↓
 

Lady Behind the Curtain

Bringing the simplicity of entertaining into your life

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Lady Behind the Curtain Posted on by
Jump to Recipe

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Do you ever find yourself craving a taste of the magical world of Disneyland without actually having to leave your home? Well, look no further because we have just the recipe for you. The Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich is the perfect combination of cheesy goodness and savory beef, inspired by the popular Disneyland food cart item that has taken social media by storm. With its gooey melty cheese and tender, flavorful beef, this sandwich is the ultimate comfort food that will transport your taste buds to the happiest place on earth.

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This cheesy sandwich is slow-roasted, shredded beef smothered with a tangy red enchilada sauce, topped with melted pepper jack cheese, a drizzle of salsa verde, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. All encased with two slices of crunchy, buttery sourdough bread. Until now, you’ve never had a sandwich like this: Beef Birria Grilled Cheese (unless you have it at Disneyland). These aren’t your basic grilled cheese sandwiches. You might say your toasted cheese sandwich just got a bit of an upgrade. If you want a hearty meal, then Disneyland’s Birria is the way to go. This sandwich is totally shareable, too!

You can find the Beef Birria Toasted Sandwich in Disneyland at the Jolly Holiday Bakery. This twist on a grilled cheese sandwich ranks among the best that I’ve had in the parks. One bite and I knew I had to recreate this delicious saucy sandwich at home.

Disneyland Beef Birria Toasted Sandwich vs. Homemade Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Beef Birria Ingredients

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Disneyland is known for its iconic Dole Whip, plus they’re the king of churros, and their corn dogs are to die for, but did you know they also have many seasonal treats and savory dishes? This Beef Birria sandwich is a good example of their seasonal menus. Before visiting the parks, make sure to check out all the seasonal foods.

BEEF BIRRIA GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH INGREDIENT LIST– full recipe below in recipe card

THE BEEF

  • 4 pounds top round roast, cut into 3 pieces
  • 1 (28-ounce) can enchilada sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 cups beef broth, divided
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large white onion, cut into 4 pieces
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tablespoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon black pepper

THE GRILLED CHEESE INGREDIENT LIST

  • butter, softened
  • 20 slices of sourdough bread
  • 30 slices of pepper jack cheese
  • 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde (about 1 tablespoon per sandwich)
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1 teaspoon per sandwich)

BEEF BIRRIA GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Cut the beef into 3 large pieces.
  3. To a large Dutch oven, stir together the enchilada sauce, oregano, cumin, ginger, 1 cup beef stock, apple cider vinegar, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
  4. Submerge the beef in the sauce.
  5. Cover and bake for 3½ hours, or until the beef can be easily shredded.
  6. Shred beef, add it back into the birria sauce in the Dutch oven, and stir in the remaining 2 cups of beef stock.

THE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

  1. Butter one side of two slices of sourdough bread.
  2. Heat the skillet or griddle to medium.
  3. Place both slices of bread buttered side down on a hot skillet or griddle. To each side, add 1½ slices of pepper jack cheese.
  4. Using tongs, add the beef on top of the cheese.
  5. Spoon salsa verde over the beef, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
  6. Place the other slice of bread on top, continue flipping and grilling until the bread becomes a crunchy golden brown. Repeat for each sandwich.
  7. MAKES ABOUT 10 SANDWICHES

Slow Roasted Beef

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The chuck roast is slow-cooked in the oven in a sauce made up of red enchilada sauce, beef stock, apple cider vinegar, onion, garlic, herbs, and spices. Wonderfully juicy and tender, your enchilada sauce can be made from scratch or, as I did, use your favorite store-bought red enchilada sauce. CLICK HERE FOR MY HOMEMADE VERSION→RED ENCHILADA SAUCE.

OVEN ROASTED: Bake the roast at 350° for 3½ hours

SLOW COOKER: Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 6 hours, or until tender enough to shred.

