Birria Quesatacos
Birria Quesatacos
Ingredients
For the Birria Meat
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon salt, as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, as needed
For the Chile Consommé
- 15 chile guajillos
- 6 chile de arbol
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 3 bay leaves
For Assembling Quesatacos
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Oaxaca cheese, shredded
For Serving
- 1/2 cup white onion, finely diced
- 2 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- 1
Unwrap the beef chuck roast and place it into the pot of a pressure cooker. Generously season the meat with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a separate medium pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the chile guajillos and chile de arbol to the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chiles are rehydrated and softened. Do not drain the water.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 212
- 3
Carefully transfer the softened chiles (along with their seeds) to a blender. Add the quartered yellow onion, garlic cloves, ground cumin, and chicken bouillon to the blender. Ladle in about 1 cup of the hot chile water from the pot to aid in blending. Blend until a smooth sauce is formed, adding more chile water if needed to achieve a pourable consistency.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Place a fine-mesh strainer over the pressure cooker pot containing the seasoned chuck roast. Pour the blended chile sauce through the strainer into the pressure cooker, using a spatula or the back of a spoon to press the pulp through and extract all the flavor. Discard any remaining solids in the strainer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Add the bay leaves to the pressure cooker pot. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
⏱️ 90 min
- 6
Once the cooking cycle is complete, carefully release the pressure according to your pressure cooker's instructions. Remove the beef chuck roast from the pot and place it on a cutting board or in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the tender beef into bite-sized pieces.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Return the shredded beef to the pressure cooker pot with the consommé. Stir to combine and allow the meat to simmer in the consommé for an additional 10 minutes to absorb more flavor. Keep the consommé warm.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Heat a large griddle or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Dip a corn tortilla into the warm birria consommé, ensuring both sides are coated. Place the dipped tortilla onto the hot griddle.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of shredded Oaxaca cheese onto one half of the tortilla. Place a generous portion of the shredded birria meat on top of the cheese. Once the cheese begins to melt and the tortilla is slightly crispy on the bottom, fold the tortilla in half to create a quesataco.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Continue cooking the quesataco, flipping occasionally, until both sides are golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is fully melted and gooey. Repeat steps 8-10 for the remaining tortillas and birria.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Serve the birria quesatacos immediately with a small bowl of the warm consommé for dipping. Garnish with finely diced white onion and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Birria Quesatacos
Ingredients
For the Birria Meat
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon salt, as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, as needed
For the Chile Consommé
- 15 chile guajillos
- 6 chile de arbol
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 3 bay leaves
For Assembling Quesatacos
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Oaxaca cheese, shredded
For Serving
- 1/2 cup white onion, finely diced
- 2 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- 1
Unwrap the beef chuck roast and place it into the pot of a pressure cooker. Generously season the meat with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a separate medium pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the chile guajillos and chile de arbol to the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chiles are rehydrated and softened. Do not drain the water.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 212 - 3
Carefully transfer the softened chiles (along with their seeds) to a blender. Add the quartered yellow onion, garlic cloves, ground cumin, and chicken bouillon to the blender. Ladle in about 1 cup of the hot chile water from the pot to aid in blending. Blend until a smooth sauce is formed, adding more chile water if needed to achieve a pourable consistency.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Place a fine-mesh strainer over the pressure cooker pot containing the seasoned chuck roast. Pour the blended chile sauce through the strainer into the pressure cooker, using a spatula or the back of a spoon to press the pulp through and extract all the flavor. Discard any remaining solids in the strainer.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Add the bay leaves to the pressure cooker pot. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
⏱️ 90 min - 6
Once the cooking cycle is complete, carefully release the pressure according to your pressure cooker's instructions. Remove the beef chuck roast from the pot and place it on a cutting board or in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the tender beef into bite-sized pieces.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Return the shredded beef to the pressure cooker pot with the consommé. Stir to combine and allow the meat to simmer in the consommé for an additional 10 minutes to absorb more flavor. Keep the consommé warm.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Heat a large griddle or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Dip a corn tortilla into the warm birria consommé, ensuring both sides are coated. Place the dipped tortilla onto the hot griddle.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of shredded Oaxaca cheese onto one half of the tortilla. Place a generous portion of the shredded birria meat on top of the cheese. Once the cheese begins to melt and the tortilla is slightly crispy on the bottom, fold the tortilla in half to create a quesataco.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Continue cooking the quesataco, flipping occasionally, until both sides are golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is fully melted and gooey. Repeat steps 8-10 for the remaining tortillas and birria.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Serve the birria quesatacos immediately with a small bowl of the warm consommé for dipping. Garnish with finely diced white onion and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
⏱️ 1 min