Blackstone Birria Philly Cheesesteak

A birria Philly is a cheesesteak built from birria instead of shaved ribeye. Onions and green peppers cook down in the orange fat skimmed off the consomé, the shredded beef gets chopped in with two spatulas, provolone melts over the top under a dome, and the whole pile goes into a toasted hoagie with a cup of warm consomé on the side for dipping, the way you’d eat a French dip.

It’s the third sandwich in the birria set, after the birria grilled cheese and the birria torta. Where the torta tops the beef with raw onion and avocado, this one leans on the Philly cheesesteak method: soft, browned onions and peppers mixed right into the meat. Like the others, it starts from shredded birria and consomé you already have, fresh from a braise or left over from birria tacos.

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Ingredients

• 4 hoagie rolls, split
• 3 cups shredded birria beef
• 8 slices provolone (or 2 cups shredded Oaxaca)
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup birria consomé, plus more warm for dipping cups
• Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Step 1: Skim the fat. If the consomé has been sitting, the orange fat will have risen to the top. Skim about 2 tablespoons of it into a small bowl for cooking the vegetables. Warm the rest of the consomé for the dipping cups.

Step 2: Preheat. Set the Blackstone to medium-high and preheat about 10 minutes, to around 400°F.

Step 3: Cook the onions and peppers. Spoon the consomé fat onto the griddle and add the onions. Cook 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown. Add the peppers and cook another 4-5 minutes until soft with a little char. Season with salt and pepper and push them to a cooler zone.

Step 4: Chop in the beef. Spread the shredded birria on the hottest zone and chop and turn it with two spatulas for 1-2 minutes, until it’s hot through and a few edges start to crisp. Fold the onions and peppers in.

Step 5: Melt the cheese. Divide the mixture into four roll-length portions. Lay 2 slices of provolone over each one, squirt a little water on the griddle next to them, and cover with a basting dome for about 60 seconds, until the cheese is fully melted.

Step 6: Toast the rolls. While the cheese melts, set the rolls cut-side down on a clean part of the griddle for 60-90 seconds, until lightly toasted.

Step 7: Load and serve. Scoop each cheesy portion into a roll with a spatula. Serve right away with a cup of warm consomé for dipping.

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Tips

Use the consomé fat for the vegetables. Cooking the onions and peppers in the skimmed fat instead of oil carries the chile flavor through the whole sandwich. If your consomé doesn’t have much fat on top, use a little oil and make up the difference.

Let the beef crisp a little. Shredded birria is already cooked, so the griddle’s job is heat and texture. A minute or two on the hottest zone, chopping as it goes, gives you some browned edges in with the tender beef.

Keep the consomé on the side. Pouring it over the sandwich turns the roll soggy before you’re halfway through. Keep it in a cup on the side and dip each bite.

Pick your cheese. Provolone gives you the classic cheesesteak flavor. Oaxaca, the cheese in the tacos and torta, melts with more stretch and keeps it closer to quesabirria.

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More flat-top recipes: Blackstone Birria Tacos · Birria Torta · Birria Grilled Cheese · Philly Cheesesteak · Blackstone Griddle Sandwiches

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a birria Philly?

A cheesesteak made with shredded birria beef instead of shaved ribeye. The beef gets chopped together with griddled onions and peppers, topped with melted provolone, and served on a toasted hoagie roll with a cup of birria consomé for dipping.

What’s the difference between a birria Philly and a birria torta?

The bread and the build. A birria Philly uses a hoagie roll and mixes cooked onions and peppers into the beef the way a Philly cheesesteak does. A birria torta uses a crusty bolillo or telera roll dipped in consomé fat, with raw onion, cilantro, and avocado on top.

What cheese goes on a birria Philly?

Provolone is the classic cheesesteak choice. Oaxaca works too and melts with more stretch, which keeps it closer to the cheese in quesabirria tacos.

Can you make a birria Philly with leftover birria?

Yes, it’s one of the best uses for it. The beef only needs a minute or two on the hot griddle to heat through, and the consomé reheats gently for dipping.

What temperature do you cook a birria Philly on a Blackstone?

Medium-high, around 400°F, the same as a regular Philly cheesesteak. That’s hot enough to brown the onions and peppers and crisp the edges of the beef quickly.