How to Make Beef Cheek Tacos

I can go on record saying that beef cheek tacos are some of the best food I have ever eaten. One thing I regret not doing was trying beef cheek tacos sooner. My first problem was that it’s hard finding beef cheeks in the small town I live in. I finally found some at a local butcher, and I knew I couldn’t pass this opportunity to attempt creating a beef cheek taco recipe.

I smoked them until they were meltingly tender, you could eat it with a spoon, but why not stack those cheeks high and devour them in a warm corn tortilla topped with finely chopped white onions, cilantro, and a drizzle of that braising liquid.

The secret is to smoke them until they have a nice bark on them, then its time to break them down by braising them in a simple braising liquid. Sometimes simple is great when you have such a flavourful meat as a beef cheek.

Smoked Beef Cheek Taco Recipe

The key to creating this wonderful dish is to trim your beef cheeks. The beef cheeks are surrounded by thick fat and it will not render during cooking. Take the time to get rid of all of this and what's left is marbled pieces of meat that tastes like short rib, or a good brisket point.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 hours hrs

Resting Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Equipment

• Pellet Smoker

Ingredients

  

• 6 lbs beef cheeks trim well
• 6 tbsp Triple Smoke Butcher Blend or 3 tbsps of your favourite taco seasoning, & 3 tbsps of your favourite BBQ rub

Braising

• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 large white onion finely chopped
• 8 cloves of garlic peeled

taco toppings

• 12 corn tortilla shells
• ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
• 1 small white onion finely chopped

Instructions

 

• Set your smoker at 275°
• Season trimmed beef cheeks
• Place beef cheeks in your smoker and smoke for 2 hours
• Remove beef cheeks, and place in aluminum pan. Add onion, garlic, and beef broth.
• Insert probe thermometer into one of the beed cheeks; cover pan with aluminum foil; return to smoker until internal temp reaches 210°. This took about 3 hours.
• Rest the beef cheeks for at least 20 minutes and shred by hand. Drizzle with braising liquid from and serve

to build the tacos warm up your corn tortillas on stove top. Place shredded beef cheeks on the tortilla & top with finely chopped onion, cilantro and a drizzle of the braising liquid and enjoy.

Video

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Notes

I attached the link to the following Spices and thermometer I used in my cook

• TRIPLE SMOKE BUTCHERS BLEND 
• Meater Plus (wireless thermometer)

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Keyword Beef Cheek Tacos