Birria Nachos

Andy | Dinner | Mexican

Prep time: 45 min Cook time: 4 min Servings: 4

Do you want to take your nachos to the next level? Well I think you should try this recipe... Crispy corn chips topped with melted cheese, slow-braised birria chuck steak, fresh pico de gallo, and chipotle crema.

I made a video recently about three level of nachos, and this sat right in the middle (not to basic but not too indulgent). The thing that makes it so good is the addition of chuck beef cooked in a birria style. It makes it tender, juicy and adds loads of flavour to the dish.

It does take a bit of time as we're going to braise the beef until it's tender and falling apart. We'll also prep some pico de gallo, using roma tomatoes this time, and a chipotle crema while the beef is cooking. Then assemble with chips on a tray, cheese on top, two minutes under the grill, and everything else goes on the top.

Ingredient Notes

Dried chillies (ancho, guajillo, chipotle): These three chillies form the base of the birria sauce and each brings something different: ancho (dried poblano) adds a mild, fruity sweetness; guajillo contributes a sharper, tannic heat; chipotle brings smokiness. All three should be available at specialty grocers or Latin food stores. If you can only find one or two, lean toward ancho and guajillo as they make up the bulk of the sauce.

Tasty cheese: Tasty cheese melts cleanly and evenly under the grill without separating or going greasy, which is what you want here. If you want more stretch, a mix of tasty and low-moisture mozzarella works well. Avoid fresh mozzarella (too much water) or hard aged cheeses like Parmesan on their own, which won’t melt properly at grill temperatures.

Chipotle chillies in adobo: These come in small cans and are widely available at supermarkets. The chillies are smoked jalapeños packed in a vinegary tomato sauce; both the chillies and some of the sauce go into the crema. Leftover chipotle chillies freeze well: portion into an ice cube tray with some sauce and freeze, then drop a cube into sauces, marinades, or dressings as needed.

Equipment

Large baking tray or sheet pan
Large heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven (for braising)
Frying pan (for toasting chillies and spices)
Blender or food processor (for chilli sauce)
Chopping board and chef’s knife
Slotted spoon
Medium mixing bowl (for pico de gallo)
Small mixing bowl (for chipotle crema)
Oven with grill/broiler function
Box grater or food processor (for cheese)

Ingredients

500g corn chips
250g tasty cheese, grated
Sweet paprika, to season
Chuck Steak
50g dried ancho chillies
50g dried guajillo chillies
30g dried chipotle chillies
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp whole cloves
2 white onions
1 head garlic, cloves peeled
500ml beef stock
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1.2kg beef chuck steak
Sea salt, to season
2 tbsp beef tallow or neutral flavoured oil
3 bay leaves
Pico de gallo
4 roma tomatoes, finely diced
1 white onion, finely diced
1–2 jalapeños, deseeded and finely diced
1 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Sea salt, to season
Chipotle Crema
300ml sour cream
2–3 chipotle chillies in adobo plus 2 tbsp sauce
Sea salt, to season

Directions

Prep the Birria ingredients
Tear the chillies open, remove the stems and seeds. Place in a dry frying pan over medium heat and toast for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. Transfer to a large saucepan of boiling water and allow to soak for 20 minutes off the heat.
Add the peppercorns and cumin seeds to the dry pan and toast for 1 minute, until fragrant. Turn off the heat and add the oregano, thyme, cinnamon sticks and cloves, tossing to combine.
Dice one of the white onions and peel the garlic cloves. Add to a blender along with the apple cider vinegar, beef stock and the toasted spices except the cinnamon sticks.
Remove the chillies from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and add to the blender. Blend until smooth.
Cook the beef
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan forced (320°F). Slice the beef into large 5cm x 5cm chunks and season generously with salt. Slice the remaining onion into quarters.
Heat the tallow or oil in a large heavy based saucepan or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches on all sides until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and carefully pour the chilli sauce into the saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves and cook the sauce for 3-4 minutes, stirring.
Return the beef to the pan, along with the remaining onion and approximately 300ml of the chilli steeping liquid, to just cover the beef. Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 3 hours 30 minutes (start checking at 3 hours) until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Remove from the oven and allow the beef to rest in the sauce for 1 hour. Transfer the beef to a bowl and shred, then stir through as much of the reserved sauce as you like.
Make the chipotle crema
Finely chop the chipotle chillies then add to a bowl with the sauce. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Season with salt, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make the pico de gallo
Finely dice the onion, tomatoes and chilli. If you want it less spicy, deseed your chillies. Finely chop the coriander.
In a medium bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes, jalapeno and coriander. Stir through the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Assemble
Preheat the oven grill (broiler) to 200°C (390°F). Spread the corn chips in an even layer on a large oven proof serving platter or tray. Sprinkle over the tasty cheese and then the paprika.
Place under the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Spoon the shredded birria steak over the chips, then top with the pico de gallo and dollop over the chipotle crema. Serve immediately.

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Make the birria beef ahead of time

The braised beef is the most time-intensive part of this recipe, but it reheats very well and the flavour actually improves overnight as the spices continue to infuse. Make it a day or two ahead and refrigerate in the braising liquid. When you’re ready to assemble, warm the beef through in a pan with a splash of the liquid to keep it moist, then shred just before serving.

Keep the chips in a single layer

When spreading the corn chips on the tray, aim for a single layer with as little overlap as possible. This ensures the cheese melts around and under the chips rather than just sitting on top of a pile. Overlapping chips leave patches of dry crunch underneath and uneven cheese coverage on top. If your tray isn’t big enough, use two trays rather than piling chips high.

Storage

The birria beef keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezes well for up to 3 months in the braising liquid. Leftover birria works well in tacos, burritos, or sandwiches. The chipotle crema keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container. The pico de gallo is best made fresh but will keep for up to 2 days refrigerated. Assembled nachos don’t keep well: build them just before serving.

FAQs

Can I cook the birria beef in a slow cooker? Yes. After searing the beef and adding the chilli sauce and steeping liquid, transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. You can also use a pressure cooker: cook at pressure for 45 minutes. The oven method in the recipe gives good results but the slow cooker is the most hands-off option.

Can I use store-bought chilli sauce instead of making it from scratch? You can use a pre-made enchilada sauce or jarred salsa roja to braise the beef in, which cuts the prep time significantly. The flavour will be less complex than the homemade version but it still produces good braised beef. Use about 400–500ml of sauce and enough stock to just cover the beef.

What else can I add on top? Guacamole, sliced pickled jalapeños, sliced spring onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime all work well. The three toppings in the recipe cover the key elements: meat, fresh acidity, and creamy heat. Add extras based on what you have, but keep the assembly clean rather than loading the nachos so heavily that they become difficult to eat.