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Savory Birria Quesadilla Recipe with Melty Oaxacan Cheese and Rich Consommé

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A comforting Mexican dish featuring slow-simmered birria tucked inside crispy corn tortillas with melty Oaxacan cheese, served with a rich consommé for dipping.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 medium white onion, quartered
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 12 corn tortillas (fresh, small size works best)
  • 2 cups Oaxacan cheese, shredded
  • Butter or oil, for frying (avocado oil recommended)
  • Birria cooking liquid strained (for consommé)
  • Slices of white onion and chopped cilantro (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Remove stems and seeds from guajillo and ancho chiles. Toast them lightly in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, but don’t burn. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
  2. Drain the chiles and transfer to a blender. Add quartered onion, garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and about 1 cup of beef broth. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Place beef chunks in a large pot or Dutch oven. Pour the chile sauce over the meat, add bay leaves, remaining beef broth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and cover. Let it cook gently for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until meat is fork-tender and falling apart.
  4. Remove the meat with tongs and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove solids. Keep the consommé warm for dipping.
  5. Using two forks, shred the birria meat finely. Mix shredded meat with a little bit of consommé to keep it juicy.
  6. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of butter or oil. Place one tortilla in the pan, sprinkle a generous layer of shredded Oaxacan cheese, add a handful of shredded birria, then top with more cheese and another tortilla. Press lightly.
  7. Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side until golden and crispy, then carefully flip and cook the other side until cheese melts and tortilla crisps up. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
  8. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve immediately with warm consommé on the side for dipping, garnished with chopped onions and cilantro if desired.

Notes

Keep consommé warm on low heat while cooking quesadillas to maintain dipping temperature. Avoid overcrowding the pan to keep quesadillas crispy. Toast dried chiles lightly without burning to avoid bitterness. Use fresh corn tortillas for best texture. For a gluten-free option, verify all ingredients are gluten-free. Cheese can be substituted with mozzarella or Monterey Jack if Oaxacan cheese is unavailable.

Nutrition

Keywords: birria quesadilla, Oaxacan cheese, consommé, Mexican recipe, slow-cooked beef, melty cheese, comfort food, gluten-free

Find it online: https://elvafood.com/savory-birria-quesadilla-recipe-with-melty-oaxacan-cheese-and-rich-consomm-e-easy-guide/