Birria Grilled Cheese
Birria Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2 large pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or as needed
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 dried chiles, such as guajillo or ancho, seeds removed
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
For the Grilled Cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened, for grilling bread
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 12 American cheese slices
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or similar white cheese
- 1/4 cup white onion, chopped, for garnish
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Season the beef chuck generously on all sides with salt and black pepper.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over high heat. Add the seasoned beef chuck and sear on all sides until a nice brown crust forms, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
In the same pot, reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the sliced onions and quartered tomatoes, cooking until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well, cooking for another minute.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Using kitchen shears, cut the dried chiles open and remove the seeds. Add the deseeded chiles to the pot with the sautéed aromatics.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Return the seared beef chuck to the pot. Pour in the beef broth. Add the ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks. Stir everything together to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and let it braise for approximately 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and easily shredded with a fork. Check occasionally to ensure liquid levels are adequate; add a splash of water or broth if needed.
⏱️ 120 min
- 7
Once the beef is tender, carefully remove the beef, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks from the pot. Shred the beef using two forks and set aside. Transfer the remaining liquid, vegetables, and chiles from the pot into a blender. Blend until smooth to create the consommé.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Pour the blended consommé back into the Dutch oven with the shredded beef. Stir to combine and keep warm over low heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
To assemble the grilled cheese: Heat a griddle or large pan over medium heat. Butter one side of two slices of sourdough bread. Place one buttered slice, buttered side down, on the hot griddle. Lay 2-3 slices of American cheese on top of the bread. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese over the American cheese. Pile a generous amount of the birria beef onto the other slice of bread. Ladle some of the consommé over the birria beef. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped white onion and chopped cilantro. Place the second slice of bread (buttered side up) on top of the filling, completing the sandwich.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Grill the sandwich for 3-5 minutes per side, or until both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted and gooey. Press down gently with a spatula to ensure even grilling. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Remove the grilled cheese from the griddle. Cut it in half. Serve immediately with a small bowl of the birria consommé for dipping.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Birria Grilled Cheese
For the Birria
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2 large pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or as needed
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 dried chiles, such as guajillo or ancho, seeds removed
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
For the Grilled Cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened, for grilling bread
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 12 American cheese slices
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or similar white cheese
- 1/4 cup white onion, chopped, for garnish
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Season the beef chuck generously on all sides with salt and black pepper.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over high heat. Add the seasoned beef chuck and sear on all sides until a nice brown crust forms, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
In the same pot, reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the sliced onions and quartered tomatoes, cooking until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well, cooking for another minute.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Using kitchen shears, cut the dried chiles open and remove the seeds. Add the deseeded chiles to the pot with the sautéed aromatics.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Return the seared beef chuck to the pot. Pour in the beef broth. Add the ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks. Stir everything together to combine.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and let it braise for approximately 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and easily shredded with a fork. Check occasionally to ensure liquid levels are adequate; add a splash of water or broth if needed.
⏱️ 120 min - 7
Once the beef is tender, carefully remove the beef, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks from the pot. Shred the beef using two forks and set aside. Transfer the remaining liquid, vegetables, and chiles from the pot into a blender. Blend until smooth to create the consommé.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Pour the blended consommé back into the Dutch oven with the shredded beef. Stir to combine and keep warm over low heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
To assemble the grilled cheese: Heat a griddle or large pan over medium heat. Butter one side of two slices of sourdough bread. Place one buttered slice, buttered side down, on the hot griddle. Lay 2-3 slices of American cheese on top of the bread. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese over the American cheese. Pile a generous amount of the birria beef onto the other slice of bread. Ladle some of the consommé over the birria beef. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped white onion and chopped cilantro. Place the second slice of bread (buttered side up) on top of the filling, completing the sandwich.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Grill the sandwich for 3-5 minutes per side, or until both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted and gooey. Press down gently with a spatula to ensure even grilling. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Remove the grilled cheese from the griddle. Cut it in half. Serve immediately with a small bowl of the birria consommé for dipping.
⏱️ 5 min