Mesoamerica · Volume 04, Cattle, Wheat and the Border World
Quesabirria estilo Tijuana
Tijuana, Mexico
Illustration
- Researched
- Researched from 64 sources in the brief
As tradition built it
Quesabirria estilo Tijuana
Documented by Bill Esparza, Tacos Aaron, Tijuana, c. 2009
Ingredients
The method as the tradition gives it, with the ingredients named. Quantities follow as we verify them, lead dishes first.
- birria's braised meat, shredded (see AM-05 for the birria tradition)
- 1 per taco tortilla
- as available the stew's own fat and consommé, for dipping the tortilla
- as available cheese, for melting
- to serve consommé, reserved, for the dipping cup
Method
- Dip a tortilla in the birria stew's own fat and consommé.
- Fold the shredded braised meat and melted cheese into the tortilla.
- Griddle until crisp.
- Serve with a cup of the reserved consommé for dipping.
Notes
Birria itself, and its full tradition, belongs to the sibling volume covering Jalisco and Michoacán (AM-05); this chapter treats specifically the Tijuana street adaptation.
What a modern chef changes
The border adaptation's own two techniques, sharpened
Method
- Reduce the reserved consommé further and clarify it through a chinois for a cleaner dipping broth than the traditionally cloudier version.
- Dip and griddle the tortilla on a carbon-steel plancha over the Big Green Egg's direct heat, hot enough to crisp the fat-soaked tortilla properly rather than merely warming it through, which is what separates a good quesabirria taco from a soggy one.