QUESABIRRIA TACOS

Cheesy and rich, these crisp fried tacos get their spicy outer shell by coating the tortillas in rendered birria fat. Do not skip this critical step. Feel free to adjust the amounts below to make fewer tacos, if desired. The technique is more important than the proportions.

Reserved beef, consommé, and fat from

Birria de Res (left)

16 corn tortillas

12 ounces queso Chihuahua, Oaxaca, or other mild-flavored melty cheese, grated

1/2 cup finely chopped red onions

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oven to 200 degrees (or its lowest temperature).

Place a baking sheet in the middle of the oven.

Lightly coat a nonstick skillet or griddle with 2 tablespoons of reserved fat and place over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, place a corn tortilla in the fat, then flip to coat both sides.

If using a griddle, repeat until the griddle is full.

Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese over the tortilla, then top with about ⅓ cup of the beef.

Sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of onion and cilantro.

Let the taco cook until the bottom of the tortilla is crisp and the cheese is melty, 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully fold the taco in half.

Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.

Repeat, adding additional fat to the skillet as needed, until you’ve used up all of the tortillas.

While the tacos are frying, gently reheat the consommé in a medium saucepan over low heat.

To serve, divide the consommé between small serving bowls and garnish with a little additional onion and cilantro. Serve with the tacos for dipping.

Serves 6 to 8.

Per serving, based on 6: 767 calories (percent of calories from fat, 70), 29 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 60 grams total fat (31 grams saturated), 127 milligrams cholesterol, 416 milligrams sodium.

STYLING BY KATE WILLIAMS / CHRIS HUNT FOR THE AJC Coating the tortillas in reserved fat from the Birria de Res recipe is a key part of getting Quesabirria Tacos right.