria Tacos.

So much flavor is packed into these delicious, cheesy Birris Tacos (Quesatacos). And the stew, oh my, it is fantastic. It is great by itself but even better when made into the tacos.

These tacos really are worth the time and effort that goes into making them. If you can't tell by now, I really, really, like these tacos. So much that I made them 4 times within a 5-month period of making them for the first time.

Birria Tacos (quesatacos) are made with the meat, reserved fat from the stew and the stew. The stew alone is absolutely fantastic. For this recipe I use beef, simply because I am able to get beef a lot easier than goat. I think that is probably the case with most households. The cuts I chose are easily accessible as well.

This recipe does take a while to make and there are a lot of ingredients but don't let that deter you from making this delicious dish. Everything is really easy to make, and the end result will blow your mind. After making it the first time, it really does get a lot easier to make.

• Beef - Preferably beef short ribs (bone in) and beef chuck roast. I really like using the beef ribs for added flavor and nutrition from the bones. Because they don't have a lot of meat on them, I use chuck roast too. Both of these cuts are pretty common in most grocery stores.
• Onion - White or yellow
• Garlic Cloves
• Dried Guajillo Peppers - Dried guajillo peppers are a must for the best flavor. Ancho peppers are a great substitute if you cannot find guajillo peppers. Dried peppers are easy to find on the Mexican isle at your local grocery store.
• Bay Leaves - Dried bay leaves
• Tomato Paste
• Beef Stock
• Seasonings - I use a combination of chili powder, chipotle powder, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper and dried oregano.
• Soft Corn Tortillas - A must for this recipe. Using flour tortillas would not have the same flavor or texture that soft corn tortillas do. But, if you must, use the flour tortillas, you will still get all of the delicious flavors from the meat and stew.
• Cheese - Shredded quesadilla cheese and Oaxaca cheese. Use what you can find, but I highly recommend using the Oaxaca cheese. These cheeses can be found in the Mexican section of the dairy isle. Other cheeses that will work are cheddar, fiesta blend, cotija, and queso fresco.
• Cilantro - Fresh cilantro is used in the stew for dipping, along with the raw onions. Trust me, you want the cilantro and onions.
• Limes - Used to squeeze on the tacos after they are made. The acid from the lime helps cut the richness of the stew. Don't skip this ingredient.

I also like to use leftover smoked brisket in this recipe. I replace the chuck roast with the brisket meat and add it towards the end of the cooking time. This adds a great smoky flavor to the quesatacos and utilizes leftovers. Next time you have leftover brisket try using it for these tacos. You won't be disappointed!

Start by making the Birria stew. This is really easy and once it is started is pretty hands-off until the meat is pull-apart tender.

1. Brown the meat. In a large dutch oven over medium high heat brown the meat on all sides. Once done remove the meat from the pan.

2. Toast the peppers. While the meat is browning place a large skillet over medium heat and begin toasting the peppers. Cook each pepper for 2-3 minutes on each side. Do not overcook the peppers, they will become bitter. Remove from the heat, cool slightly. Cut the tops off of the peppers then shake out (and discard) the seeds.

3. Brown onions and garlic. In the dutch oven (over medium heat) drizzle in olive oil then add in the onions and smashed garlic. Cook until browned. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Add stock. Add the beef stock to the dutch oven. Stir, then add the meat back to the pot. Now add the peppers, bay leaves and all of the herbs and spices. Stir, bring to a simmer and cover.

5. Skim impurities. After 1 hour remove the lid and skim off any impurities that have gathered on the surface of the liquid.

6. Make Chili Sauce. Remove the peppers along with as many of the garlic cloves and onions that you can. Place in a blender and pulse until smooth. Add back to the pot, stir, cover and continue cooking for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Or until the meat is pull apart tender. Turn the heat to low to keep the stew warm for serving.

7. Shred the meat. Remove all of the meat from the stew and allow it to cool until you can handle it. Shred it and place it in a bowl.

8. Reserve fat. While the meat is cooling carefully ladle the fat from the top of the stew and place in a bowl. Set aside until needed. As the stew sits undisturbed more of the fat will rise to the surface making it easier to ladle off.

9. Make the tacos. Place a large skillet over medium heat, dip a tortilla in the fat then place in the skillet. On half of the tortilla place some beef and both cheeses. I'll let you decide how much of each to use. Fold and cook the tortilla 2-3 minutes on each side, or until crispy. Continue until all of the meat is used.

10. Serve with the stew for dipping. Pour some of the stew into a bowl, sprinkle over some chopped cilantro and onions. Serve with limes and enjoy!

Spanish Rice

Refried Beans

Guacamole with chips

Pico De Gallo with chips

Yes, flour tortillas can be used in place of the soft corn tortillas to make birria tacos. While I prefer the soft corn tortillas for their flavor and texture, flour tortillas will work just fine for this recipe.

To achieve the perfect crispy birria taco you need to first, cover the tortilla with the reserved fat, (this is an important step) then cook it on a hot skillet. The fat will fry the tortilla making it super crispy. Let the taco cook for 2-3 minutes or until crispy before flipping it and repeating it on the other side. If it is taking a long time for your taco to get crispy turn the heat up. Nobody wants a soggy taco!

Absolutely! You get so much flavor from the fat, that you cannot get from using any other oil.