Father's Day
Barbacoa Beef Cheek Tacos
Popular on Food52
73 Reviews
KyleKerr
June 1, 2021
This recipe was great! Easy to follow and was my first time cooking with beef cheeks at home. I always order beef cheek at local restaurants when available but this recipe made it easy to prepare at home too!
I also used my Instant Pot to cook them and it reduced the cooking time down to 75-80- mins.
I also added some fresh pineapple salsa on top and they were delicious!
I also used my Instant Pot to cook them and it reduced the cooking time down to 75-80- mins.
I also added some fresh pineapple salsa on top and they were delicious!
Jeanine Y.
June 10, 2019
Great easy recipe. Couldn’t find cheeks so I got my butcher to cut up boneless ribs to same size as cheeks. Next day leftovers were even better as the day of! Served on tacos with avocado, pickled onions, cilantro, cucumber and fresh jalapeños. Good!!
maryvelasquez
August 21, 2014
Has anyone tried beer instead of or in addition to the stock? I think it would work.
marymary
June 26, 2014
While looking for basic instruction on how long to cook cow cheeks for my dog, I came across this and decided the dog could eat his own food. WOW. This is the best. I felt like I was deep in Mexico for two days straight. The meat is so tender and the flavor decadent. I used 1-1/2 lbs of the meat and added 1 lb of beef marrow bones. I followed the recipe, except for the following: Instead of a using a processor, I just threw the ingredients together and added the meat and bones to marinate overnight. Upped the broth to 32 oz. sodium free chicken broth + 1 cup or so of water for a soup, subbed ground coffee for instant, jalapeno pepper for ancho, and added 2 tsp Cuban spice mix and some fresh ground pepper.
Cooking time was perfect; turned the meat twice during the process. Pulled the meat apart and put in a separate bowl with the marrow. Strained the liquid, skimmed off fat and added a pre-heated can of black beans to it. Served the meat with HEB's Mixta half corn/half flour tortillas (my new favorite thing), pico de gallo, avocado slices and a cup of black bean soup over white rice, with fresh cilantro and sour cream. I will have to try the processed marinade and the pickled onions another day. And there will be many more to come with this dish! Thank you, thank you, thank you aargersi. P.S. I didn't leave Jack hanging. He gets the marrow bones.
Cooking time was perfect; turned the meat twice during the process. Pulled the meat apart and put in a separate bowl with the marrow. Strained the liquid, skimmed off fat and added a pre-heated can of black beans to it. Served the meat with HEB's Mixta half corn/half flour tortillas (my new favorite thing), pico de gallo, avocado slices and a cup of black bean soup over white rice, with fresh cilantro and sour cream. I will have to try the processed marinade and the pickled onions another day. And there will be many more to come with this dish! Thank you, thank you, thank you aargersi. P.S. I didn't leave Jack hanging. He gets the marrow bones.
jaxstar84
October 3, 2012
Have got this in the fridge marinating and it smells awesome!! I cant wait till I can cook it tomorrow!
dchu
May 31, 2012
Amazing!!! Thanks for the recipe! I used 1.5 lb beef cheek and 1 lb beef tendon since that's what I had in the freezer, and the tendon gave the sauce a wonderful silky texture. It's absolutely true that the onions are key--I'm pickling 2 onions next time since there just weren't enough to go around!
Airi @.
February 27, 2012
These were good. didn't have time to marinate and slow-cook for a few hours but just made them last minute after work and they still didn't disappoint. Thanks for this great recipe. Will be back soon to enjoy again :)
Timnaustin
September 23, 2011
I can attest from personal experience that Aargers' beef cheek tacos are absolutely delicious. I hope she will give me another chance to review them. (c; I may try to make them myself. Her Cochinita Pibil is awesome as well. Of course the pink onions go well on both items, or on their own for that matter.
Timnaustin
September 23, 2011
I can attest from personal experience that Aargers' beef cheek tacos are absolutely delicious. I hope she will give me another chance to review them. (c; I may try to make them myself. Her Cochinita Pibil is awesome as well. Of course the pink onions go well on both items, or on their own for that matter.
Poufoulet
June 2, 2011
Beef cheeks are available at Costco Business Center in San Diego (not the regular retail stores, though). At $2.35 a lb, they are a steal!
lloreen
December 12, 2010
I made this with beef chuck and it was delicious - tender and full of flavor! Thanks for the great recipe.
LobsterBrieAvocadoBreath
August 29, 2010
Just sensational--don't let the overnight marinade keep you from making this! I was looking for something fun and different to make (easy is always good too!!!) for my 14 yo and me...so I went to the best recipe section and my kid was all over this Barbacoa. Issues? Not so much: It was late in the day, and store didn't carry beef cheeks (I was sort of okay with that - Mr. awesomeness-beef-man-behind-the-meat-counter Dave recommended: prime rib (REALLY 'spensive, Lucy! And also said could use Chuck. Got the chuck...). Forgot the buy ancho chile...So anyway used two limes, poblano paste instead of the anchos----and just cooked it all up without all the marinating...three hours, low heat. Son made homemade flour tortillas. The pickled beets and onions, beyond just being beautiful...were so simple and tasty...so many fabulous app. ideas to use this prettiness for ....What a great find....
monkeymom
June 1, 2010
This recipe is amazing! It was an opportunity for me to go to a local carniceria. They also had great oxtail too so we literally had a head to tail week of eats! The beef cheeks had great flavor and I liked the differences in texture. And the onions...man, awesome. Love your recipes!
