Smoked Beef Cheek Barbacoa Taocs
Ah, the magnificent journey of crafting Smoked Beef Cheek Barbacoa Tacos – a dish that truly embodies the heart and soul of barbecue. Now, before diving into this tantalizing recipe, a key piece of advice: you may need to pay a visit to your local butcher or scour online stores, as beef cheeks aren't your regular find at the grocery aisle. And trust me, opt for pre-trimmed beef cheeks if possible. Trimming them yourself can be quite a task, and we want to keep our focus on the flavors and the smoking technique. This recipe, with its intricate blend of spices and the slow, loving embrace of smoke, transforms the humble beef cheek into a tender, flavor-packed masterpiece. Perfect for gathering friends and family, each bite of these tacos is a celebration of the art of barbecue
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt plus 1 teaspoon (2 tablespoons used first, then 1 teaspoon used later)
- 1 tablespoon chipotle powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 3 pounds beef cheeks trimmed
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 16 ounces lager beer
- 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 large white onion diced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro diced
- Juice of 1/2 a lime
- Small corn tortillas
- Cotija cheese
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the pepper, 2 tablespoons of salt, chipotle powder, granulated garlic, and cumin and set aside.
- Season the beef cheeks thoroughly with the rub. Place the cheeks in the refrigerator while you prep the smoker.
- Build a fire using charcoal along with 2 chunks of oak and bring it to 275°F.
- Place the cheeks on the grill and smoke for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, the internal temperature reaches at least 160°F.
- Place the broth, beer, medium onion, and garlic cloves in a foil pan.
- Add the beef cheeks to the braising liquid in the pan and return it to the smoker for another 4 to 5 hours, flipping them over once about halfway through the cook, until tender. Be sure to check your wood chunks each hour and replenish as
- needed. When the internal temperature reaches 195°F, remove the beef cheeks from the smoker.
- Allow the meat to rest for 30 minutes. While the cheeks are resting, combine the large onion, cilantro, 1 teaspoon of salt, and lime juice in a small bowl.
- Remove the meat from the braising liquid and shred, adding some of the braising liquid for maximum moisture.
- Serve on corn tortillas with the onion and cilantro mix and topped with Cotija cheese.
Notes
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Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!