Quesabirria facts for kids
Quesabirria with consommé at Taqueria La Hacienda in Sonoma, California
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| Alternative names | Quesatacos Red tacos |
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| Type | Taco |
| Course | Main |
| Place of origin | Mexico |
| Region or state | Tijuana |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Beef, consommé, cheese, tortilla |
| Variations | Birria |
Quesabirria (also called quesotacos or red tacos) ("cheese birria") is a Mexican dish comprising birria-style cooked beef folded into a tortilla with melted cheese and served with a side of consommé for dipping. Eater has described quesabirria as "a cross between a taco and a quesadilla." The dish, which has origins in Tijuana, Mexico, gained popularity in the United States through Instagram.
History
Quesabirria was first created in Tijuana, Mexico. The dish is inspired by the traditional birria stew of Jalisco. California-based food writer Bill Esparza saw birria being served on tacos at a taco truck called Tacos Aaron in Tijuana around 2009. Other tacos trucks also served it with cheese inside the taco.
Tijuana taqueros brought quesabirria to Los Angeles around 2016. Taqueros and diners began posting about quesabirria on Instagram. Eater credits Instagram with helping quesabirria go "from a handful of vendors serving a regional specialty to a full-fledged phenomenon." Teddy's Red Tacos was one of the most notable food purveyors to promote quesabirria on Instagram, growing their presence to over 100,000 followers based on the trend. Instagram helped make quesabirria, which is not commonly found at taquerias or Mexican restaurants, a cult food.
In 2019, taqueros in the San Francisco Bay Area took note of the popularity of the dish on social media and began serving it. The first restaurant credited with serving quesabirria in the Bay Area was the food stand Los Originales Tacos de Birria in Antioch. As a teenager, Los Originales Tacos de Birria's owner, Uzziel Rojas, used to eat birria tacos for breakfast as a teenager growing up in Tijuana. Quesabirria purveyors also host pop-ups at bars and breweries. Quesabirria seekers are known for driving long distances and waiting in long lines to acquire the dish.
Today, quesabirria is sold at taco trucks, restaurants and purveyors across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Preparation and variations
Quesabirria is "a cross between a taco and a quesadilla." It comprises a corn tortilla with melted mozzarella or Chihuahua cheese melted with stewed meat. The meat is often beef, in contrast to birria, which is traditionally made with goat. Brisket is a common cut of beef in making quesabirria. The meat is stewed for up to 10 hours with chilies and spices. The tortilla is folded over on a grill, melting the cheese, meat and tortilla together. Some taqueros serve quesabirria with chopped white onion and cilantro inside or topping the tacos. Some taqueros use two tortillas to prepare their quesabirria. Others, including Los Originales Tacos de Birria, use two tortillas and fry them prior to adding the cheese and meat.
The dish is served hot with a side of consommé. The taco is dipped in the consommé by the diner. The consommé is the result of hours of stewing the meat used in the tacos. Some diners may sip the consommé instead of dipping. Quesabirria may also be served with optional salsas and garnishes like pickled habañeros, lime or radish.
Variations on quesabirria includes vampiritos, a version that uses crispy cheese instead of tortillas and birraquiles, tortilla chips topped with birria, cheese and consommé. Roster & the Till, in Tampa, Florida, uses lamb neck that is folded into a lamb fat flour tortilla with cheese which is then fried. Charro Vida in Tucson, Arizona uses jackfruit instead of meat in their quesabirria. Some restaurants offer tortas and tostadas made in the style of quesabirria.
Gallery
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A taquero preparing birria meat in Mexico
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Quesabirria with onions and cilantro
