Braised Beef Cheeks (Barbacoa)
My childhood weekends in southern Texas were filled with family gathered around the table, enjoying a leisurely breakfast of warm corn tortillas and beef barbacoa. I often tagged along with my grandfather to purchase the barbacoa. These weekend gatherings were filled with laughter and many shared stories over barbacoa tacos. My uncle Junior was one of 17 children and he recalls his family making barbacoa each weekend because it was economical. When the local farmers butchered a cow, the head wasn’t sold in those days, and often given to my uncle’s family. Barbacoa begins by wrapping the beef head in wet burlap and placing it in an in-ground pit, with brasas, burning wood, at the bottom of the pit. A sheet of metal and burning wood are placed on top to seal the pit. After steaming the beef head in its own juices all night long, the family removed the tender meat for a rich flavorful barbacoa for the family to enjoy.
My mother’s cousin Lala shared that our family has been brought together by this dish and cooking method for many generations spanning northern Mexico and southern Texas. My grandmother and grandfather were married in a week-long ceremony in Los Herreras, Mexico. The men and women of the village fed the guests throughout the week, and barbacoa was one of the many delicacies they prepared for breakfast. The men tended the in-ground pit while the women cooked the hand-shaped tortillas under a pavilion with a palm leaf roof. The pit-cooked barbacoa was served as we do today, in a corn tortilla with a generous shake of salt, then topped with cilantro and onions.
Underground pit cooking has been handed down for generations, but it is not practical for today’s modern kitchens and most home cooks. The cheek meat is the most tender and popular portion of barbacoa which inspired my recipe for braised beef cheeks for a modern-day oven-braised barbacoa. This cut of meat has a lot of connective tissue that gets broken down in the low and slow braise adding a richness to the dish. You’ll sear the meat to lock in the juices and braise it in a garlicky infusion until incredibly tender. You’ll serve the barbacoa in corn tortillas, topped with thinly-sliced onions, cilantro, and a generous shake of salt. If you enjoy this recipe, you’ll find more South Texas favorites like it in my cookbook here.
Braised Beef Cheeks (Barbacoa)
Servings: 12-14 tacos
From My South Texas Kitchen Cookbook
Beef
5 pounds beef cheeks
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large white onion, sliced
1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
8 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 cups water
2 tablespoons granulated chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
Serving
12-14 corn tortillas
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
salt
Special Equipment
10 quart Dutch oven or wide heavy-bottom pot with an oven proof lid.
Beef
1. Adjust your oven racks to accommodate the pot with the lid. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. Trim large areas of fat from the beef. Cut any large pieces of beef into the size of your palm. Season the beef with salt.
3. On the cooktop, warm 2 tablespoons of oil in the pot on medium high heat.
4. Working in batches, being careful not to over crowd the pot, place the pieces of beef in the pot and cook until seared, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the seared pieces to a plate. Repeat with the remaining beef and oil until all of the beef is seared and transferred to the plate.
5. Add the onions and jalapeños to the oil and the bits attached to the bottom of the pot. Cook on medium heat until warm, about 2 minutes. Add the cilantro and garlic and cook until warm, about 1 minute.
6. Add the water, bouillon granules, oregano and pepper and stir until the granules are dissolved and all the bits are no longer sticking to the bottom of the pot, about 3 minutes.
7. Nestle the seared beef in the pot in a single layer. Bring to a boil, immediately cover and place the pot in the oven. Bake until tender and easy to shred, about 3 hours.
Serving
1. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Shred it with two forks, and then place it in a rimmed serving dish. Drizzle with a little of the remaining braising liquid and cover the dish to keep it warm.