The Birria Enchilada Sauce

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
You can 100% make your own red enchilada sauce. Here’s how I dressed up a can of store-bought red enchilada sauce for this Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich recipe.
To a 28-ounce can of red enchilada sauce, add dried oregano, bay leaves, salt, pepper, cumin, ground ginger, beef stock, apple cider vinegar, onion, and garlic.

What is Birria?

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
To put it simply, beef birria is a meat stew bathed in a blend of chiles and spices, giving it a deep, red hue. Traditionally, it is made with goat meat and is served on corn tortillas. Although this birria grilled cheese recipe is not authentic birria (I did not use goat), the beef is still super juicy and tender.

Can I Make the Birria Grilled Cheese Spicier?

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
YES! Using a Hot Enchilada sauce will do the trick for a touch of spice. If you like really spicy foods, add cayenne pepper or chipotle peppers to the sauce before cooking.

Can I Make Birria Grilled Cheese in Advance?

You can definitely make the beef ahead of time. Add the cooled beef to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. FOR THE FREEZER: Add cooled beef to an airtight container (make sure to let out as much air as possible), label, and date. It will stay fresh up to 3 months.

MORE COPYCAT DISNEYLAND RECIPES

8 DISNEYLAND COPYCAT CHURRO RECIPES 2. COPYCAT DISNEYLAND HAND PIES 3. COPYCAT DISNEYLAND TIGGER TAILS 4. COPYCAT DISNEYLAND MATTERHORN MACAROONS 5. COPYCAT DISNEYLAND MICKEY MOUSE SUGAR COOKIES 6. COPYCAT DISNEYLAND DARTH BY CHOCOLATE

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich—Putting It All Together

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

HOW TO MAKE BEEF BIRRIA GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH INSTRUCTIONS-full recipe below in recipe card

  1. Butter 2 slices of sourdough bread.
  2. Heat the skillet or griddle to medium.
  3. Place the buttered side down on a warm skillet, and add 1½ slices of pepper jack cheese to each side.
  4. Cook until bread is toasted and golden brown.
  5. Add fork-tender beef, salsa verde, and cilantro.
  6. ENJOY!

MORE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH RECIPES

APRICOT GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH 2. CHICKEN, PEAR, AND BRIE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH 3. BARBECUE CHICKEN GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Yield: Makes About 10 Sandwiches

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Recreate the BEST Disneyland Sandwich AT HOME!

Ingredients

For the Beef:

  • 4 pounds top round roast, cut into 3 pieces
  • 1 (28 ounce) can enchilada sauce
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 cups beef stock, divided
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large onion, cut into 4 pieces
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tablespoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon black pepper

For the Grilled Cheese Sandwich:

  • butter, softened
  • 20 slices sour dough bread
  • 30 slices pepper jack cheese
  • 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa verde (about 1 tablespoon per sandwich)
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1 teaspoon per sandwich)

Instructions

For the Beef:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Cut the beef into 3 large pieces.
  3. To a large Dutch oven, stir together the enchilada sauce, oregano, cumin, ginger, 1 cup beef stock, apple cider vinegar, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
  4. Submerge the beef in the sauce.
  5. Cover and bake for 3½ hours, or until the beef shreds easily.
  6. Shred beef, add it back to the Dutch oven, and stir in the remaining 2 cups of beef stock.

For the Grilled Cheese Sandwich:

  1. Butter one side of two slices of sourdough bread.
  2. Heat the skillet or griddle to medium.
  3. Place both slices of bread buttered side down on a hot skillet or griddle. To each side, add 1½ slices of pepper jack cheese.
  4. Using tongs, add the beef on top of the cheese.
  5. Spoon salsa verde over the beef, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
  6. Place the other slice of bread on top, then continue flipping and grilling until the bread turns golden brown and crispy. Repeat for each sandwich.
  7. MAKES ABOUT 10 SANDWICHES

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment and rate the recipe card so others can enjoy the recipe too!♥

© Sheryl
LATEST POSTS
Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Comments

Copycat Disneyland Beef Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich — No Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HTML tags allowed in your comment: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

↑ Skip to Recipe