Quesabirria facts for kids
Quesabirria with consommé at Taqueria La Hacienda in Sonoma, California
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| Alternative names | Quesatacos Red tacos |
|---|---|
| Type | Taco |
| Course | Main |
| Place of origin | Mexico |
| Region or state | Tijuana |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Beef, consommé, cheese, tortilla |
| Variations | Birria |
Quesabirria is a super tasty Mexican dish! People also call it quesotacos or red tacos. It's like a mix between a taco and a quesadilla.
This dish has delicious beef cooked in a special birria style. The beef is folded into a tortilla with melted cheese. It comes with a side of warm consommé (a rich broth) for dipping. Quesabirria first became popular in Tijuana, Mexico. Later, it spread quickly in the United States thanks to Instagram.
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How Quesabirria Became Popular
Quesabirria was first made in Tijuana, Mexico. It was inspired by a traditional stew called birria from Jalisco. Around 2009, a food writer named Bill Esparza saw birria served in tacos in Tijuana. Some taco trucks even added cheese to these tacos.
Quesabirria Arrives in Los Angeles
Around 2016, taco makers from Tijuana brought quesabirria to Los Angeles. Both the chefs and their customers started sharing pictures of quesabirria on Instagram. Many people say Instagram helped this dish become a huge hit. It went from being a local specialty to a big food trend.
Teddy's Red Tacos was one of the first places to make quesabirria famous on Instagram. They gained over 100,000 followers because of this popular dish. Instagram helped quesabirria become a "cult food," meaning it was loved by a special group of fans.
Spreading to the San Francisco Bay Area
In 2019, taco makers in the San Francisco Bay Area noticed how popular quesabirria was on social media. They started serving it too. The first restaurant known for serving quesabirria there was Los Originales Tacos de Birria in Antioch. The owner, Uzziel Rojas, used to eat birria tacos for breakfast when he was a teenager in Tijuana.
Sometimes, quesabirria sellers also set up temporary food stands at bars and breweries. People who love quesabirria often drive long distances and wait in long lines to get some. Today, you can find quesabirria at taco trucks, restaurants, and food stands across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Making and Enjoying Quesabirria
Quesabirria is a yummy mix of a taco and a quesadilla. It uses a corn tortilla with melted mozzarella or Chihuahua cheese. Inside, there's stewed meat, usually beef. Traditional birria is often made with goat, but quesabirria usually uses beef, like brisket.
How the Meat and Tortilla are Prepared
The beef is cooked slowly for up to 10 hours with chilies and spices. This makes it super tender and flavorful. The tortilla is then folded on a grill, melting the cheese, meat, and tortilla together. Some chefs add chopped white onion and cilantro inside or on top of the tacos.
Some places use two tortillas to make their quesabirria. Others, like Los Originales Tacos de Birria, fry two tortillas before adding the cheese and meat. This makes the taco extra crispy!
Dipping in Consommé
Quesabirria is always served hot with a side of consommé. This broth is made from the juices of the meat stewed for hours. You can dip your taco into the consommé before each bite. Some people even sip the consommé like a soup.
You can also add optional salsas and garnishes. These might include pickled habañeros, lime, or radish.
Fun Variations of Quesabirria
There are some cool twists on quesabirria:
- Vampiritos: This version uses crispy cheese instead of tortillas.
- Birraquiles: These are tortilla chips topped with birria, cheese, and consommé.
- Some restaurants use different meats, like lamb neck.
- Others offer plant-based options, like using jackfruit instead of meat.
- You might also find tortas (sandwiches) and tostadas (crispy flat tortillas) made in the quesabirria style.
Images for kids
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A chef getting birria meat ready in Mexico
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Quesabirria with onions and cilantro on top
