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Quesabirria Tacos

This recipe crafts authentic Quesabirria Tacos, featuring tender, slow-braised goat meat steeped in a rich, spicy chile consomé. The tortillas are dipped in the flavorful broth, pan-fried until crispy with melted cheese, and then filled with the succulent meat. Served with fresh cilantro and lime, these savory tacos offer a deeply satisfying and unique culinary experience, perfect for a hearty meal.
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Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine south american
Servings 8 people
Calories 4664 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Pot Essential for slow braising the meat and developing deep flavors.
  • 1 Blender For achieving a perfectly smooth chile sauce and consomé.
  • 1 Large Skillet or Comal Crucial for crisping up the tortillas and melting the cheese.
  • 1 Fine-mesh Sieve To strain the chile sauce, ensuring a silky, debris-free consomé.
  • 1 Tongs For easily handling and flipping hot tortillas and meat.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 0.5 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • 4 guajillo chile peppers
  • 2 small ancho chile pepper
  • 1 chile de arbol chile peppers
  • 1 large white onion
  • 7 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 pounds goat stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 0.25 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 16 6 inch flour tortillas
  • 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a dry skillet, toast sesame seeds, cumin, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, and cloves until fragrant; set aside. Remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho, and de arbol chiles, then rehydrate in hot water until softened, about 20-30 minutes.
  • In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, brown goat stew meat in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil until deeply seared on all sides; remove meat and set aside.
  • Add remaining vegetable oil to the pot, then sauté chopped white onion and minced garlic until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Combine rehydrated chiles, toasted spices, sautéed onion and garlic, distilled white vinegar, salt, dried Mexican oregano, ground thyme, diced tomatoes, and beef broth in a blender. Blend until very smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Strain the blended chile sauce through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the Dutch oven, pressing firmly on solids to extract all liquid; discard the solids.
  • Return the browned goat meat to the pot with the strained sauce and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
  • Carefully remove the meat from the pot and shred it using two forks. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the rich broth (consomé) in the pot.
  • Heat a large skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Quickly dip each flour tortilla into the warm consomé, ensuring it's fully coated but not soggy, then place it flat on the hot skillet.
  • Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese over one half of the tortilla. Once the cheese begins to melt, add a generous portion of shredded birria meat to the cheesy side. Fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a taco, pressing gently.
  • Cook the taco for 2-3 minutes per side until the tortilla is crispy and golden brown and the cheese is fully melted and gooey. Serve immediately with a side of the warm consomé for dipping, fresh lime wedges, and chopped cilantro.

Notes

For optimal flavor, toast the whole spices and dried chiles in a dry pan until fragrant before rehydrating. This deepens their aroma. When blending the chile mixture, ensure it's completely smooth, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve for a silky, rich consomé. Browning the goat meat before braising adds a crucial layer of caramelized flavor. Slow cooking is paramount; allow ample time for the meat to become fork-tender. When assembling tacos, generously dip each tortilla in the rich consomé before placing it on the hot griddle – this is key for the distinctive birria flavor and texture. Ensure the cheese is fully melted and the tortillas are beautifully crispy. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime to cut through the richness.