Blackstone Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)

Birria tacos are worth the afternoon they take. The beef braises low and slow in a deep, brick-red chile adobo until it shreds with a fork, and then the flat top does the part everyone came for: quesabirria tacos, dipped in the fatty consomé, griddled crisp with melty cheese, and served with a cup of the broth for dipping. I make a big batch on a lazy Sunday and the whole family fights over the crispy ones.

Here’s the honest breakdown of where the Blackstone fits: the braise happens in a pot (Dutch oven, oven, or Instant Pot) — that’s just how birria works. The Blackstone is where the tacos get built and crisped, and its wide, even surface means you can crank out a dozen quesabirria tacos at once without them steaming each other. That’s the difference between a fun cook and a frustrating one.

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Ingredients

Chile adobo:

• 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 chiles de árbol (optional, for heat)
• 3 roma tomatoes
• ½ white onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Beef and braise:

• 3–4 lbs chuck roast, cut into large chunks (short ribs or beef cheek are great additions)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 3–4 cups beef broth
• Salt to taste

For the tacos:

• Corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or low-moisture mozzarella
• Diced white onion
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

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Instructions

Step 1: Toast and soak the chiles. In a dry pan or on the griddle over medium heat, toast the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles for 30–60 seconds until fragrant — don’t scorch them or they turn bitter. Cover with hot water and soak 15 minutes until soft.

Step 2: Blend the adobo. Drain the chiles and add to a blender with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, vinegar, cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Blend until completely smooth, adding a splash of the soaking water if needed.

Step 3: Sear the beef. Season the chuck with salt. In a Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil and sear the beef chunks on all sides until deeply browned. Work in batches so they sear, not steam.

Step 4: Braise. Pour the adobo over the beef, add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and enough beef broth to nearly cover. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise low — 3 to 3.5 hours on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven (or ~45 minutes at high pressure in an Instant Pot) — until the beef shreds effortlessly.

Step 5: Shred and skim. Pull the beef out and shred it with two forks. Strain the braising liquid if you like it smooth — this is your consomé. Spoon the deep orange fat that rises to the top into a small bowl; that fat is what makes quesabirria tacos crispy and red.

Step 6: Build the quesabirria tacos on the Blackstone. Preheat to medium-high (375–400°F). Dip a corn tortilla in the reserved consomé fat, then lay it on the griddle. Add a layer of cheese, a spoonful of shredded birria, onion, and cilantro. Fold in half and press. Griddle 1–2 minutes per side until the tortilla is crispy and stained red and the cheese is melted.

Step 7: Serve with consomé for dipping. Pour the warm consomé into small cups. Garnish tacos with more onion and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges — dip every bite.

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What Makes It “Quesabirria”

Regular birria tacos are just the stewed beef in a tortilla with consomé. Quesabirria adds two things that made it go viral: melted cheese, and the tortilla getting dipped in the rust-colored consomé fat before it hits the griddle. That fat is where all the chile flavor and color live — it fries the tortilla, turns it crispy and red, and glues the cheese to the beef. The flat top is the ideal tool for it because you can dip, fill, fold, and crisp a whole tray of them in one pass.

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The Consomé Is the Point

Don’t treat the braising liquid as a byproduct — it’s half the dish. After straining, taste it and adjust the salt; it should be rich, a little spicy, and deeply savory. Serve a cup alongside every plate for dipping. Leftover consomé is incredible ladled over rice, used as a base for birria ramen, or simmered with the leftover beef for a second meal.

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Variations

Birria quesadilla: Same idea, more cheese, no fold — a full tortilla loaded with birria and cheese, crisped flat on the griddle like a quesadilla.

Birria ramen: Cook instant ramen noodles in the consomé, top with shredded birria, onion, cilantro, and lime. A cult favorite.

Birria burrito: Wrap birria, cheese, rice, and onion in a large flour tortilla and crisp it on the flat top, like a California burrito.

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Tips

Toast the chiles, but don’t burn them. Thirty seconds of toasting wakes up the flavor; a few seconds too long makes the whole adobo bitter. Pull them the moment they smell fragrant.

Chuck is the workhorse, but blend cuts for the best texture. Chuck roast gives you plenty of shreddable, fatty beef. Adding short ribs or beef cheek makes it richer and more gelatinous — the traditional move.

Save the fat, that’s the secret. The orange fat on top of the consomé is what makes quesabirria crispy and red. Skim it into its own bowl and dip every tortilla in it before griddling.

Don’t crowd the griddle. Give each taco room so it crisps instead of steams — the wide Blackstone surface is built for exactly this.

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More flat-top recipes: Blackstone Mexican Recipes · Carne Asada · Blackstone Dinner Ideas

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between birria and quesabirria?

Birria is the slow-braised, chile-marinated beef (or goat, traditionally) served as a stew or in tacos with consomé for dipping. Quesabirria is the viral taco version that adds melted cheese and dips the tortilla in the consomé fat before griddling it crispy. Quesabirria is birria plus cheese plus a crispy, red-stained tortilla.

What cut of beef is best for birria?

Chuck roast is the standard — it’s fatty, affordable, and shreds beautifully after a long braise. For richer, more traditional results, add short ribs or beef cheek. Avoid lean cuts like sirloin; they dry out and won’t shred.

Do you make birria on the griddle?

The braise is done in a pot, Dutch oven, oven, or Instant Pot — not on the griddle. The Blackstone comes in for the quesabirria tacos: dipping the tortillas in the consomé fat and griddling them crispy with cheese and beef. The flat top’s size lets you crisp a whole batch at once.

What is consomé?

Consomé is the strained braising liquid — the deeply flavored, chile-rich broth the beef cooked in. It’s served in small cups alongside birria tacos for dipping, and the fat that rises to the top is used to fry the tortillas. Don’t discard it; it’s half the dish.

What cheese is used in quesabirria tacos?

Oaxaca cheese is traditional because it melts like mozzarella with a mild, stringy pull. Low-moisture mozzarella is the easiest substitute and works great. Both melt cleanly on the griddle and bind the beef to the tortilla.

Can you make birria ahead of time?

Yes — birria is better the next day. Braise the beef and make the consomé a day ahead, refrigerate, and the flavors deepen overnight. Reheat the shredded beef and consomé, then build the tacos fresh on the griddle when you’re ready to eat.

What temperature do you cook birria tacos on a Blackstone griddle?

Griddle quesabirria tacos at 375-400°F (medium-high) on a Blackstone. That’s hot enough to crisp the consomé-dipped tortilla and stain it red while melting the cheese, without scorching it before the inside heats through. The braise itself happens off the griddle in a pot.