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Spelt Beef Birria-Style Quesadillas with Dipping Broth

Two crisp orange-red spelt quesadillas cut open beside a cup of dipping broth and lime wedges on a wooden board

Spelt beef birria-style quesadillas are folded spelt tortillas filled with chile-braised beef chuck and melted Oaxaca cheese. You crisp each one in a skillet and dip it in the warm braising broth.

The beef braises for 2 1/2 hours at 160 C / 320 F. The meat stays tender, and the sauce stays clean, with mild heat from guajillo and ancho chiles.

Spelt gives the tortillas a nutty, slightly sweet flavor. After a 20-minute rest the dough stays soft and rolls thin without a press.

The beef keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so you can braise it ahead. On the day, you only roll, fill, and fry. The steps stay clear and the pace stays calm.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • The beef braises in the oven with little attention
  • Beef and broth keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge
  • Spelt tortillas roll thin and stay soft without a press
  • Strained broth doubles as a dipping sauce and a soup base
Hand folding shredded chile beef and melted cheese into a spelt tortilla in a cast-iron skillet

Ingredient Notes

  • beef chuck: Chuck has enough fat and collagen to turn tender in a long braise. Boneless short rib works at the same 800 g weight.
  • dried guajillo and ancho chiles: Guajillo adds mild heat and a bright red color. Ancho adds a deeper, slightly sweet note. If you can't find guajillo, use 2 extra anchos.
  • white spelt flour: White spelt keeps the tortillas soft and pliable. Wholemeal spelt works too, but add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water.
  • Oaxaca cheese: Oaxaca melts into long, stretchy strands. Low-moisture mozzarella is the closest substitute, and Monterey Jack gives a milder result.
  • apple cider vinegar: A small amount of vinegar softens the chiles and balances the beef fat. White wine vinegar is a fine swap.
Family dinner table with plates of quesadillas, small broth cups, cilantro, and linen napkins in warm window light
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 196 mins
Total Time 3 hrs 46 mins
Cooking Method:
Cuisine:
Courses:
Difficulty: Medium
Cooking Temp: 160  C
Servings: 4
Estimated Cost: 6.50
Calories: 774
Best Season: all_year_round
Dietary: Contains Dairy, Contains gluten (spelt), Contains meat, Egg-free, High Protein, Nut-free
Description

Chuck braises in a guajillo and ancho sauce until it shreds, then gets folded into homemade spelt tortillas with Oaxaca cheese and crisped in the skillet. The strained broth stays on the side for dipping.

Ingredients
    For the chile beef
  • 800 g beef chuck (cut into 5 cm / 2-inch chunks, large fat trimmed)
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles ((20 g); stemmed and seeded)
  • 2 dried ancho chiles ((20 g); stemmed and seeded)
  • 500 ml hot water (for soaking the chiles)
  • 250 g ripe tomatoes ((2 medium); quartered)
  • 150 g yellow onion ((1 medium); quartered)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 250 ml beef stock
    • For the spelt tortillas
  • 250 g white spelt flour (plus extra for rolling)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil ((45 ml))
  • 130 ml warm water (plus 1 tbsp if the dough is dry)
    • To assemble
  • 250 g Oaxaca cheese (shredded)
  • 40 g white onion (finely chopped)
  • 15 g fresh cilantro (chopped)
  • 2 limes (cut into wedges)
Instructions
    Braise the chile beef
  1. 1
    Heat a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant, then soak them in 500 ml hot water for 15 minutes.
  2. 2
    Blend the soaked chiles with 250 ml of their soaking water, the tomatoes, onion, garlic, vinegar, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper until smooth.
  3. 3
    Heat the oven to 160 C / 320 F. Season the beef with 1 1/2 tsp salt. Heat the oil in a 5-quart / 4.7 L Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef in two batches, 4 to 5 minutes per batch, until browned on at least two sides.
  4. 4
    Return all the beef to the pot. Add the chile sauce, beef stock, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer to the oven, and braise for 2 1/2 hours, until a chunk pulls apart with a fork and offers no resistance.
    5. Make the spelt tortillas
  5. 5
    While the beef braises, whisk the spelt flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Add the oil and 130 ml warm water and mix, then knead for 2 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Add 1 tbsp water if it feels dry. Divide into 8 pieces of about 53 g each, cover with a towel, and rest for 20 minutes.
    6. Finish and assemble
  6. 6
    Lift the beef from the pot and shred it with two forks. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart / 1.9 L saucepan and skim the red fat into a shallow dish. Toss the beef with 120 ml of the strained broth and keep the rest of the broth warm over low heat.
  7. 7
    Roll each dough piece on a lightly floured surface to an 18 cm / 7-inch round about 2 mm thick. Cook two at a time in a dry 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 45 seconds per side, until pale brown spots form. Do not cook past this point, or the tortillas crack at the fold. Stack them in a clean towel.
  8. 8
    Dip one side of a tortilla in the red fat and place it fat-side down in the same skillet over medium heat. Top half with about 30 g cheese, 60 g beef, and a little onion and cilantro, then fold over. Fry two at a time for 2 minutes per side, until crisp and deep orange-red with the cheese melted. Repeat for 4 batches in total.
  9. 9
    Serve the quesadillas right away with about 120 ml warm broth per person in small cups, lime wedges, and extra onion and cilantro.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 774kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 66g102%
Saturated Fat 24g120%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 215mg72%
Sodium 1500mg63%
Potassium 1100mg32%
Total Carbohydrate 52g18%
Dietary Fiber 9g36%
Sugars 6g
Protein 60g120%
Vitamin A 1500 IU
Vitamin C 15 mg
Calcium 450 mg
Iron 9 mg
Vitamin D 10 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg
Vitamin K 15 mcg
Thiamin 0.3 mg
Riboflavin 0.7 mg
Niacin 13 mg
Vitamin B6 0.9 mg
Folate 55 mcg
Vitamin B12 5.5 mcg
Phosphorus 950 mg
Magnesium 150 mg
Zinc 14 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

