Barbacoa Beef Cheek Tacos
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Source
Author: Bob and Robin Young
Web Page: http://www.rockinrs.com, http://boisefoodieguild.blogspot.com, Facebook Group - Here's What's Cookin!
Adapted from: http://www.food52.com/recipes/2731_barbacoa_beef_cheek_tacos by aargersi.
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Author Notes
This makes a great dish for Cinco de Mayo. It takes some time, but it is well worth it. The marinade turns into a thick, rich almost mole-like sauce ... delicious!
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Degree of Difficulty
Degree of Difficulty: Moderately difficult
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Oven Temperature: 275°F
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Servings
Servings: 8
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Ingredients - Pickled Onion
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1
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Red Onion, sliced thin
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1
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t
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Sea Salt
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2
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T
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Sugar
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1
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Beet, cut into quarters
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1
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bunch
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Cilantro, fresh
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1/3
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c
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Water
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2/3
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c
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Apple Cider Vinegar
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Ingredients Beef Cheeks
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2½
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lbs
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Beef Cheeks, trimmed of fat
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4
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lg
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Garlic cloves
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1
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T
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Cocoa powder, unsweetened
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1
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T
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Peanut butter
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1
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Ancho chili, dried
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1
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t
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Espresso coffee, instant
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2
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T
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Olive oil + 2 T for cooking
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1
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T
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Honey, use a light, floral honey. Tupelo is good.
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1
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t
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Cumin powder
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1
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t
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Paprika, sweet and smoked
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1
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bunch
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Cilantro, fresh
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1
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t
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Sea Salt
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1
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c
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Beef stock
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3
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Limes
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1
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Avocado
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Corn Tortillas
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Fresh Cilantro
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Pickled Onions
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1
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Slice the onions very thinly and put them in a microwaveable container. Add the beet, cilantro, salt and sugar. Cover everything with the water/vinegar mix. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for another minute. Cool, then refrigerate overnight. The beet will turn it a really pretty hot pink color.
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Barbacoa Beef Cheeks
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1
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Clean and trim the cheeks. Put them in a container that you can marinate them in.
Remove the stem and seeds from the ancho, cut it up into chunks and rehydrate in a little water (You can stick it in a ramekin and microwave for 30 seconds)
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2
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Peel and chop the garlic. Put everything from the garlic to the salt in the food processor (including the water from the chili) and blend into a paste. Toss the paste with the cheeks and marinate for several hours or better yet over night.
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3
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When it is time to cook, heat the oven to 275ºF, and heat 2 T olive oil in a Dutch oven. Brown the cheeks on both sides. Use the stock to rinse the rest of the marinade into the Dutch oven, then squeeze the juice of 3 limes in.
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4
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Bake at 275ºF for 3½ hours - turn the cheeks over once or twice while they cook and if the liquid dries up add a bit more stock.
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5
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When the cheeks are fall-apart tender, take the pan out of the oven. Using 2 forks, pull the meat apart in the pan so that it mixes in with all of that fatty juicy goodness.
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To Serve
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1
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Heat 2 tortillas. Fill with barbacoa (beef cheeks), a slice of avocado, some of pickled onions and fresh cilantro. Serve and enjoy!!!
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Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 15 hours and 30 minutes
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