Tacos de Suadero

Tacos de Suadero

A classic Mexico City taquería taco: suadero beef confited slowly in beef fat until meltingly tender, then chopped and crisped on a hot griddle before being folded into small corn tortillas with onion, coriander and salsa.

Prep

30 min

Cook

180 min

Total

210 min

Serves

4 (about 16 tacos)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •800 g (1¾ lb) suadero beef (matambre or thin brisket flat), Suadero is the thin cut between the belly and the leg. If unavailable, use thin brisket flat or flank steak, trimmed
• •400 g (14 oz) beef fat (manteca de res), or lard (manteca de cerdo) as a home-kitchen substitute
• •1000 ml (4 cups) water, or enough to just cover the meat
• •15 g (1 tbsp) fine salt, or to taste
• •1 whole white onion, half sliced for cooking, half finely diced for serving
• •3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• •2 whole bay leaves, or null
• •16 whole small corn tortillas, about 12 cm / 5 in diameter
• •60 g (2 oz) fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
• •1 whole lime, cut into wedges
• •120 ml (½ cup) salsa verde or salsa roja, store-bought or homemade
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) beef fat or lard, for crisping on the griddle

Steps

1. 1 Pat the suadero dry and season all over with the salt. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes while you prepare the pot.
2. 2 In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, combine the beef fat (or lard), water, sliced onion half, garlic, bay leaves and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the fat melts.
3. 3 Add the suadero. The liquid should just cover the meat; add a little more water if needed. Return to a bare simmer - small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil.
4. 4 Cover and cook at the barest simmer for 2½ to 3 hours, turning the meat once halfway. The suadero is done when it yields easily to a fork and shreds with light pressure; internal temperature should read at least 90°C / 195°F for collagen to have broken down.
5. 5 Lift the meat out onto a board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the cooking fat - this is the flavour base for crisping.
6. 6 Dice the suadero into small 1–2 cm (½–¾ in) pieces, or pull it apart into rough shreds with two forks.
7. 7 Heat a flat griddle or comal over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat and let it shimmer.
8. 8 Spread the chopped suadero on the griddle in a single layer. Press down with a spatula and leave undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the underside is deep golden and crisp at the edges. Flip, press again, and cook another 2–3 minutes. The meat is already fully cooked - you are only crisping it.
9. 9 Meanwhile, warm the corn tortillas directly over a flame or on a dry hot spot of the griddle for 15–20 seconds per side, until pliable and lightly toasted. Keep them wrapped in a clean cloth.
10. 10 To serve, lay 2 tortillas per taco (double-stacked, as in a taquería), top with a spoonful of crisped suadero, a pinch of raw diced onion and coriander, a spoonful of salsa, and a squeeze of lime.