Birria Hot Pockets
Birria Hot Pockets
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 3 pounds beef short ribs
- 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lard, or other cooking oil
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 4 guajillo chiles, stemmed and deseeded
- 2 chiles de arbol, stemmed
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups water, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 6 cups beef broth, or as needed to cover meat
For the Hot Pockets
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup birria consommé, from cooked birria
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups Oaxaca cheese, shredded, or Monterey Jack
- 1/4 cup white onion, diced, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
For Serving
- 4 lime wedges
- 2 tablespoons Cotija cheese, crumbled, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Season the beef short ribs generously with salt. Place them on a wire rack while you prepare the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Heat the lard or cooking oil in a large Dutch oven or pressure cooker pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove the seared ribs from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Add the sliced onion to the same pot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Add the quartered tomatoes, guajillo chiles, and chiles de arbol to the pot with the onions. Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Add the garlic cloves, cumin seeds, and dried oregano to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Pour 2 cups of water into the pot, ensuring the ingredients are mostly submerged. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the chiles and tomatoes are softened.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
Carefully transfer the cooked sauce base ingredients (onions, tomatoes, chiles, garlic, spices, and liquid) to a blender. Add the apple cider vinegar. Blend until a smooth sauce is formed.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Strain the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve back into the clean Dutch oven or pressure cooker pot, pressing down on the solids with a spoon or spatula to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Add the seared short ribs back into the pot with the strained sauce. Add the bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs. Pour in enough beef broth to mostly submerge the meat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
If using a pressure cooker, secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 60-70 minutes, then allow for a natural pressure release for 15 minutes before quick releasing any remaining pressure. If using a Dutch oven, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
⏱️ 70 min
- 11
Carefully remove the cooked short ribs from the pot. Reserve the cooking liquid (consommé). Using gloved hands or two forks, remove the bones and shred the tender meat into a large bowl.
⏱️ 10 min
- 12
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 400
- 13
In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks with 1/4 cup of the reserved birria consommé and mix well to create an egg wash.
⏱️ 2 min
- 14
Lay the thawed sheet of puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper. Cut the sheet in half lengthwise to create two rectangles.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
On one half of each puff pastry rectangle, place two mounds of shredded birria, leaving space between them and around the edges. Top the birria with a generous amount of shredded cheese, diced onion, and chopped cilantro.
⏱️ 5 min
- 16
Brush the edges of the puff pastry around the filling with the prepared egg wash.
⏱️ 2 min
- 17
Carefully fold the other half of the puff pastry over the filling. Press down around the filling to seal the edges. Use a fork to crimp and further seal the edges.
⏱️ 3 min
- 18
Brush the tops of the hot pockets with more of the egg wash. Optionally, use a lattice cutter on a separate piece of puff pastry to create a decorative lattice and place it over the hot pockets before brushing with egg wash.
⏱️ 3 min
- 19
Bake the hot pockets for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
⏱️ 22 min•🌡️ 400 - 20
Once baked, brush the hot pockets with a little more birria consommé. Garnish with additional diced onion, chopped cilantro, and a sprinkle of crumbled Cotija cheese.
⏱️ 2 min
- 21
Serve the Birria Hot Pockets immediately, with small bowls of birria consommé for dipping and lime wedges on the side.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Birria Hot Pockets
For the Birria
- 3 pounds beef short ribs
- 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lard, or other cooking oil
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 4 guajillo chiles, stemmed and deseeded
- 2 chiles de arbol, stemmed
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups water, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 6 cups beef broth, or as needed to cover meat
For the Hot Pockets
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 cup birria consommé, from cooked birria
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups Oaxaca cheese, shredded, or Monterey Jack
- 1/4 cup white onion, diced, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
For Serving
- 4 lime wedges
- 2 tablespoons Cotija cheese, crumbled, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Season the beef short ribs generously with salt. Place them on a wire rack while you prepare the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Heat the lard or cooking oil in a large Dutch oven or pressure cooker pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove the seared ribs from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Add the sliced onion to the same pot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Add the quartered tomatoes, guajillo chiles, and chiles de arbol to the pot with the onions. Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Add the garlic cloves, cumin seeds, and dried oregano to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Pour 2 cups of water into the pot, ensuring the ingredients are mostly submerged. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the chiles and tomatoes are softened.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
Carefully transfer the cooked sauce base ingredients (onions, tomatoes, chiles, garlic, spices, and liquid) to a blender. Add the apple cider vinegar. Blend until a smooth sauce is formed.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Strain the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve back into the clean Dutch oven or pressure cooker pot, pressing down on the solids with a spoon or spatula to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Add the seared short ribs back into the pot with the strained sauce. Add the bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs. Pour in enough beef broth to mostly submerge the meat.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
If using a pressure cooker, secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 60-70 minutes, then allow for a natural pressure release for 15 minutes before quick releasing any remaining pressure. If using a Dutch oven, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
⏱️ 70 min - 11
Carefully remove the cooked short ribs from the pot. Reserve the cooking liquid (consommé). Using gloved hands or two forks, remove the bones and shred the tender meat into a large bowl.
⏱️ 10 min - 12
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 400 - 13
In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks with 1/4 cup of the reserved birria consommé and mix well to create an egg wash.
⏱️ 2 min - 14
Lay the thawed sheet of puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper. Cut the sheet in half lengthwise to create two rectangles.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
On one half of each puff pastry rectangle, place two mounds of shredded birria, leaving space between them and around the edges. Top the birria with a generous amount of shredded cheese, diced onion, and chopped cilantro.
⏱️ 5 min - 16
Brush the edges of the puff pastry around the filling with the prepared egg wash.
⏱️ 2 min - 17
Carefully fold the other half of the puff pastry over the filling. Press down around the filling to seal the edges. Use a fork to crimp and further seal the edges.
⏱️ 3 min - 18
Brush the tops of the hot pockets with more of the egg wash. Optionally, use a lattice cutter on a separate piece of puff pastry to create a decorative lattice and place it over the hot pockets before brushing with egg wash.
⏱️ 3 min - 19
Bake the hot pockets for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
⏱️ 22 min•🌡️ 400 - 20
Once baked, brush the hot pockets with a little more birria consommé. Garnish with additional diced onion, chopped cilantro, and a sprinkle of crumbled Cotija cheese.
⏱️ 2 min - 21
Serve the Birria Hot Pockets immediately, with small bowls of birria consommé for dipping and lime wedges on the side.
⏱️ 1 min