How to make Beef Cheek Tacos

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Beef barbacoa cooked in a dried pepper sauce can either be made with one type of meat or with a combination of several cuts of meat. However, using only beef cheek for this barbacoa recipe makes an absolutely scrumptious dish. The preparation is easy and the results are marvelous. You can prepare it the night before in your slow cooker if you want, but I prefer to use my pressure cooker for quicker results.

Beef Cheek Tacos - Tacos de Barbacoa de Cachete

For these tacos, I’m using a recipe from one of my aunts, except I’m serving the meat in corn tortilla tacos bathed with the cooking broth, just the way they’re served in a popular taqueria in my hometown. My aunt used to make them with homemade flour tortillas. They are also popular for breakfast and lunch in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas.

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Notes:

You can also use a combination of beef cuts, like beef shank or short ribs, besides the beef cheek meat.

How to make Beef Cheek Tacos | Tacos de Barbacoa de Cachete (3)

DIRECTIONS:

Place the peppers in a medium-sized saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until they have softened.
Once the peppers are soft, place in a blender with the garlic, oregano, and cumin. Process with a cup of the cooking water until you have a smooth paste.
Next, remove the excess fat from the meat and cut into 2 or three pieces, and place in a pot with the onion and the bay leaves. Pour the sauce using a sieve and add 3 ⅓ cups of water.

How to make Beef Cheek Tacos | Tacos de Barbacoa de Cachete (4)

Cook for 2 ½ hours or until meat is tender and easy to shred. if you cook it in a slow cooker, cook for 6 hours in the slow setting, or in a pressure cooker for 50 minutes. Once the meat is cooked, remove from pot and shred using two forks. Place meat back in the pot, and season the delicious broth with salt and pepper.

How to make Beef Cheek Tacos | Tacos de Barbacoa de Cachete (5)

To make the tacos, place meat in the center of the tortilla, roll up, and when ready to serve, spoon some of the broth over the tacos. Top with the jalapeño and onion slices and Serrano salsa.

Provecho!

Mely,

What are your favorite tacos?

📖 Recipe

Beef Cheek Tacos

Mely Martínez

4.83 from 17 votes

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Ingredients

▢ 4 Guajillo Peppers cleaned, seeded & deveined
▢ 1 Ancho pepper cleaned, seeded & deveined
▢ 2 ½ pounds Rumba beef cheek meat*
▢ ¼ of a medium white onion
▢ 2 bay leaves
▢ 3 medium-size garlic cloves
▢ 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
▢ Salt and pepper to taste

TO MAKE THE TACOS:

▢ Corn tortillas
▢ Pickled slices of jalapeños and onions
▢ Serrano pepper salsa

Instructions

Place the peppers in a medium-sized saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until they have softened.
Once the peppers are soft, place in a blender with the garlic, oregano, and cumin. Process with a cup of the cooking water until you have a smooth paste.
Next, remove the excess fat from the meat and cut into 2 or three pieces, and place in a pot with the onion and the bay leaves. Pour the sauce using a sieve and add 3 ⅓ cups of water.
Cook for 2 ½ hours or until meat is tender and easy to shred. If you cook it in a slow cooker, cook for 6 hours in the slow setting, or in a pressure cooker for 50 minutes. Once the meat is cooked, remove from pot and shred using two forks. Place meat back in the pot, and season the delicious broth with salt and pepper.
To make the tacos, place meat in the center of the tortilla, roll up, and when ready to serve, spoon some of the broth over the tacos. Top with the jalapeño and onion slices and Serrano salsa.

Notes

You can also use a combination of beef cuts, like beef shank or short ribs, besides the beef cheek meat.

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Nutrition

Serving: 4ozCalories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 40gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 546mgPotassium: 791mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2165IUVitamin C: 2.9mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 4.4mg

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