Birria Enchiladas (Printable Version)
Tender beef birria in corn tortillas with rich consommé and melted cheese
# What You Need:
→ For the Birria
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1 lb beef short ribs
03 - 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
04 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
05 - 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
06 - 1 large white onion, quartered
07 - 5 cloves garlic
08 - 2 Roma tomatoes, halved
09 - 4 cups beef broth
10 - 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 tsp cumin seeds
16 - 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
17 - 1/2 tsp cloves
18 - 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
19 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ For the Enchiladas
20 - 12 corn tortillas
21 - 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
22 - 1/2 cup diced white onion
23 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
24 - Lime wedges, for serving
# How-To:
01 - Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles, toast for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 15 minutes until softened.
02 - In the same skillet, roast quartered onion, garlic cloves, and halved Roma tomatoes until slightly charred, about 5 minutes.
03 - Drain soaked chiles and transfer to a blender. Add roasted vegetables, apple cider vinegar, dried oregano, dried thyme, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until completely smooth.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef chuck and short ribs with salt. Sear meat on all sides until well-browned, about 3-4 minutes per batch.
05 - Pour blended sauce over the beef. Add remaining beef broth, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2.5-3 hours until meat is fork-tender and easily shreds.
06 - Remove beef from the pot. Using two forks, shred the meat, discarding bones and excess fat. Skim excess fat from the birria consommé, reserving 2-3 tbsp for frying tortillas.
07 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
08 - Dip each corn tortilla in the warm birria consommé for 2 seconds. Heat a skillet with a small amount of reserved fat over medium-high heat. Briefly fry each tortilla until pliable, about 10-15 seconds per side.
09 - Fill each tortilla with shredded birria and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up tightly and place seam-side down in a baking dish.
10 - Pour extra birria consommé over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 - Serve hot, garnished with diced white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The birria consommé transforms ordinary enchiladas into something extraordinary and deeply comforting
- Leftovers freeze beautifully and actually taste better the next day
02 -
- Don't skip searing the meat; this step creates the foundation of flavor in the final dish
- The consommé should be well-seasoned before assembly since it's the primary flavor
03 -
- Work quickly when dipping tortillas or they'll become too soft to roll
- Let the meat rest in the cooking liquid for 30 minutes before shredding for maximum moisture