Quesabirria from Ambriza Social Mexican Kitchen
Ingredients
Ingredients for the birria
- 10 Guajillo Chiles
- 15 Ancho chiles
- 10 Morita chiles
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 oz garlic
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 5 Roma tomatoes
- 4 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1½ Tbsp salt
- 1 oz apple vinegar
- 4.4 boneless beef short ribs, cut into 5-inch x10-inch strips
- 3 quarts water
Ingredients for the consomme/broth
- 10 Roma Tomatoes
- 1½ white onions
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 quarts water
- salt and pepper
Ingredients for the quesabirria
- corn tortillas
- 5 oz Menonita Cheese
- 6 oz birria
- Garnish with chopped onion and cilantro
Instructions
For the birria
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Lay out all the chili peppers on a baking sheet and bake until the chiles are toasted, but not burnt. This will enhance the aromas of the chile peppers. Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl and cover them with warm water to hydrate them. Once hydrated, take the chiles from the water and remove the stems and seeds.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot on medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp of oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and the onion and cook a little just to brown them. Add the Roma tomatoes, cloves, salt, and cinnamon, and let everything cook until you start to see the juice of the tomatoes.
- Incorporate the hydrated chile peppers, stirring constantly. Take the pot off the heat and let rest for two minutes.
- Transfer contents to a blender and blend for 2 min at maximum speed. Be careful as the mixture can splash when it is hot. Blend in small portions with a clean cloth over the blender. Strain the mixture.
- Place the boneless short ribs into a deep oven-safe container and spread the chile mixture over the meat, pouring most of the remaining mixture into the container (reserve a little bit for the tortillas at the end).
- Add 3 quarts of water, then cover the container first with plastic wrap and then with perfectly sealed aluminum foil. Put into the oven and reduce the temperature to 325℉. Let it cook for 2½ hours.
For the broth
- Put the tomatoes with the onion and garlic in a medium pot and cook over medium heat, until the onions are soft and you see the juice of the tomatoes. Blend the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in the blender until it has a smooth consistency. Then strain and set aside.
- Once the meat is done, carefully remove the pieces of short ribs and let them rest at room temperature. Important: all the juice that the meat releases is used in the bouillon. Do not throw it away.
- In a large pot over high heat, add the prepared tomato broth and incorporate the juices of the meat, then add the 3 quarts of water and let it boil for 35 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble the quesabirria
- To prepare the quesabirria, moisten the tortillas with a little of the first mixture of chili peppers and put them directly on a griddle or skillet over medium heat.
- Add the cheese followed by the shredded short ribs and close the tortilla into a quesadilla shape. When it's a little crispy, place it on a plate.
- Garnish with cilantro and chopped raw onion inside the quesadilla or on the side, and serve with a little of the broth. Enjoy dipping the quesadilla in the broth!
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