Beef Cheekmeat Tacos Dorados

Ingredients

For Tacos Dorados

• Rumba Meats® Beef Cheek Meat (2 packages (approx 3 pounds))
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups avocado oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, choppd
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 dried ancho chile peppers, stemmed, seeded and rinsed
• 1 quart beef broth
• 1 quart water
• 8 small Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 pound, 12 ounces), peeled
• 30 corn tortillas

For the Garnish

• Lime wedges
• Chopped cilantro
• Thinly sliced romaine lettuce
• Thinly sliced radish
• Pico de gallo
• Mexican crema

Instructions

1. For the Tacos Dorados: Brown meat. Generously season beef cheek meat all over with salt and pepper. Heat ½ cup avocado oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add cheek meat and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove to plate and set aside.
2. Braise meat. Add onions and garlic to oil in pot, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Add tomatoes and dried chiles, and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes have broken down a bit, then add broth and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook until meat is very tender and falling apart, about 3 to 4 hours and internal temperature reaches 160°F.
3. Cook potatoes. Place potatoes in large saucepan and fill pan with water. Add a generous tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
4. Shred meat. When meat is tender, remove from the broth (save broth to make soup or another dish) and let sit at room temperature until cool enough to handle. Shred meat into small pieces, removing any sinew or fat, and place in large bowl.
5. Make taco filling. When potatoes are tender, drain and return to pan. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and mash with a potato masher. Add to meat and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed.
6. Warm tortillas. Heat comal or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Warm tortillas, one at a time until warm and flexible but not toasted so they don’t break when you fill and fry them. Keep warm in tortilla warmer or clean kitchen towel.
7. Fill tacos. Heat remaining 2 cups of oil in large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. While oil is heating, begin filling tacos. Place about ⅓ cup filling on bottom half of 1 tortilla. Fold top half over filling and pinch filling inside of folded tortilla so it is of even thickness. Repeat with remaining tacos.
8. Fry tacos. Dip edge of 1 tortilla in hot oil. The oil is ready if it quickly bubbles up and around tortilla. Carefully add 3 to 4 filled tacos at a time to hot oil -don’t overcrowd. Cook until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes. Flip and repeat on other side. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and repeat with remaining tacos.
9. Serve. Serve warm tacos with lime wedges, cilantro, lettuce, radishes, pico de gallo and Mexican crema. Tacos can be carefully opened and filled with shredded lettuce, if desired.