Cheesy Birria Taquitos
Cheesy Birria Taquitos are crispy, golden-fried rolls of tender shredded birria and melted cheese wrapped in corn tortillas and served with rich, flavorful consommé for dipping. Inspired by the bold, slow-cooked flavors of traditional birria, these taquitos are the ultimate comfort food—savory, crunchy, cheesy, and incredibly satisfying.The beef is simmered in a blend of dried chiles, aromatic spices, and roasted vegetables until fork-tender, then rolled into taquitos with Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese and fried to perfection. Serve them with chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and a bowl of warm consommé for dipping, and you've got a meal that hits every note.
Equipment
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4-5 lbs chuck roast
- 12 cups water
- 6-8 dried guajillo chilies, deveined and deseeded
- 1-2 dried chile ancho, deveined and deseeded
- 2-4 dried chile de árbol, optional
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onion, halved
- 2-3 tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/2 of a large cinnamon stick
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger
- 2 bay leaves
- About 20 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxacan or mozzarella cheese
- 6-8 cups frying oil
Serve with:
- chopped onion
- chopped cilantro
- lime wedges
- consommé for dipping
Instructions
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper on both sides, then in a large pot sear the beef in the oil and set aside.
- Add the water, dried chiles, tomato, garlic, and onion to the pot and allow it to boil until everything is cooked through. Then transfer all the solid contents to a blender, along with about a cup of the cooking water.
- Lightly toast the cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, sesame seeds, oregano, and ginger. Add them to the blender and blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Add the seared beef back into the pot and cook for about 20 minutes, skimming off any scum that floats to the top.
- Strain the sauce into the pot and allow everything to simmer until the beef is fork tender, about 3 hours.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the birria to a cutting board and roughly chop it into small pieces.
- Heat a few corn tortillas and assemble the taquitos with small portions of birria and shredded cheese. Roll them up and hold them in place by piercing a toothpick through the center.
- Fry them in oil at 300°F until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes.
- Serve with chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and consommé for dipping.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You can make the birria and consommé a day in advance to save time on frying day
- Use a thermometer to keep your oil at a consistent 300°F for even frying and minimal splatter
- Don’t overfill the tortillas or they may unroll while frying
- To make them easier to roll, steam the tortillas briefly or warm them on a hot griddle
- Leftover birria can also be used for quesadillas, tacos, or even ramen
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