Perfect Homemade Barbacoa Tacos (2 Ways)

beef

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: pork

Chicken is leaner and pork is often less expensive.

corn tortillas

🥗Healthier: whole wheat tortillas

💰Cheaper: flour tortillas

Whole wheat offers more fiber, while flour tortillas can be cheaper.

avocado

🥗Healthier: mashed peas

💰Cheaper: sour cream

Mashed peas provide creaminess with fewer calories.

salsa

🥗Healthier: fresh pico de gallo

💰Cheaper: store-bought salsa

Pico de gallo is fresh and can be made with inexpensive ingredients.

Begin heating a heavy bottom pot over medium high heat.

Add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pot.

Season the beef brisket and beef cheeks generously with salt.

Add the beef in batches to the pot, searing for 2-3 minutes per side until browned.

Once browned, place the beef to the side and repeat with the remaining beef.

Turn off the heat and add all the beef back to the pot, packing it snugly.

Add 2 cups of beef stock, 5-8 cloves of smashed garlic, 4 guajillo chilies, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 3 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1/4 cup of water to the pot.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.

Cover the pot with a parchment cartouche or a layer of parchment between the lid and the pot.

Place the pot in an oven set to 300°F for 4-6 hours.

While the beef cooks, prepare the salsa verde by adding 1 chopped sweet onion, 4 chopped jalapenos, and 5 sliced garlic cloves to a medium pot with 1.5 pounds of quartered tomatillos and enough water to cover.

Season lightly with salt and boil for 5-8 minutes until soft.

Remove the vegetables and blend them until smooth, adding cooking water if needed.

Add half a bunch of fresh cilantro to the blender and blend again until smooth.

Pour the salsa into a bowl and cool it over an ice bath, stirring until cold and seasoning to taste with salt and lime juice.

Prep the onions and cilantro for the tacos by finely dicing the onion and roughly chopping the cilantro.

Once the beef is done, remove it from the oven and shred it using two forks, including the fat for flavor and texture.

Taste the shredded beef and adjust salt levels if needed.

To assemble the tacos, heat a corn or flour tortilla until slightly charred.

Add a generous portion of shredded beef to the tortilla, followed by salsa verde, diced onion, and chopped cilantro.

Serve with a lime wedge.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary