Barbacoa Tacos

Name: Barbacoa Tacos
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1.5 kg Beef Cheeks, or beef chuck; cut into large chunks; 6 Guajillo Chile, drieds, stemmed and deseeded; 2 Ancho Chile, drieds, stemmed and deseeded; 1 Dried Chipotle (Morita)s, or 1 chipotle in adobo; 6 cloves of Garlic; 1 large White Onions, quartered; 2 leaves of Bay Leaf; 1 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds, or 3/4 tsp ground cumin; 3 Whole Cloves; 1 tsp Dried Mexican Oregano; 1 small sticks of Cinnamon Stick; 2 1/2 tsp Fine Salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground; 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar; 250ml Beef Stock, or water; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil; 21 small Corn Tortillas; 1 White Onions, finely chopped; 1 bunches of Cilantro, fresh, chopped; 2 1/2 Limes, cut into wedges; Some Salsa, roja or verde, to taste; Some Radish, thinly sliced; optional; Some Pickled Jalapeños and Carrots, escabeche, to taste; optional

Rich, deeply flavored barbacoa tacos made from slow-braised, melt-in-your-mouth beef cheeks cooked in a smoky chile and spice sauce. Finish the shredded beef with a quick crisping for caramelized edges, then pile it onto warm tortillas and brighten with crunchy onion, cilantro, lime and tangy pickles for an irresistible street‑taco experience.

Rich, deeply flavored barbacoa tacos made from slow-braised, melt-in-your-mouth beef cheeks cooked in a smoky chile and spice sauc... Show more

Traditional Mexican Recipe

Health Grade

S- · Outstanding

Rating

4.4

Time

3 hrs30 min

Price

7,84 €

Calories

632 kcal

healthy

meal prep

gluten free

high protein

Method

Prep the ingredients

Rinse and dry the Cilantro, Lime, and Radish. Remove the stems and seeds from the Guajillo Chile, Ancho Chile, and Dried Chipotle (Morita). Peel the Garlic and the White Onion; cut enough onion into quarters for the braise, then finely chop the rest for serving. Cut the lime into wedges, thinly slice the radish, and roughly chop the cilantro so your toppings are ready when the meat is done.

Preheat the oven

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325° F. Put a Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot with a lid nearby so you can go straight from searing to braising.

Simmer the chile base

In a small saucepan, combine the dried chiles, garlic, the quartered onion, Whole Cumin Seeds, Whole Cloves, Dried Mexican Oregano, Cinnamon Stick, and Beef Stock. Add a little water if needed to help the chiles soften evenly, bring everything to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, until the chiles are pliable and the onion is soft.

Blend the adobo

Transfer the softened chile mixture to a jug blender. Add the Apple Cider Vinegar, about half of the Fine Salt, and the Pepper (Black), then blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute until completely smooth. If the sauce is too thick to blend smoothly, add a small splash of water and blend again until no bits of chile skin remain.

Season the beef

Pat the Beef Cheeks dry with paper towels and cut any especially large pieces into chunks about 2 inches across so they cook evenly. Sprinkle them all over with the remaining salt.

Sear the beef

Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot, then add the Neutral Oil. Lay in the beef in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes without moving it, then turn and sear the second side for 3 minutes, until you have a deep brown crust. Work in batches if needed so the meat browns instead of steaming.

Braise until tender

Pour the chile sauce over the beef and add the Bay Leaf. Swirl a little water in the blender jar to rinse out any sauce clinging to the sides and pour that into the pot too. Bring the liquid just to a simmer on the stove, cover, and bake for 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is very tender and shreds easily; if it still feels firm, give it another 15 to 30 minutes.

Shred and reduce

Discard the bay leaf. Transfer the beef to a board and shred it with two forks, then return it to the pot and stir it into the sauce. If the mixture looks thin, simmer it uncovered over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the meat is juicy and well coated rather than soupy. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.

Warm the tortillas

Warm the Corn Tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet or directly over a low flame for 20 to 30 seconds per side, until flexible with a few toasted spots. Stack them in a clean towel as you go to keep them soft and warm.

Assemble the tacos

Fill each tortilla with some barbacoa, then top with the chopped onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, Salsa, the sliced radish, and Pickled Jalapeños and Carrots on the side if you'd like. A spoonful of the pot juices over the meat makes the tacos extra flavorful.