Beef Cheek Street Tacos

Got some beef cheeks at Walmart the other day, so I got a bit creative.

1. Remove the fat and membranes from the cheek meat and season with salt/pepper/garlic/cayenne/oregano.
2. Smoke the meat for two hours over hickory.
3. Braise the cheeks in Dos Equis, lime, onion and garlic for three hours.
4. Remove the meat from the braising liquid and shred/chop.
5. Saute a thinly sliced Texas 1015 onion in EVOO and then a quarter cup of the braising liquid.
6. Put shredded meat in corn tortillas and top with onions, queso fresco and tomatillo salsa.

Walmart has beef cheeks?
Nice looking tacos!

Beef cheeks, ox tails, veal breasts, tripe, uncured pork hocks and neck bones…mystery meat central.

A Texas 1015? Maybe if you were cooking beef heart. Everyone knows that cheeks call for a Louisiana 937.

Smh.

Heart calls for Vidalia.

I was just trying to keep you on your toes.

Ox tail used to be really cheap…now it’s so hip…

Five bucks a pound here.

good price!

What’s crazy is that in LA, the cheapest place for fresh oxtail is whole foods at 5.99. Even teh chinese markets don’t have it fresh for 5.99 unless it’s on sale.

Bill,

For me it is not worth the effort to remove the fat and membranes. I just cook them SV @ 165F for 24 hours (in Roy Choi marinade: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-Cheek-Tacos-51210610), drain, and caramelize in a discada. Tender, unctuous perfection.

Never tried smoking the cheeks. Gotta give that a try. Thanks!

I think my all time favorite dish my mom makes, if I had to pick one on my deathbed, would be her version of cantonese ox-tail “curry”.

Yeah, chinese markets have these priced from 6.99 to 8.99 /lb wtf?

Wow those tacos look good.

Nice work.

Out of curiosity, why smoke then braise? Haven’t really thought about it? Will it dry out to much if smoked longer? Will it absorb too much smoke because the pieces are small?

You put the cheeks with the brine in the bag and cook for 24hrs? Do you reduce salt or…?

Marinate overnight in fridge. Cook for 24 hours in pouch with marinade. Only salt is what is in the marinade. Not sure I would call this a brine. I use that term mainly to describe a salt solution used to increase moisture in the meat. I think the main function of the acidic marinade in the Choi recipe is to neutralize some of the stronger flavors that can be found in cheek meat. Whatever it does, the results are excellent.

Not sure I answered your question. Did I?

I went to Walmart today, possibly for the first time. HUGE store but their only meat was in “fully cooked” prepared dishes. No raw meat of any sort. So finding beef cheeks at Walmart is evidently a very regional thing, probably more common in the South or in areas with larger Hispanic population.

I’ve been (sorta) trying to find beef cheeks here for years. Conversations with NJ butchers revealed that they would have to order 120 pounds and they aren’t willing do do that for the amount that I want.

I’m sure that some NYC butchers must have beef cheeks but I haven’t managed to connect the dots.

If you are in the NY NJ area and know where I can get some beef cheeks please let me know?

In restaurants I have either have had beef cheek ravioli or long-braised beef cheeks. When I see them on the menu I usually order them.

You did. The recipe you link refers to the marinade as a “brine” so that was the confusion. I’m guessing you only keep the marinade that has adhered to the meat in the bag (unless you have a vacuum chamber)? I’m going to tackle this recipe very soon. You have a favored wine pairing or is this a beer dish?

I have a vacuum chamber. The proper pairing for Mexican street food is Mexican Coca Cola or Orange Crush. .