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Birria Grilled Cheese

Birria grilled cheese with tender shredded birria beef and a double layer of melted Oaxaca/Monterey Jack on crisp, buttery sourdough. Cook the beef in chile consommé until it shreds easily, then dip each diagonal sandwich in warm birria consommé.
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Birria Beef
  • 2 lb beef chuck roast
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 1 dried ancho chile stem and seeds removed
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 0.5 medium yellow onion
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
For the Grilled Cheese
  • 8 thick slices sourdough bread
  • 2 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese or low-moisture mozzarella
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 cup prepared shredded birria beef
  • 4 tbsp softened butter
  • 0.25 cup finely diced white onion
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For Serving
  • 2 cup warm birria consommé
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • 1 chopped cilantro, optional
  • 1 diced white onion, optional

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Birria Beef
  1. Season the beef chuck roast with kosher salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then sear the beef for 2–3 minutes per side until deeply browned.
  3. Simmer the guajillo chiles and ancho chile in water for about 10 minutes until softened, then drain.
  4. Blend the softened chiles with 1 cup beef broth, garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cinnamon until smooth.
  5. Return the beef to the Dutch oven, pour in the chile mixture and remaining beef broth, and add the bay leaf.
  6. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2½–3 hours until the beef easily shreds with a fork.
  7. Remove the bay leaf, shred the beef, and toss it with enough cooking liquid to keep it juicy.
  8. Reserve the remaining cooking liquid (consommé) for dipping.
Birria Grilled Cheese
  1. Butter one side of each sourdough slice.
  2. Place four slices butter-side down and layer Oaxaca or mozzarella, Monterey Jack, shredded birria beef, diced onion, cilantro, and another layer of cheese over each slice.
  3. Top with the remaining bread, butter-side up.
  4. Cook the sandwiches in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp, with the cheese melted completely.
  5. Slice each Birria grilled cheese diagonally, then serve immediately with warm consommé and lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: For extra dipping sauce, keep a little consommé warm and add 1–2 ladles to each plate just before serving so the sandwich stays juicy. Refrigerate birria beef and consommé up to 4 days; reheat gently. Freeze birria beef up to 2 months (freeze consommé separately if you want). For a dairy-light option, swap the cheese mix for a low-moisture vegan melt and still layer in the same order to help it stay cohesive.