Going Where This Man Has Never Been Before: Beef Cheeks & Barbacoa

 

       With our wealth of winter projects, we aren't traveling much so far and as such I have plenty of time for cooking.  I certainly hope that this isn't becoming the norm since we purchased our winter place here.  I still have the travel bug.   I have researched in some depth about America's beef import/export philosophy due to cultural supply and demand.  It can be confusing.  Needless to say, we enjoy several of the cuts here that are not normally available in the north.  This blog chapter is all about beef cheeks, and in this case the preparation of Barbacoa.  This is a very traditional meat in this part of the country.  The cheeks are a delicious, savory, tender meat that compliments any dish, but most notably tacos and enchiladas.

      We bought a 5-pound pack and trimmed the excess fat and separated into equal pieces. 

5 pounds beef cheeks

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cups beef broth, divided
• 1/3 cup Hatch Green Chiles
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Hatch Green Chile Powder
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 pack flour tortillas

Cutting the cheeks into chunks

•        Cut roast into 6 portions while removing any large pieces of fat.  It is important to note that beef cheeks are a working muscle and probably the toughest meat I have ever tried to cut.  Make sure your knife is SHARP.  Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet.  Dab meat dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper (about 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp pepper).  I used Kosmos SPG seasoning, we love the versatility of this.  Add 3 pieces to skillet and sear until browned on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker.
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  Sear in hot oil
  
  
•        Add remaining 1 Tbsp vegetable oil to skillet and repeat process with remaining 3 roast pieces. Nestle beef portions side by side in an even layer in slow cooker.  In a food processor, pulse together, Hatch chilies, garlic and 1/4 cup beef broth until well pureed, occasionally stopping and scraping down sides of processor.
•        In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or in a bowl, whisk together remaining beef broth with Hatch peppers, oregano and cloves. Pour mixture over beef in slow cooker, then nestle bay leaves between beef layers. 
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  Ready to cook for awhile
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•       Cover and cook on low heat 8-9 hours
•       Remove beef from slow cooker (leave broth) and shred. Stir orange juice into broth in slow cooker then return beef to slow cooker and cook on low or warm 20 - 30 minutes longer.  It was amazing just how tender this cut of meat became after 9 hours in the crockpot; delicious.  
•        Strain liquid from beef and serve in tortillas or enchiladas with desired toppings, such as Cotija cheese, radishes, avocados, cilantro, diced onion, chunk pineapple, sour cream, SW Crema Sauce, etc. When used in flour soft shell tacos I title this Rich's Tacos Al Pastor (Mexican Street Tacos).
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  Remove, shred, and return to crockpot with OJ for 30 minutes
  
  
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  Finis' plated Tacos Al Pastor
  
  
•          The taste of beef cheeks when properly prepared is luscious.  It is savory, tender, and well fitted for any dish.  Next time I would serve the pineapple crushed, rather than chunked.  We even had enough for breakfast enchiladas the next morning.  This was a discovery we enjoyed and have it in our plans for many more meals.      
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• "It is better to have burnt and lost than to have never BBQd at all."
• Anyone with a BBQ
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