Beef Cheek Tacos

Ingredients

• •2 tablespoons kosher salt
• •½ whole lemon juice
• •½ whole orange juice
• •1 whole lime juice
• •½ cup sugar
• •3 cloves garlic
• •½ cup red wine vinegar
• •½ cup dried chiles de árbol
• •1½ whole dried guajillo chiles
• •1 cup cilantro
• •2 quarts water
• •1 pound beef cheeks
• •1½ whole tomatillos
• •1½ cups cilantro
• •1½ whole serrano chiles
• •1½ whole jalapeños
• •1 whole lime juice
• •2½ cloves garlic
• •½ cup scallions
• •½ cup rice vinegar
• •¼ cup vegetable oil
• •8 pieces corn tortillas
• •to taste salt and pepper
• •½ cup white onion
• •¼ cup cilantro

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   In a large pot, combine all the brine ingredients. Bring the brine to a boil, then remove from the heat and let it cool. Add the beef cheeks to the cooled brine (if you add the meat to the hot brine, the meat will cook instead of marinate). Place the pot in your fridge and marinate the beef cheeks, uncovered, in the brine overnight.

   720 min

2. 2.

   The next morning, set the beef cheeks (still in the brine) over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beef cheeks are tender, about 1 hour.

   60 min

3. 3.

   Remove the beef cheeks from the pot, discarding the brine, and let them cool. Once the cheeks have cooled, roughly chop them into small pieces.

   20 min

4. 4.

   Combine all of the ingredients for the salsa in a blender or food processor and puree.

   5 min

5. 5.

   Heat the oil on a griddle or in a skillet and cook the tortillas over medium heat for 30 seconds to crisp up, then flip. Remove the tortillas and add the beef cheeks to the griddle or skillet, cooking for about 2 minutes, until the meat is caramelized. Season with salt and pepper.

   10 min

6. 6.

   To bring everything together, stack 2 tortillas on a plate and top with beef cheeks. Spoon salsa all over the beef. Garnish with onions and cilantro.

   5 min

7. 7.

   Eat many.

   1 min