Birria Grilled Cheese
Birria Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, medium, roughly chopped
- 2 tomatoes, medium, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, from can, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 5 dried red chili peppers, such as guajillo or ancho, seeds removed
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika, or chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick, 3-inch
For the Grilled Cheese
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened, for spreading
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
For Serving
- birria consommé, as needed, reserved from birria preparation, for dipping
Instructions
- 1
Season the beef chuck roast liberally with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
⏱️ 2 min
- 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned beef on all sides until a dark, flavorful crust develops. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Reduce heat to medium. Add the roughly chopped onion, roughly chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, and chipotle peppers with adobo sauce to the same pot, utilizing the rendered fat and fond. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften.
⏱️ 7 min
- 4
Add the deseeded dried red chili peppers to the pot and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Return the seared beef to the pot. Pour in the beef broth. Add the ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the birria simmer for approximately 2 hours, or until the beef chuck roast is incredibly tender and easily falls apart with a fork.
⏱️ 120 min
- 7
Carefully remove the cooked beef from the pot and transfer it to a large bowl. Shred the beef using two forks. Strain the remaining liquid and solids from the pot, reserving the liquid (consommé) for dipping. Transfer the cooked vegetables and chiles from the strainer to a blender.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Add about 1 cup of the reserved consommé to the blender with the vegetables and chiles. Puree until completely smooth. Pour this blended sauce back into the bowl with the shredded birria beef and mix well to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
To assemble the grilled cheese: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spread softened butter on one side of each sourdough bread slice. Place four slices of bread, butter-side down, in the skillet.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Top each bread slice in the skillet with two slices of cheddar cheese. Generously pile the shredded birria beef onto the cheese. Ladle a small amount of the birria consommé over the meat for extra moisture and flavor.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Sprinkle finely chopped white onion and fresh chopped cilantro over the birria. Add a layer of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Top each sandwich with another buttered slice of sourdough bread, butter-side up. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, or until both sides are golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is thoroughly melted and gooey.
⏱️ 8 min
- 13
Remove the Birria Grilled Cheese sandwiches from the skillet, cut them in half, and serve immediately with small bowls of the reserved birria consommé for dipping.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Birria Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, medium, roughly chopped
- 2 tomatoes, medium, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, from can, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 5 dried red chili peppers, such as guajillo or ancho, seeds removed
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika, or chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick, 3-inch
For the Grilled Cheese
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened, for spreading
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
For Serving
- birria consommé, as needed, reserved from birria preparation, for dipping
Instructions
- 1
Season the beef chuck roast liberally with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
⏱️ 2 min - 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned beef on all sides until a dark, flavorful crust develops. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Reduce heat to medium. Add the roughly chopped onion, roughly chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, and chipotle peppers with adobo sauce to the same pot, utilizing the rendered fat and fond. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften.
⏱️ 7 min - 4
Add the deseeded dried red chili peppers to the pot and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Return the seared beef to the pot. Pour in the beef broth. Add the ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the birria simmer for approximately 2 hours, or until the beef chuck roast is incredibly tender and easily falls apart with a fork.
⏱️ 120 min - 7
Carefully remove the cooked beef from the pot and transfer it to a large bowl. Shred the beef using two forks. Strain the remaining liquid and solids from the pot, reserving the liquid (consommé) for dipping. Transfer the cooked vegetables and chiles from the strainer to a blender.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Add about 1 cup of the reserved consommé to the blender with the vegetables and chiles. Puree until completely smooth. Pour this blended sauce back into the bowl with the shredded birria beef and mix well to combine.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
To assemble the grilled cheese: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Spread softened butter on one side of each sourdough bread slice. Place four slices of bread, butter-side down, in the skillet.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Top each bread slice in the skillet with two slices of cheddar cheese. Generously pile the shredded birria beef onto the cheese. Ladle a small amount of the birria consommé over the meat for extra moisture and flavor.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Sprinkle finely chopped white onion and fresh chopped cilantro over the birria. Add a layer of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Top each sandwich with another buttered slice of sourdough bread, butter-side up. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side, or until both sides are golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is thoroughly melted and gooey.
⏱️ 8 min - 13
Remove the Birria Grilled Cheese sandwiches from the skillet, cut them in half, and serve immediately with small bowls of the reserved birria consommé for dipping.
⏱️ 2 min