Consomé de birria and quesabirria tacos

Ingredients

• For the quesabirria tacos
• 12 corn tortillas, 13 cm diameter, fresh or press-made
• 500 g birria meat, shredded, warm, with its braising juices — must be saucy, not dry
• 300 g Oaxacan cheese or Monterey Jack, pulled into strips if Oaxacan; grated if Monterey Jack
• 120 ml orange fat skimmed from consomé, held in a separate shallow pan over low heat
• For the consomé service
• 1 litre consomé de birria, the strained braising liquid from the birria, kept steaming hot
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 20 g fresh cilantro, leaves roughly chopped
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Method

1. 1
   Skim all orange fat from the surface of the consomé into a separate shallow pan; reserve the consomé in a separate vessel. Set both over the lowest possible heat. The fat should remain liquid and deeply orange — this is the dipping medium for the tortillas, not the broth itself.
2. 2
   Heat a cast-iron griddle or heavy flat pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water skitters and vanishes on contact. Working one tortilla at a time, dip both faces of the tortilla into the pan of orange fat, coating evenly. Lay the tortilla on the griddle. It should sizzle immediately and begin to colour red-orange on the underside — this is the moment the dish lives or dies: the fat must be the dipping medium, never the broth, and the griddle must be hot enough to crisp, not steam. A tortilla dipped in broth will go soft and collapse; a correctly fat-dipped tortilla will become a rigid, orange-lacquered shell.
3. 3
   While the first side crisps, lay a portion of shredded birria — warm and saucy — across one half of the tortilla. Cover the meat with a generous layer of cheese. Press the taco flat against the griddle with a spatula, holding it down so the cheese makes full contact with the hot surface and begins to melt into the meat.
4. 4
   When the cheese has melted and the underside of the tortilla is firm and deeply coloured — lift one edge to check — fold the empty half over the filled half. Press gently. The taco should close cleanly without bursting. Transfer to a warm plate and repeat for remaining tortillas.
5. 5
   Ladle the consomé into individual cups or bowls, serving it steaming hot. Garnish each with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and a lime wedge. The consomé must be at a full serving temperature — steam should rise visibly from the cup. Set one cup beside each plate of tacos for dunking.