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  • Barbacoa De Cabeza

    2 votes
    Barbacoa De Cabeza
    Prep: 40 min Cook: 90 min Servings: 8
    by Sergio Hernandez
    12 recipes
    >
    Barbacoa de Cabeza is a slow cooked dish prepared with parts from the head of a cow, such as the cheeks. Popular in South Texas, I've adapted the dish to be cooked using your Slow Cooker, Pressure Cooker, or Smoker/Oven Combo to create this tasty dish.

    Ingredients

    • 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 pounds cheek meat called "Carne de Cachete" in spanish (can be purchased at most Latin markets with Butcher shops, usually $2.XX a pound)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon dried oregano (Mexican if you have it)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder or smoked paprika
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
    • 1 bay leaf
    • Juice of 1 lemon or 2 Mexican limes
    • 1 cup broth or water
    • OPTIONAL: FOR SLOW AND PRESSURE COOKER directions 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke (mesquite or hickory) OR (Claudes brisket Sauce available online at: http://www.claudessauces.com/products.html)

    Directions

    1. a la Slow Cooker DIRECTIONS:
    2. Combine all the non meat ingredients and pour into slow cooker
    3. Trim most of the fat off the cheek meat and place meat into Slow Cooker
    4. Cook on High for 5 or 6 hours or until meat is tender
    5. Check on liquid level to make sure meat doesn't dry out. Adding liquid as needed (broth/water), as you don't want it overly wet, just moist as the purpose is to steam the meat.
    6. Remove meat from cooker and chop into small pieces
    7. Serve with Tortillas (flour or corn...tastes better with corn), chopped cilantro/onion garnish and salsa; guacamole is optional
    8. a la Pressure Cooker DIRECTIONS:
    9. Combine all the non meat ingredients and pour into pressure cooker
    10. Place a grill or steamer basket at the bottom of the pot
    11. Trim most of the fat off the cheek meat and place meat into the pressure cooker on top of steam basket
    12. Add enough liquid to fill cooker 1/2 way (with meat in it)
    13. Cook on high pressure for 60-90 minutes
    14. Pull meat out and use reduced liquid to moisten meat as needed
    15. Serve with Tortillas (flour or corn...tastes better with corn), chopped cilantro/onion garnish and salsa; guacamole is optional
    16. a la Smoker/Oven DIRECTIONS:
    17. Mix together the ingredients OMITTING the liquid smoke, you're using the real thing.
    18. Rub spices into all of the meat
    19. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours
    20. Prepare your smoker to 225 degrees
    21. Smoke meat 4 hours (1.5 hours X 1lb meat) between 225 and 275 degrees
    22. Check the smoker after 2 hours and add additional boiling water to the pan, if necessary. When done, the internal temperature of the beef should be 160 - 170 degrees.
    23. Place the beef in a foil baking pan, seal it with heavy duty aluminum foil, and place it in an oven preheated to 325 degrees for an additional hour and 45 minutes
    24. Remove the package from the oven, and place it in a large, paper, grocery bag. Fold the bag tightly to seal it and leave it for 45 minutes. (If your foil pan is too large for one bag, use two, overlapping them to completely cover the pan)
    25. Remove the meat from the roasting pan and chop into small pieces
    26. Serve with Tortillas (flour or corn...tastes better with corn), chopped cilantro/onion garnish and salsa; guacamole is optional

    Reviews

    • Sergio Hernandez
      Sergio Hernandez
      Made the pressure cooker batch this weekend. I marinaded the meat overnight in a lime, garlic, oregano, mesquite smoked mojo. I steamed the meat in the pressure cooker and served it up with the taqueria style corn tortillas, and some chopped onion/cilantro...it was divine.
      • delaluz Ruben
        delaluz Ruben
        I tried your barbacoa de cabeza came out great,tastes great I will put it in our menu will see how our customers like it.

        Comments

        • Christy
          Christy
          In south texas we grew up eating barbacoa seasoned with salt and black pepper only and with hot sauce or canned pickled jalapenos.
          • delaluz Ruben
            delaluz Ruben
            I tried your barbacoa de cabeza came out great,tastes great I will put it in our menu will see how our customers like it.
            • ShaleeDP
              ShaleeDP
              We have something like this too. Sisig type of dish.

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