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.
How to make Beef Cheek Tacos
Notes:
- You can also use a combination of beef cuts, like beef shank or short ribs, besides the beef cheek meat.
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.
- 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.
Provecho!
Mely,
What are your favorite tacos?
More recipes:
Mexican Beef Stew Recipe
Shredded beef for tacos and more…
📖 Recipe
Beef Cheek Tacos
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.
Chet
@ron three hours low smoke low low heat. Remove and begin using her recipe above or for super traditional, wrap in foil and continue on low low heat for six-ish more hours. Remove from foil and shred removing any of the chewy connective tissue at that time. Season right before serving as above with the sofrito from above or your own.
Also protip for those having trouble finding these cuts of meat. Look for a carniceria in your area. I’ve been all over this great country and have always been able to find a carniceria.
Pancho
I used foil for decades. Then Used butcher paper instead of foil, it works better and doesn't transfer aluminum to the food. Also, gotta use real mesquite to smoke, then add a little char before wrapping to add an additional layer of delicious flavor.
Miriam
Have you ever tried making oxtail tacos? Would it be good to combine oxtail and beef cheek?
mmartinez
Hi, Miriam
Yes, there is a recipe in the blog using oxtail for tacos.
Dan Wisnoski
Beef Cheek
Great recipe. Fantastic flavor.
Can't wait to try more recipes.
bkhuna
Órale
Lisa
Turned out great! Thank you for the recipe!
Ron
Do you have a smoked or grilled version of beef cheek taco?
Thank you in advance
mmartinez
Hello Ron,
Sorry, but I don't have it, now I want to make it!
The Real Liz
What other cuts of beef could I use? Would you recommend beef round roast? Chuck? Flank steak? Ribs? (I don't often cook a lot of meat and my family/friends can be kind of "picky" so I want to use a cut of meat that they will be comfortable and familiar with.)
mmartinez
Hello Liz,
You can also use beef ribs and chuck meat. They take longer to cook but are more flavoful.
Stephanie R.
Thank you so much! Was looking for a recipe close to what my grandma made and it's perfect! I cooked my barbacoa with beef cheek for 20 hours on low and came out amazing!! I doubled the amount as i had 4 pounds of meat ♡ Thank you again!!!
Anonymous
Thank you So much for your recipe. I used it for my daughter's birthday party and it was a hit. I also used the recipe for carnitas, but I have to say this one was the crowd favorite! I know I'm going to use more recipes off your site! Thank you! -Sara Juarez
Carolina Herrera
You should check walmart too thats where i got mine from
pennyflyers
HOLA Mely made these last month they were great, making them today with pork for tacos and burritos for a family get together, love your site. (:(:(: Troy
mmartinez
Hello pennyflyers,
Thank you for coming back, I bet there tacos using pork will be as tasty as using beef cheek! Happy cooking!
Señior Seamhead
Thank you Mely!!!! Love you!!!!
Veronica
These tacos look more like enchiladas, but I bet they are delicious! My family has always made barbacoa de cachete without the red sauce. Now I'll have to try this recipe. Thank you.
Joel Timmons
Yummo
Kimberly H
Mmm.. sounds & looks wonderful.. Wish I could find some cheek meat here in Ohio.
mmartinez
Hello Kimberly,
Visit the Rumba Meat website, and check their store locator. I found out there are several places in Ohio that sell their products.
Serge
In reply to Kimberly H's question about where to buy cheek meet in Ohio look in the phonebook for slaughter houses in the area they will supply you with whatever kind of meat you need
Beverly
We purchase our cheeks from U.S. Wellness Meats located in Missouri. All of the meat we buy is grass fed so it is not only healthy it is has good flavor. We have purchased steaks, liver and chicken. Their chicharrones (fried pig rhinds) are so good!
Qiana
If you have a Walmart In Ohio you’ll find it
Erika
Walmart has it