  • Cut the beef into 5 cm / 2-inch chunks so it cooks evenly and shreds easily.
  • Keep the broth warm on low heat while you fry the quesadillas.
  • Cover the cooked tortillas with a clean towel so they stay pliable.
  • Shred the beef while it is warm, since cold braised beef is harder to pull apart.
Keywords: spelt quesadillas, birria-style quesadillas, beef birria, spelt tortillas, chile braised beef

Equipment

  • 5-quart / 4.7 L Dutch oven with lid
  • 30 cm / 12-inch skillet
  • blender
  • fine-mesh sieve
  • rolling pin
  • clean kitchen towel

Tips

  • Toast the dried chiles for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant, then soak them in hot water for 15 minutes.
  • Sear the beef in two batches so the pieces brown instead of steaming, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch.
  • Skim the red fat from the strained broth and keep it in a shallow dish for dipping each tortilla.
  • Rest the spelt dough for 20 minutes so it relaxes and rolls out to an even 2 mm thickness.
  • Fry two quesadillas at a time in a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium heat, 2 minutes per side.

Variations

  • Replace the beef chuck with boneless short rib at the same 800 g weight and braise it for the same 2 1/2 hours.
  • Use low-moisture mozzarella or Monterey Jack in place of Oaxaca cheese, at the same 250 g, for an easy-to-find option.
  • Serve the shredded beef in warm corn tortillas as tacos with broth on the side for a gluten-free plate.

Storage and Reheating

Birria-style beef keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge when stored in its broth in an airtight container. Keep the spelt tortillas in a zip bag for the same 3 to 4 days. Quesadillas stay crisp only when you fill and fry them fresh, so store the parts separately.

To use the beef, warm it in its broth in a 2-quart / 1.9 L saucepan over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until steaming. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for 20 seconds per side before filling.

Freeze the beef in its broth for up to 3 months and the cooked tortillas, layered with parchment, for up to 2 months. Thaw both overnight in the fridge. A finished quesadilla loses its crisp shell as it cools, which is why the filling and tortillas are the make-ahead parts.

Serving Suggestions

Serve 2 quesadillas per person straight from the skillet, within 5 minutes of frying, while the shell is crisp and the cheese is molten. Pour about 120 ml of warm broth into a small cup for each plate.

Add lime wedges, chopped white onion, and cilantro on the side. A cabbage slaw dressed with lime juice adds crunch, and quick pickled red onions add acidity. The plate stays balanced.

For a family meal, set out the shredded beef, cheese, and tortillas and fry in batches. Refried beans or rice turn it into a full dinner.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/spelt-beef-birria-style-quesadillas/
Valentina - Spelt Recipes
Valentina
A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!