Prep Time:  15 mins
Cook Time:  45 mins
Total Time:  60 mins
Servings:  4
Plated birria-style sloppy joes with onion and cilantro garnish

There’s nothing more trendy at the moment than Birria Tacos, but they take hours to prepare. Instead, why not take advantage of this recipe from Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill and enjoy Birria-Inspired Sloppy Joes in under an hour using ground beef, dried chiles, and, of course, a whole lot of cheese? We thought so.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ¼ cup white onion, diced
  • 2 dried ancho pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Mexican oregano
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, optional
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 ½ cups quesadilla cheese, shredded
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • ¼ cup white onion, diced (for garnish)
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Items You'll Need

Instructions

  1. Place the ground beef in a skillet on the grill or stovetop over medium heat. Brown the ground beef for 8-10 minutes. Drain off the excess fat.
  2. To the skillet, add ¼ cup onion, dried chiles, garlic, bay leaf, seasonings, and 1 ½ cups beef broth. Reduce the grill temperature to low. Close the grill lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the ancho chiles from the skillet. Place them in a blender with ½ cup beef broth. Purée until smooth. Press the mixture through a strainer into the skillet.
    Straining chile mixture into beef in skillet
  4. Cook for 3-4 more minutes.
  5. Spread the meat into an even layer in the skillet. Top with cheese. Close the grill lid and cook until the cheese is melted, about 4-5 minutes.
  6. Spoon a big serving onto a hamburger bun. Sprinkle with cilantro and fresh onion. Add the top bun.
  7. Serve and enjoy!
    Open-face birria sloppy joe sandwich with garnish