Cabeza Tacos
Authentic cabeza tacos made with slow-cooked beef cheek meat until tender and juicy, then served on warm corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa.
Ingredients
- For the Cabeza
- 3 pounds beef cheek meat cachete
- 1 white onion quartered
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- Water or beef broth to cover
- For Serving
- 16 corn tortillas
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Optional Salsa Pairings
- Salsa Roja Taquera
- Salsa Verde Asada
- Salsa Macha
Instructions
- Step 1
- Place beef cheek meat, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns into a large Dutch oven.
- Step 2
- Cover with water or broth and bring to a boil.
- Step 3
- Reduce heat and simmer for 3½–4 hours until the meat is fork tender.
- Step 4
- Remove the meat and shred or chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 5
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and lightly crisp the meat for several minutes.
- Step 6
- Warm the tortillas.
- Step 7
- Fill tortillas with cabeza and top with onion, cilantro, lime, and salsa.
- Step 8
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Beef cheek meat is the easiest substitute for traditional cabeza.
- Slow cooking is the key to achieving authentic texture.
- Save some cooking liquid for reheating leftovers.
- Salsa Roja Taquera is the most traditional pairing.
- Lightly crisping the meat before serving adds excellent texture.