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Close-up of a stacked Birria Grilled Cheese sandwich with gooey melted cheese and a side of dipping sauce.

Birria Grilled Cheese

This Birria Grilled Cheese is crispy, cheesy, and packed with juicy slow-cooked beef flavor. It takes everything people love about classic birria tacos and turns it into the ultimate crispy cheesy sandwich. Tender shredded beef layered with gooey melted cheese and buttery toasted bread gets dipped into rich smoky consommé for a bold flavor-packed meal that feels restaurant-worthy but is surprisingly easy to make at home.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Resting Time 3 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 23 minutes
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the Birria
  • 2 pounds beef chuck roast
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
For the Grilled Cheese
  • 8 slices sourdough bread
  • 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Skillet
  • Forks
  • Spatula

Method
 

  1. Season the chuck roast with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for 3 minutes per side until browned.
  3. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, cumin, and chili powder to the pot.
  4. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3 to 4 hours until the beef is fork tender. Cook beef to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F with a 3 minute rest for food safety.
  5. Remove the beef and shred with two forks. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking broth for dipping.
  6. Heat a skillet over medium heat and butter one side of each bread slice.
  7. Place 4 slices butter side down onto the skillet. Top each with shredded Oaxaca cheese, shredded beef, mozzarella cheese, and cilantro.
  8. Add the remaining bread slices butter side up.
  9. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is fully melted. For the crispiest grilled cheese texture, press the sandwiches gently with a spatula while cooking.
  10. Slice the sandwiches and serve hot with warm reserved broth for dipping. The reserved dipping broth becomes even richer after sitting for a few minutes with the shredded beef juices stirred in.