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How to Turn Your Barbacoa Into a Quesadilla

September 7, 2015 by theunmanlychef

Barbacoa Quesadilla

Last week I touched on Barbacoa and all it’s glory. I’ve also written about quesadillas in the past before too. Barbacoa quesadillas are satisfying and easy to make. I’d recommend making this if you already have barbacoa or any pulled beef laying around.

Here are some tips to making a delicious quesadilla:

1- Make sure your pan is hot (you don’t need to grease it though, although that will make your bread slightly more delicious).

2- More cheese equals more gooeyness.

3- Going about making your quesadilla itself you have two options, you can either make the sandwich before you put it on the pan or you can lay the tortilla flat, put your toppings on one side then flip the bread over. I prefer to make the sandwich as it’s on the pan.

4- Once you flip the quesadilla you only need like 30 seconds to cook the other side.

Enjoy your Labor Day!

 

Recipe – Chipotle Style Barbacoa Quesadillas

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Chiles in Adobo Sauce (Canned)
4 Teaspoons Minced Garlic Cloves
4 Teaspoons Cumin
2 Teaspoons Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Salt
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Bay Leaves
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
1 Cup Diced Onion
1 Cup of Diced Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
4 lb’s of Chuck Roast cut into chunks

(All of the steps above can be skipped if you already have barbacoa or pulled pork laying around)
Flour Tortillas
1/2 Cup of Cheese (store bought Mexican cheese blend, if you want it to be extra gooey, add bits of mozzarella to it)

Method

In a blender, add all of your ingredients except the butter, broth, bay leaves, diced onions, tomato paste, roast (obviously), and the tortillas & cheese.

You’ve now made your barbacoa sauce.

In a large dutch oven pot, heat your butter on medium heat. Once it foams, add your onions. Allow them to brown and then add your chuck roast. Brown the roast on all sides.  Once the beef is browned on all sides, add your barbacoa sauce by pouring it over the beef. Then add your chicken broth and your bay leaves. Cook on low heat (stirring intermittently) for four to five hours, this will help develop a rich flavor for your dish.

After about four or five hours, you should have a rich sauce and beef that comes apart easily with just a fork. If your sauce is too watery, slowly reduce the sauce so it thickens. Pull the beef apart in the sauce, this way the beef with soak up all the yummy flavors from the sauce. Once your barbacoa meat is ready, set aside 1/2 cup portions of the meat for the quesadillas.

Place a flour tortilla flat on your non-stick skillet. Add a thick layer of cheese on one half of the tortilla. Turn the heat up to high.

Then add your meat, then add another layer of cheese on top of the beef.

Fold the other half of the bread over and then press down on the quesadilla with a flat spatula. Cook for about 30 seconds to a minute (depending on how powerful your oven is).

This takes some practice to make sure you don’t burn the quesadilla, but gently lift the bread up to see if it’s burning (if you don’t have the hang of it). Once you’ve flipped the quesadilla, the other side takes way less time, cook it for about 15 to 30 seconds and then remove it from the skillet.

Cut it in half and enjoy!

 

Barbacoa Quesadilla2

 

Barbacoa Quesadilla
Author: The Unmanly Chef
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 3 mins
Total time: 13 mins
*Note the cook time and prep time are only making the actual quesadilla itself
Ingredients
  • Recipe – Chipotle Style Barbacoa Quesadillas
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Chiles in Adobo Sauce (Canned)
  • 4 Teaspoons Minced Garlic Cloves
  • 4 Teaspoons Cumin
  • 2 Teaspoons Coriander
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Oregano
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 2 Tbsp. Butter
  • 2 Cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
  • 2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
  • 1 Cup Diced Onion
  • 1 Cup of Diced Tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
  • 4 lb’s of Chuck Roast cut into chunks
  • (All of the steps above can be skipped if you already have barbacoa or pulled pork laying around)
  • Flour Tortillas
  • 1/2 Cup of Cheese (store bought Mexican cheese blend, if you want it to be extra gooey, add bits of mozzarella to it)
Instructions
  1. In a blender, add all of your ingredients except the butter, broth, bay leaves, diced onions, tomato paste, roast (obviously), and the tortillas & cheese.
  2. You’ve now made your barbacoa sauce.
  3. In a large dutch oven pot, heat your butter on medium heat. Once it foams, add your onions. Allow them to brown and then add your chuck roast. Brown the roast on all sides.  Once the beef is browned on all sides, add your barbacoa sauce by pouring it over the beef. Then add your chicken broth and your bay leaves. Cook on low heat (stirring intermittently) for four to five hours, this will help develop a rich flavor for your dish.
  4. After about four or five hours, you should have a rich sauce and beef that comes apart easily with just a fork. If your sauce is too watery, slowly reduce the sauce so it thickens. Pull the beef apart in the sauce, this way the beef with soak up all the yummy flavors from the sauce. Once your barbacoa meat is ready, set aside 1/2 cup portions of the meat for the quesadillas.
  5. Place a flour tortilla flat on your non-stick skillet. Add a thick layer of cheese on one half of the tortilla. Turn the heat up to high.
  6. Then add your meat, then add another layer of cheese on top of the beef.
  7. Fold the other half of the bread over and then press down on the quesadilla with a flat spatula. Cook for about 30 seconds to a minute (depending on how powerful your oven is).
  8. This takes some practice to make sure you don’t burn the quesadilla, but gently lift the bread up to see if it’s burning (if you don’t have the hang of it). Once you’ve flipped the quesadilla, the other side takes way less time, cook it for about 15 to 30 seconds and then remove it from the skillet.
  9. Cut it in half and enjoy!
3.3.3077

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Filed Under: 5 Days 5 Lunches, Southwestern Tagged With: 5 Days 5 Lunches, Barbacoa, Beef, Dinner, Gluten Free, Healthy, Mexican, Protein, Quesadilla, The Unmanly Chef, What is Barbacoa

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