Birria Borracha Recipe

Prepare dried chilies

Toast guajillo and ancho chilies briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until aromatic but not burned. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak 15 minutes until softened, then drain.

Make marinade paste

In a blender, combine soaked chilies, chipotle in adobo, roasted tomato, quartered onion (use half the onion here; reserve the rest for braise), 4 garlic cloves, Negra Modelo (6 oz), apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add 1/2 cup of the beef broth or water to help blend. Purée until very smooth.

Sear short ribs

Pat short ribs dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown short ribs on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side, until well caramelized. Remove and set aside.

Build the braise

Lower heat to medium, add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and the reserved quartered onion to the pot and sauté 2 minutes. Add the chili-tomato purée and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to wake the flavors. Return short ribs to the pot, pour in remaining 6 oz Negra Modelo and 1.5–2 cups beef broth (enough so the meat is mostly submerged). Add bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Braise until tender

Cover and braise on low simmer on stovetop or in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 2.5–3 hours, or until short ribs are fall-apart tender. Check once during cooking and add a splash of water or broth if liquid reduces too quickly.

Shred meat and reserve consomé

Remove short ribs from braising liquid. Using two forks, shred the meat, discarding excess fat and bones. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract liquid. You should have about 2–3 cups consomé. Taste and season with up to 1 tsp salt. Reserve separately: 3 cups for dipping/serving and a small ladle to dip tortillas while assembling.

If desired, bring the reserved consomé to a simmer and add the optional 2 oz Negra Modelo to deepen flavor. Skim any excess fat. Keep warm on low for dipping tortillas and serving alongside the borracha.

In a small bowl, combine sliced red onion, lime juice, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Toss and let sit at least 15 minutes at room temperature (longer for more pickling). Stir in chopped cilantro just before serving.

Prepare tortillas for dipping

Pour warm consomé into a shallow wide bowl or pie plate. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add 2 tsp oil or a small smear of lard. Working one tortilla at a time, dip a corn tortilla quickly into the warm consomé (1–2 seconds) to saturate but not fall apart.

Construct borracha

Place the dipped tortilla into the preheated skillet, let it sizzle 10–20 seconds, then sprinkle a generous 1/4 cup shredded queso blanco over half the tortilla. Add a heaping 1/4 cup shredded braised short rib on top of the cheese. Fold tortilla over to form a half-moon and press gently with a spatula to seal and melt cheese, about 1–2 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Repeat to make 4 borrachas (two tortillas each as stated in menu yields 2 sandwiches; this recipe yields 4).

Serve

Transfer each borracha to a plate, top with pickled red onion and extra chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with warm consomé in small bowls for dipping. Provide lime wedges if desired.