Description
This Smoked Quesa-Birria Taco Box recipe combines tender, flavorful smoked beef chuck roast with a rich, smoky chile paste. The beef is slow-smoked to perfection, shredded, and simmered in a vibrant birria broth before being assembled into crispy, cheese-filled tacos served with fresh cilantro, onions, and lime wedges for a delicious, authentic Mexican meal experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Broth
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast
- 4 cups beef broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Chiles and Spices
- 4 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried ancho chiles
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
Tortillas and Cheese
- 8-12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella, shredded
Others
- Lime wedges for serving
- Cooking oil for frying
Instructions
- Toast the Chiles: In a dry pan, toast the guajillo and ancho chiles over medium heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes per side. This enhances their flavor and aroma.
- Soak the Chiles: Remove stems and seeds, then soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 10-15 minutes until softened.
- Make the Chile Paste: In a blender, combine the soaked chiles, chipotle pepper in adobo, garlic cloves, medium onion, cumin, oregano, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and 1 cup of beef broth. Blend until smooth to create a rich, flavorful chile paste.
- Sear the Beef: Season the beef chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a little oil and sear the beef on all sides until it develops a deep brown crust, locking in flavor.
- Smoke the Beef: Transfer the seared beef to a smoker preheated to 250°F (120°C). Smoke the beef for 4 to 5 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
- Shred and Simmer: Shred the smoked beef using two forks. In a large pot, combine the shredded beef with the chile paste and the remaining 3 cups of beef broth. Add bay leaves. Simmer gently over low heat for 30 minutes to meld flavors.
- Assemble the Tacos: Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla briefly in the birria broth, then fry until slightly crispy but pliable. Place shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla, add a generous amount of smoked birria beef, and fold the tortilla over. Cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy on both sides.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve the quesabirria tacos hot, topped with chopped cilantro, finely chopped onions, and a wedge of lime on the side for squeezing over the tacos.
Notes
- Use beef chuck roast for its marbling and tenderness when smoked slowly.
- If you don’t have a smoker, you can cook the beef low and slow in the oven at 250°F with a covered Dutch oven.
- Adjust the number of tortillas based on size and appetite; each taco requires 1 tortilla.
- Oaxaca cheese can be substituted with mozzarella if unavailable for a similar melting texture.
- Make sure to toast the chiles carefully to avoid burning and bitterness.
- The birria broth, known as consommé, can be served alongside tacos for dipping.
