# What You'll Need:
→ Beef birria
01 - 2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
03 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
04 - 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
05 - 1 large white onion, quartered
06 - 5 garlic cloves
07 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
08 - 4 cups beef broth
09 - 2 bay leaves
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp cumin seeds
12 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
13 - 4 whole cloves
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Quesadillas
16 - 12 corn or flour tortillas (use corn for gluten-free)
17 - 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
18 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter or neutral oil, for frying
19 - Chopped white onion, for garnish
20 - Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
21 - Lime wedges, for serving
→ Consommé dip
22 - Reserved braising liquid (consommé), strained
# How To Make It:
01 - Warm a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the guajillo, ancho and pasilla chiles for 1–2 minutes per side until fragrant; transfer to a bowl, pour hot water to cover and let them soak for 15 minutes, then drain.
02 - Place drained chiles in a blender with the quartered onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, oregano, cumin seeds, ground cinnamon, whole cloves, and a pinch of salt and pepper; add a splash of the soaking liquid if needed and blend to a smooth purée.
03 - Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, season the beef with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides in batches until well caramelized, about 6–8 minutes per batch; remove and set aside.
04 - Return the seared beef to the pot, add the blended chile sauce, bay leaves and beef broth, bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 2 to 2½ hours until the meat is very tender and easily shredded; discard bay leaves.
05 - Lift the meat from the braising liquid, shred with two forks, strain and reserve the cooking liquid (consommé) for dipping; adjust seasoning of the shredded meat with salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Briefly dip each tortilla into the warm consommé to coat, place on the skillet, sprinkle with shredded cheese and a portion of shredded birria, fold and press gently.
07 - Cook each folded tortilla 2–3 minutes per side, turning once, until both sides are golden-brown and the cheese is fully melted; add more butter or oil to the pan as needed and repeat with remaining tortillas.
08 - Ladle hot consommé into small bowls, garnish quesadillas with chopped onion and cilantro, serve with lime wedges and dip the quesadillas into the consommé.
