The first time I made birria I was in LOVE. If you have followed my blog for a while, you know that although I am a Southern girl and love Southern cuisine, I also LOVE Mexican food. I honestly could eat Mexican food once or twice a week. There are several Mexican recipes here on my blog and I am excited to add another one to my collection.
My love for birria started with birra tacos but I recently made birria nachos and I have to say that this is my new favorite way to eat birria. I am working toward a healthier lifestyle and being able to enjoy the crunch of a nacho chip without the guilt was amazing. I used the Carl Schmidt Sohn 6.5 QT pressure cooker and air fryer combo to make birria and the built in air fryer to turn corn tortillas into nacho chips. I loved that I could use one appliance to make this dish. The beef for these nachos turned out as soft as butter and I LOVE how fast I could make the birria in the pressure cooker. I have seen other people make birria on the stove or in a crockpot but for me a pressure cooker is the best way to go because you get amazingly tender beef in the shortest amount of time.
Below is the recipe for Birria Nachos. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!
Ingredients Needed for Birria Nachos
3 Pounds Chuck Roast, cut into 3 inch cubes
5 Cups Water, divided
1 Onion, halved
1 14oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
5 Guajillo Chile Pods, stem and seeds removed
4 Ancho Chili Pods, stems and seeds removed
3 Chile de Árbol, stem and seeds removed (this pepper give the broth spice so add more if you like it spicy. I am not big on spice and 3 were perfect for me)
1 Teaspoon Annatto Seed Powder, (optional, gives the broth an extra bright red color without adding spice)
3 Bay Leaves
8 Garlic Cloves
Pinch of Ground Cloves
Fresh Ginger, ⅓ inch thick piece about the size of a quarter coin or 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
1 Teaspoon White Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
1 Teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorn
5 Teaspoons Coarse Kosher Salt + 1 Teaspoon for seasoning the shredded beef + garlic powder to taste)
White Corn Tortillas
8 oz of Oaxaca Cheese, grated for nacho sauce
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of milk
Cilantro, chopped
Red onion, diced
Scallions, chopped
Olives
Jalapenos
Vegetable Oil for frying
Directions to Make Birra Nachos
1. Pour 3 Tablespoons of Oil into the Carl Schmidt Sohn 6.5 QT pressure cooker and air fryer combo, choose Sauté on High, once it’s says Hot, add 5 Guajillo Chile Pods, 4 Ancho Chile Pods, 3 Chile de Árbol, 1 Teaspoon Annatto Seed Powder, 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds and sauté for about 3 minutes stirring constantly. **You must stir it constantly or the chile pods will burn**
2. Once the three minutes have passed, hit the cancel button to turn off Sauté mode. Add 3 Cups of Water, 1 Teaspoon White Vinegar, Can of crushed tomatoes, Garlic Cloves, Pinch of Ground Cloves, piece of Fresh Ginger, 1 Teaspoon of Sesame Seeds, 1 Teaspoon of Mexican Oregano, 1 Teaspoon of Dried Thyme, 1 Teaspoon of Ground Cumin, ¼ Teaspoon of Cinnamon Powder, ½ Teaspoon of Whole Black Peppercorn, and 5 Teaspoons of Coarse Kosher Salt.
3. Seal the Carl Schmidt Sohn 6.5 QT pressure cooker and air fryer combo and choose High Pressure for 5 Minutes, once the timer is up immediately switch the knob to venting and once the pin has dropped, open the lid. Pour everything including the liquid into a Blender or Nutribullet and blend on high speed for 3 minutes, until it is completely smooth.
4. Pour the blended spices back into the pot and add the Chuck Roast pieces, halved Onion, 3 Bay Leaves, and an additional 2 Cups of Water.
5. Seal the pressure cooker and choose High Pressure for 50 Minutes. When the timer is up, wait 20 minutes then switch the knob to venting, once the pin has dropped, open the lid. Discard the onion and bay leaves. Use tongs to move the beef into a large bowl, 2 cups of the broth and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt and garlic powder, use forks to shred the beef.
6. Clean the inner pot and return it to the appliance. Switch the plug to the air fryer top in order to prepare to air fry the tortillas.
7. Prep your tortillas by cutting them into chip-sized pieces. Next, lightly spray the tortillas with oil on both sides. I used canola oil spray, but any type of spray oil should work. Lay tortilla pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket and sprinkle with salt.
8. Set the air fryer to 350 and air fry for 3 minutes. After the three minutes, turn the chips over and air fry for another three minutes.
9. Transfer your chips to a plate and set aside to prepare to make the nacho sauce.
10. In a nonstick skillet, melt two tablespoons of butter and then add two tablespoons of flour. Whisk well and then add one cup of milk. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and then add 1 and 1/2 cups of shredded Oaxaca cheese. You can also use American cheese if you prefer. Cook on low until smooth.
11. Add shredded birria on top of the air fried tortillas chips and then add your nacho cheese sauce. Top with desired toppings. I used diced tomatoes, red onion, scallions, black olives and jalapenos.
And enjoy!
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