Jack Cheese

I follow a LOT of foodies on social media and over the last year I have seen this trend of people posting photos of these delicious looking meat and cheese filled tacos served up with a dish of red sauce for dipping. This delicious looking meal is called birria or quesabirria tacos and now it seems like you see them everywhere! I scoped out some of our local Mexican restaurants and could not find anywhere that had birria tacos on the menu, but I had to have them! Sooooo… to Pinterest I went!

I found quite a few recipes out there and of course every one of them was different, but none of them had me sold. Being who I am, I picked and pulled elements from several different recipes and came up with my own recipe.

I was absolutely thrilled with how these tacos turned out. The meat was flavorful and juicy and the broth was so rich and just the right amount of spicy. I served my husband, son, and I each up with three tacos to start with but we kept going back to the grill for another one, and another one, and another one until we were about to pop. These seriously lived up to all the hype. I can honestly say, these were not only the best tacos I have ever made, but also the best tacos I have ever eaten!

Note: These are relatively easy to make but time consuming since you slow cook the meat on the stovetop. It is the perfect recipe to make on a rainy Sunday while you watch some football and just want to indulge in some good food.

BIRRIA INGREDIENTS
3 lbs short ribs (bone in)
1 large white onion skin removed, halved and cut into 1/2″ thick slices
1 garlic bulb with skin on, top cut off
2 carrots, cut into quarters
5 bay leaves
8 dried guajillo chiles, stems cut off and seeds removed
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt

TACO INGREDIENTS
corn tortillas
jack cheese, shredded
white onion, chopped
cilantro, chopped
cotija cheese, crumbled

STEPS

In a large pot add meat, onion, garlic, carrots, bay leaves, and dried peppers and cover with water.
Add the chicken bouillon, oregano, cumin, and salt.
Bring the pot to a boil over medium high heat.
After 30 minutes of cooking, skim any foam off the top of the water.
Remove the peppers, onions, and carrots and place them in a blender.
Squeeze the garlic cloves from the bulb into the blender and add 1 cup of the liquid from the pot.
Puree the ingredients in the blender until smooth.
Pour the vegetable puree back into the pot.
Add the lid to the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 3 hours stirring every 30 minutes or so.
Transfer the meat and bones to a large cutting board.
Remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones.
Using two large forks, shred the meat and set aside.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Dip a corn tortilla into the broth left in the pot and place the tortilla on the griddle.
Top the tortilla with jack cheese, chopped meat, diced white onion, and some cilantro.
Fold the taco in half and press down with the back of a spatula.
Continue cooking until the tortilla is golden and cheese is melted, about 2–3 minutes.
Flip the taco and continue cooking the other side.
Transfer the tacos to a plate or serving dish as you finish them.
Garnish the finished tacos with cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.
Ladle some of the broth into a ramekin and top with fresh onions and more cilantro and serve with the tacos.
Dip the tacos into the broth and enjoy each and every sauce-soaked cheesy bite.

There are some recipes that are summer staples, this recipe is one of those in our household. Zesty citrus grilled pork tenderloin medallions paired with cheesy grilled stuffed peppers. Looks and sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

One of the reasons we primarily make this in the summer is because that is when peppers are in season, and you can usually find pretty large ones at the store. The bigger the better when it comes to this recipe! That way you can pack them full of all the cheesy goodness.

I absolutely love pork tenderloins. They are so lean and are actually a really great grilling meat. With this recipe, the meat is so flavorful and juicy, and takes on really great citrusy and smoky flavor as it plumps up on the grill.

There are so many things to love about this recipe. It is relatively easy, looks amazing, tastes amazing, and all the components of this dish are cooked outside, so you don’t have to deal with a hot oven during warm summer nights. What’s not to love?

TENDERLOIN INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 c fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 lb. pork tenderloin

STUFFED PEPPER INGREDIENTS
3/4 c queso fresco, crumbled
3/4 c jack cheese, shredded
1/2 c cilantro leaves, chopped
1 small tomato, diced
4 anaheim or hatch chile peppers, sliced open lengthwise, seeds removed

GARNISH

1 lime, cut into wedges
additional chopped cilantro

STEPS

Combine the apple cider vinegar, oregano, orange juice, olive oil, and garlic in a large resealable bag.
Add the tenderloin to the bag and marinade in the fridge for 2–12 hours.
In a medium bowl, mix together the queso, jack cheese, cilantro, and diced tomato.
Spoon the cheese mixture into each pepper half.
Preheat the grill to 400º.
Add the pork tenderloin to the grill and cook for 10–12 minutes.
Flip the tenderloin and cook for another 10–12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145º.
Remove the pork from the grill and allow it to rest.
While the tenderloin in resting, add the stuffed chiles to the grill and cook for 10–12 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted.
Slice the pork and serve with the grilled chiles and sliced lime and garnish with additional fresh chopped cilantro.

If you like this recipe, then I highly recommend you check out my recipes for The Most Awesome Pork Tenderloin Ever or Pork Tenderloin Sammies with Red Cabbage Coleslaw and Sriracha.