Barbacoa Recipe
Nuevo León style barbacoa, beef cheek, beef tongue, salsa verde, flour tortillas
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Ingredients
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Meat and braising liquids
Chiles and sauce (salsa verde + cooking chile blend)
To serve
Method
Meat and braising liquids
- 1
Trim and season
Trim excess fat and silver skin from beef cheeks and rinse the beef tongue. Pat dry. Season all over with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
- 2
Sear
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. When shimmering, sear the beef cheeks (and tongue if using) in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove pieces and set aside.
- 3
Aromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and the crushed garlic to the pot and sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon dried oregano and the bay leaves; cook 30 seconds.
- 4
Deglaze and assemble for braise
Pour in 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and scrape browned bits from the bottom. Add 3 cups beef or chicken stock and 1 cup water. Return the seared meats to the pot so they are partially submerged. Add the rehydrated chile puree (prepared in the next section). Bring to a gentle simmer.
- 5
Braise
Cover the pot and transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven or reduce to low on the stovetop. Braise until the cheeks are fork-tender and the tongue is easily pierced with a knife, about 3–4 hours oven or 4–5 hours stovetop. Check once after 2 hours and skim any excess fat. If liquid reduces too much, add up to 1/2 cup water or stock.
- 6
Finish meats
Remove the meats to a cutting board. Allow to rest 10 minutes. If using tongue, peel the outer skin off while warm (it should slip away easily). Shred the cheeks and thinly slice or shred the tongue. Mix shredded meat with 1 cup of the braising liquid and a few tablespoons of the chile cooking sauce to taste so the barbacoa is moist and saucy.
Chiles and sauce (salsa verde + cooking chile blend)
- 7
Prepare dried chiles
Remove stems and seeds from the 4 guajillo and 2 ancho/pasilla chiles. Toast briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat about 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant (do not burn).
- 8
Rehydrate chiles
Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Let soak 15–20 minutes until softened. Reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.
- 9
Make chile puree
Drain chiles (reserve soaking liquid). In a blender combine rehydrated chiles, 1/2 cup reserved soaking liquid, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and a pinch of ground cloves. Blend until very smooth. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. This puree is the cooking chile blend to go into the braise.
- 10
Make salsa verde
Bring a small pot of water to a simmer. Add the tomatillos and simmer 5–7 minutes until softened. Drain. In a blender combine cooked tomatillos, 1 fresh jalapeño or serrano (stem removed), 1 small white onion (roughly chopped), 1 cup packed cilantro, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend to a bright green smooth salsa. Adjust salt and lime to taste. Chill or keep refrigerated until serving.
To serve
- 11
Warm tortillas
Warm flour tortillas on a dry skillet or comal over medium heat about 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly charred in spots. Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
- 12
- 13
Optional crisp finish (traditional style)
For slightly crisped edges like street-style barbacoa, heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add a portion of the shredded meat and press into the pan, letting the edges caramelize 2–3 minutes before flipping to crisp another side. Then transfer to a tortilla and top as above.
