Barbacoa De Cachete

Beef Cheek Tacos

Barbacoa de cachete, beef cheek meat perfectly steamed. Some of the best beef tacos you will experience! This is the last recipe in series of four, I collaborated with Rumba Meats.  And again, it takes me back to my family roots. It especially takes me back to the foods cooked for special days, or for that quiet Sunday brunch after church or trip to “la pulga”(flea market). I know there are many variations of “barbacoa” recipes online. And I also know, that I could not share a recipe for barbacoa unless I got my hands on some real deal beef cheek! Lol! For me, this is one of a few, true barbacoa recipes. It’s simple, with not much prep involved and I am thrilled to share it with you today. Cooking methods vary as well. Many recipes call for a slow cooker with a few spices added that is cooked all night long at a low temperature. Works great! The steaming method is the way my parents cooked the beef cheek. And thanks to my sister-in-law Janet for reminding me of this cooking method my parents used.  It makes sense to me. The beef is not sitting in a pool of liquid and fat all night, but compact and clean, steamed and ready to eat as soon as it’s done! Sure makes for easy clean up too. Thank you Rumba Meats for the wonderful trips down memory lane of cooking with la familia.

Directions

I really cannot say enough about the quality food product that Rumba Meats produces. (www.rumbameats.com) This has been such a wonderful, yet bittersweet food blogging experience working with Rumba Meats. Many, many special family food memories, one more special than the next. The beef cheek comes is these vacuum sealed packages with about 2 1/2 pounds of beef cheek. It’s perfect for smaller families and the pricing is very affordable!  

Directions

1. Trim away some of the excess fat from the beef cheek. Slice into 2 equal portions. Season to taste with salt. Wrap each portion tightly in a double layer of foil paper. The beef cheek will reduce quite a bit, so if you  you need more than 4 servings, it’s best to add another 2 pounds.

2. Fill the bottom of the  medium steamer pot with water and heat to high. Place beef cheek packets into steamer pot and cover. When it comes to a rapid steam/boil, reduce to medium heat. Continue cooking for 3 hours, adding 1 1/2 cups of hot water every hour. I keep a pot of water on low heat while I cook so it’s very hot.

3. Remove beef cheek packets from steamer , place in bowl and let cool slightly. Carefully open the packets and drain the liquid/fat rendered during cooking into a bowl. Reserve this liquid if you are preparing the Taqueria-Style Chile de Arbol Salsa . Find link at the end of this post for recipe. Transfer barbacoa to serving dish with lid.  Serve with warn tortillas(I prefer corn), pico de gallo salsa, chile de arbol salsa and salsa verde. Warm barbacoa slightly before serving. Yields 4-6 servings.

Don’t forget to save all the broth and fat rendered from the barbacoa, beef cheek, for the taqueria-style salsa de chile de arbol. tasty!

Aaaaaaahhhhh…..The “tester taco”!! Absolutely delicious with that fresh pico de gallo. Even the store bought tortilla passed the test, lol!!

Salsa Verde with Chile de Arbol. This was and still is a family favorite salsa recipe. For every occasion, my Mom would prepare a variation of this Salsa Verde with Chile de Arbol. And with no garlic! Just the way she preferred, but I do add it now and then.