Birria Quesadillas
Satisfy your cravings with these mouthwatering Birria Quesadillas! Packed with tender, flavorful braised beef and gooey melted cheese, each bite is a delightful explosion of taste. Cook them to crispy perfection on a hot skillet for the ultimate dinner treat that’s sure to impress!
Prep
15
min
Cook
360
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- onionsoptional
- pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- carnitas pork shoulder (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- butter (14 g)
- mozzarella cheese
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- beef broth (240 ml)optionalcan substitute with chicken broth or water
- tortillas
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- cuminoptional
- salt
📦Other(1)
- chilioptional
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1110
Protein
72g
Carbs
76g
Fat
61g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Place the carnitas pork shoulder in the crock pot.
- 2
Add enough beef broth to cover the bottom of the crock pot.
- 3
Season with salt, pepper, chili, and cumin to taste. Onions are optional.
- 4
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
- 5
Once cooked, shred the meat.
- 6
In a pan on medium heat, melt some butter.
- 7
Dip a tortilla in the juices from the crock pot, then place it in the pan.
- 8
Add shredded mozzarella cheese and some of the shredded meat to the tortilla.
- 9
Fold the tortilla and cook until golden brown on both sides.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Reserve the birria liquid and reduce it by 30-40% in a saucepan at a rolling boil for 8-12 minutes before dipping tortillas, concentrating the fat-soluble flavors (chili, cumin) and creating a more cohesive coating that adheres to the tortilla rather than dripping off.timing30-40% reduction, 8-12 minutes at rolling boil
- ✓Maintain your pan temperature at exactly 350°F (175°C) when assembling quesadillas—this allows the tortilla's exterior starches to crisp and brown via the Maillard reaction (2-3 minutes per side) while the cheese reaches 165°F and fully melts without burning the butter.equipment350°F (175°C), 2-3 minutes per side
- ✓Use a 60:40 cheese-to-meat ratio by weight because mozzarella's 50% water content creates steam that rehydrates and binds the shredded pork fibers, while excess meat (>40%) creates a dry filling that doesn't hold together when dipped.ingredient60:40 cheese-to-meat ratio
- ✓Dip the tortilla in the birria liquid for exactly 2-3 seconds per side—this hydrates the exterior starches enough to soften without oversaturating, which would cause the tortilla to tear when flipped or the filling to leak out.timing2-3 seconds per side
- ✓Rest the finished quesadilla on a warm plate for 1 minute before serving; this allows carryover cooking to finish melting the cheese interior (from ~160°F to 165°F) while the exterior starches set, preventing a molten cheese leak when cut.timing1 minute rest
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
360
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Birria Quesadillas
Satisfy your cravings with these mouthwatering Birria Quesadillas! Packed with tender, flavorful braised beef and gooey melted cheese, each bite is a delightful explosion of taste. Cook them to crispy perfection on a hot skillet for the ultimate dinner treat that’s sure to impress!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- onionsoptional
- pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- carnitas pork shoulder (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- butter (14 g)
- mozzarella cheese
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- beef broth (240 ml)optionalcan substitute with chicken broth or water
- tortillas
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- cuminoptional
- salt
📦Other(1)
- chilioptional
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1110
Protein
72g
Carbs
76g
Fat
61g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Place the carnitas pork shoulder in the crock pot.
- 2
Add enough beef broth to cover the bottom of the crock pot.
- 3
Season with salt, pepper, chili, and cumin to taste. Onions are optional.
- 4
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
- 5
Once cooked, shred the meat.
- 6
In a pan on medium heat, melt some butter.
- 7
Dip a tortilla in the juices from the crock pot, then place it in the pan.
- 8
Add shredded mozzarella cheese and some of the shredded meat to the tortilla.
- 9
Fold the tortilla and cook until golden brown on both sides.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Reserve the birria liquid and reduce it by 30-40% in a saucepan at a rolling boil for 8-12 minutes before dipping tortillas, concentrating the fat-soluble flavors (chili, cumin) and creating a more cohesive coating that adheres to the tortilla rather than dripping off.timing30-40% reduction, 8-12 minutes at rolling boil
- ✓Maintain your pan temperature at exactly 350°F (175°C) when assembling quesadillas—this allows the tortilla's exterior starches to crisp and brown via the Maillard reaction (2-3 minutes per side) while the cheese reaches 165°F and fully melts without burning the butter.equipment350°F (175°C), 2-3 minutes per side
- ✓Use a 60:40 cheese-to-meat ratio by weight because mozzarella's 50% water content creates steam that rehydrates and binds the shredded pork fibers, while excess meat (>40%) creates a dry filling that doesn't hold together when dipped.ingredient60:40 cheese-to-meat ratio
- ✓Dip the tortilla in the birria liquid for exactly 2-3 seconds per side—this hydrates the exterior starches enough to soften without oversaturating, which would cause the tortilla to tear when flipped or the filling to leak out.timing2-3 seconds per side
- ✓Rest the finished quesadilla on a warm plate for 1 minute before serving; this allows carryover cooking to finish melting the cheese interior (from ~160°F to 165°F) while the exterior starches set, preventing a molten cheese leak when cut.timing1 minute rest