Birria Quesadilla Mexican Beef (Print-Friendly Version)

Tender shredded beef seasoned with smoked dried peppers and melty cheese, folded into crispy golden-brown tortillas.

# Ingredients:

→ Birria

01 - 4 dried guajillo chile peppers
02 - 3 dried ancho chile peppers
03 - 4 dried chile de arbol peppers
04 - 4 roma tomatoes (approximately 450g)
05 - 3 pounds (1.4 kg) chuck roast
06 - Salt
07 - Black pepper
08 - Olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons white vinegar
10 - 4 cloves garlic
11 - 2 teaspoons black pepper
12 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (or allspice)
13 - ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 - ⅛ teaspoon cumin
15 - ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
16 - ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
17 - 2 bay leaves

→ Quesadilla Assembly

18 - 1 teaspoon butter per quesadilla
19 - 1 large flour tortilla per quesadilla
20 - ¾ cup Oaxaca cheese or substitute (mozzarella, pepperjack, or Monterey jack) per quesadilla
21 - ¾ cup prepared birria per quesadilla

# Steps:

01 - Fill a pot with 1 liter of water and bring to a boil. Add all of the dried peppers and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let soak until soft, at least 15 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid.
02 - Heat a grill pan over high heat. Blister the tomatoes on all sides until they begin to peel, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Alternatively, broil in oven, turning as needed.
03 - Pat the beef roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat and sear on all sides until well-browned, approximately 10 minutes. Remove the pot from heat but leave the beef in the pot.
04 - Preheat oven to 165°C (325°F). Add the blistered tomatoes to a blender. Remove stems from the soaked dried peppers and add peppers to the blender. Add the vinegar, garlic, black pepper, clove, cinnamon, cumin, thyme, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add 60ml (¼ cup) of the chile pepper soaking water and blend until smooth.
05 - For a smoother consistency, push the sauce through a fine mesh strainer using a spoon or spatula into the pot with the beef. Discard solids left in the strainer.
06 - Coat the beef in the sauce. Add bay leaves to the pot. Cover and place in preheated oven. Cook for approximately 3 hours until the beef is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
07 - Remove beef from sauce and shred using two forks. Mix with desired amount of pepper sauce, noting that more sauce increases spice level.
08 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon butter and melt. Quickly dip a tortilla into the reserved chile pepper soaking liquid (optional but recommended for flavor) and place in the skillet.
09 - Immediately distribute cheese evenly across the tortilla, followed by shredded birria. When cheese begins to melt, fold tortilla in half using a spatula. Cook 1-3 minutes per side until golden brown, reducing heat if necessary.
10 - Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with condiments like salsa, sour cream, lettuce, or guacamole. Offer small dishes of the remaining chile pepper soaking liquid for dipping.

# Notes & Tips:

01 - Use more ancho and fewer chile de arbol peppers for milder heat, or increase chile de arbol for spicier results.
02 - Three pounds of roast yields approximately 16 quesadilla portions. Leftover birria works excellently in tacos, enchiladas, or burritos.