Instant Pot Beef Birria + How to Make QuesaBirria Tacos

dried chiles

🥗Healthier: fresh chiles

💰Cheaper: canned chiles

Fresh chiles can provide a different flavor profile, while canned chiles are often more affordable.

beef

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: pork

Chicken is leaner, while pork can be less expensive than beef.

Remove the stems and shake out the seeds from the dried chiles.

Place the chiles in a small pot, cover with water, and boil for about 5 minutes to soften.

Set the softened chiles aside while preparing the beef.

Season the chuck roast liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.

In the same pot, add aroma tomatoes and garlic cloves to the sauce ingredients.

Add one bay leaf, half a cinnamon stick, oregano, and cumin seeds to the blender.

Add the softened chiles to the blender with 1 cup of fresh water and blend until smooth, adjusting salt to taste.

Sear the seasoned chuck roast in the Instant Pot on the sauté setting until browned on all sides, doing this in batches if necessary.

Turn off the Instant Pot and add the remaining beef pieces back in, ensuring they are in an even layer.

Add the beef bones on top of the meat.

Strain the blended birria sauce over the meat using a strainer, pressing down to extract the liquid.

Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot, ensuring the meat is submerged; add another cup if necessary.

Add the saved bay leaf to the pot and ensure the valve is set to sealing.

Set the Instant Pot to cook for 50 minutes.

Once the cooking time is up, release the steam carefully and remove the beef and bones from the pot, reserving the liquid.

Shred the beef using forks or a knife until tender.

Shred Oaxaca cheese and set aside for the tacos.

Heat a skillet and dip a corn tortilla in the reserved broth, then place it in the skillet.

Add a good amount of shredded cheese to the tortilla, followed by a portion of the shredded beef.

Fold the tortilla over to create a quesadilla and add more broth if needed for flavor.

Cook the quesadilla for a couple of minutes until crispy, flipping as necessary to achieve a nice crust.

Assemble the tacos by adding chopped onion and cilantro on top or inside the tacos before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary