Description
This Smoked Quesa-Birria Taco Box features tender, slow-smoked beef chuck roast simmered in a rich and smoky chile-based sauce, then assembled with melted cheese inside crispy corn tortillas. Served with flavorful birria consommé for dipping and garnished with fresh onion and cilantro, this recipe offers an authentic Mexican main course with deep, complex flavors and a delightful texture contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Marinade
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
Tacos
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion (for garnish)
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the chiles and sauce: Preheat your smoker to 250°F. In a saucepan, add the dried guajillo and ancho chiles with enough water to cover and simmer for 10 minutes until softened. Transfer softened chiles to a blender along with the chipotle pepper, beef broth, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cloves, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Smoke the beef: In a large cast iron Dutch oven or foil pan, place the beef chunks and pour the blended chile sauce over them. Add a bay leaf, cover tightly with foil, and place the pan on the preheated smoker. Smoke the beef for 4–5 hours or until it is tender and shreds easily.
- Shred and warm the meat: Remove the beef from the smoker and shred the meat. Return it to the sauce to keep warm and flavorful.
- Assemble tacos: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the birria broth (consommé) to soak it lightly, then place it in the hot skillet. Top with shredded cheese and a generous amount of the birria meat. Fold the tortilla in half and cook until crispy and the cheese has melted, flipping once to cook both sides evenly.
- Serve and garnish: Repeat with all tortillas. Serve the tacos hot alongside small cups of the warm birria consommé for dipping. Garnish with chopped white onion and cilantro for added freshness and flavor.
Notes
- For a shortcut, you can cook the birria in a pressure cooker or slow cooker instead of smoking.
- Using flour tortillas can make the tacos crispier and sturdier compared to corn tortillas.
- Make extra birria consommé for dipping, as it is the most flavorful part of the dish.
