Birria Enchiladas with Shredded Beef (Printable)
Tender beef birria in corn tortillas with melted cheese and rich consommé sauce.
# What You’ll 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 Steps:
01 - In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles 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 the quartered onion, garlic cloves, and halved Roma tomatoes until slightly charred, about 5 minutes.
03 - Transfer softened chiles, roasted vegetables, vinegar, oregano, thyme, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and 1 cup beef broth to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
04 - In a large Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef chunks and short ribs on all sides until well-browned.
05 - Pour the blended sauce over the beef. Add remaining broth, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2.5–3 hours until meat is very tender.
06 - Remove beef from the pot. Shred with two forks, discarding bones and excess fat. Skim excess fat from the birria consommé, reserving some for frying tortillas.
07 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Dip each corn tortilla in the warm birria consommé, then fry briefly in a hot skillet with a little reserved fat until pliable, about 10–15 seconds per side.
08 - Fill each tortilla with shredded birria and a sprinkle of cheese. Roll up and place seam-side down in a baking dish.
09 - Pour extra birria consommé over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 10–15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Serve hot, garnished with diced onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The birria consommé transforms ordinary enchiladas into something extraordinary with its complex chile flavor
- Make the beef ahead of time and you have dinner ready in under 20 minutes on busy nights
- Leftovers freeze beautifully and actually taste even better the next day
02 -
- Don't skip the cinnamon stick even though it seems unusual for a savory dish
- The consommé should be thick enough to coat a spoon, not watery like regular broth
- Tortillas that crack when folding mean they weren't fried long enough in the consommé
03 -
- Save every drop of the cooking fat because it's liquid gold for frying tortillas
- If the consommé seems too thin after simmering, remove the lid and let it reduce for another 15 to 20 minutes