Shoshanadh
April 26, 2010
I would like to try this with a whole 6lb brisket that I got at the farmers mkt. The farmer told me that since it's bison, I should cook it "low and slow," at 185F overnight. Do you think it will still work?
aargersi
April 26, 2010
Absolutely - bison is a lot lower fat though so I think it might be a good idea to up the oil a bit to compensate ... and you'll need more marinade since it's 6 lbs ... make a lot of the onions!!!
fulphilling
April 23, 2010
Props to you aargersi, this recipe was the shit!!! made it for the wife and a couple of friends. had some drinks and what not, man, we enjoyed these tacos thoroughly! the onions are all gone, still have more meat though, any leftovers suggestions? BTW- I tossed in some heel meat that we happened to have in the freezer. TRUE nose to tail tacos!
pce!
pce!
aargersi
April 26, 2010
I am so glad you liked them! Leftovers - enchiladas maybe? Or just with refried beans and salsa, maybe some jalapenos? Awesome deal on the heels, I have never cooked them (or even seen them for that matter :-) I have some cheeks in the freezer, perhaps this will be a taco weekend ...
midnitechef
May 24, 2011
Leftover Barbacoa breakfast tacos: over moderate heat, sprinkle some babacoa in your pan, render remaining fat, add scrambled eggs and green onion. You can add other stuff to the pan before the eggs, whatever you like really. Mushrooms would work well.
bobbity
April 7, 2010
I'm making this dish tonight :-) The beef cheeks have been marinating since yesterday afternoon and the onions are looking pink and awesome!
Can't wait :->
Can't wait :->
marynn
February 19, 2010
Cheeks! It's what's for dinner!
Two quick questions: 1.) Did you cover the cheeks during the braise? 2.) Did you use plain white vinegar or cider vinegar for the onion? (I used apple cider vinegar and my sneak onion bite this AM tasted oddly effervescent...)
The marinade alone is a keeper. Bet you could do this with ox tail. Many thanks.
Two quick questions: 1.) Did you cover the cheeks during the braise? 2.) Did you use plain white vinegar or cider vinegar for the onion? (I used apple cider vinegar and my sneak onion bite this AM tasted oddly effervescent...)
The marinade alone is a keeper. Bet you could do this with ox tail. Many thanks.
aargersi
February 24, 2010
Hi there! Answers! 1) not completely, but I flipped during the process 2) apple cider vinegar - effervescent is a new one! an oxtail would be great!!!!
Rhonda35
February 6, 2010
aargesi - I had to change up the recipe a bit because (1) there are no beef cheeks to be had within 50 miles (2) we are in the midst of a blizzard so, even if they did stock beef cheeks, all the grocery stores are closed and (3) I wanted to modify it for a slow cooker. So, I stuck with your recipe except I used a bone-in pork shoulder (because that's what I had in the fridge), I didn't marinate it (because I was time-crunched) and I used the crock pot on high for 4 hours instead of braising the meat in the oven. Meat was incredible - so flavorful and it just fell apart - and my whole family enjoyed the tacos - even my 9-yr-old who thinks the world revolves around Ortega/ElPaso taco kits!! The pickled onions are like a gift from above! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
aargersi
February 8, 2010
I am so glad you liked them, and your substitutions sound great! The onions are addictive aren't they??
arielleclementine
February 3, 2010
congratulations!
aargersi
February 4, 2010
Thanks! You know, you have to go to HEB for cheeks - they don't stock them at CM! Odd, huh?
Food B.
February 3, 2010
I just had beef cheek tacos at an amazing Mexican restaurant here in San Diego. Now, thanks to you, I can make them at home! They look sensational.
coffeefoodwrite
February 3, 2010
Congrats aargersi!
aargersi
February 3, 2010
Thanks so much - it's such a great honor among so many great recipes and cooks!!
coffeefoodwrite
January 31, 2010
This is so interesting with the honey espresso peanut butter and chile. What an exciting combination. I wonder how a little red wine would work in this recipe...
aargersi
January 31, 2010
A little red wine or a little dark beer - both of those things are almost always a GOOD idea! :-)
TinaMiB
January 28, 2010
I volunteer to sample they next time we are pool side!!! ;-D They sound wonderful!!
Maria T.
January 22, 2010
I hadn't a clue that you could get beef cheeks in the States. They are amazing, so much flavour and so tender!
mariaraynal
January 21, 2010
I adore beef cheeks and love the combination of ingredients. Someday we need to make these together!
TasteFood
January 19, 2010
What a great use of beef cheeks. It sounds perfect with the heat and spice of the mole-like sauce!
dymnyno
January 19, 2010
This sounds delicious!!! I love to cook beef cheeks...so much flavor! I was going to ask you where you got the cheeks. They are very hard to find due to the method that most butchers kill the beef....but then I remembered that you are from Texas! Beef and Big Red Wine Country!!! (one of my best markets)
aargersi
January 19, 2010
Yeah here I can get them in any store ... along with other qualifying nose to tail ingredients that I am a little scared of :-) Hey can you email me some of your wines? I would love to try them!!!
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