Equipment24–26cm heavy casserole with a tight-fitting lid, small saucepan, frying pan and four small dipping bowls. Oven: 160°C conventional / 140°C fan.
Ingredients
- For the beef
- Quick-pickled onions
- To serve
0 of 24 ready
Method
- Keep the cheeks whole, cutting any particularly large ones in half. Season with the salt, ideally 30 minutes before cooking, and keep refrigerated during that time. Heat the oven to 160°C conventional / 140°C fan.
- Pat the meat dry. Heat the oil in a 24–26cm heavy casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the cheeks in batches, allowing 8–10 minutes in total. Aim for a deep brown surface, then transfer to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until softened and golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for another minute, then add the cumin, paprika, oregano and chipotle paste. Stir for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the stock, scraping up the browned bits. Add the cider vinegar, bay leaves and black pepper. Return the cheeks and their resting juices. The liquid should come roughly halfway to two-thirds up the meat; use a snug casserole and add a little hot water if necessary.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3½–4½ hours, turning the cheeks halfway through. Check the liquid at that point and top up modestly if it is drying out. Start checking tenderness after 3 hours: the cheeks are ready when a fork twists through them easily and the meat pulls apart without resistance. If still firm, cover and continue in 30-minute intervals.
- About 30 minutes before serving, mix the sliced red onion with the 3 tbsp lime juice, sugar and salt. Scrunch gently with clean hands and leave to soften, stirring occasionally.
- Lift the cooked cheeks onto a board and discard the bay leaves. Spoon excess fat from the cooking liquid. Measure out 200ml of the braising liquid into a small saucepan for dipping, leaving the rest in the casserole. If evaporation has left too little liquid for both, stir in a little hot water first. Keep the reserved sauce warm.
- Simmer the remaining sauce uncovered for about 10–15 minutes, or until glossy and thick enough to coat the meat. Meanwhile, shred the cheeks with two forks, discarding any remaining tough pieces. Fold the beef back through the reduced sauce and add 1 tbsp lime juice. Taste before adding more lime or salt.
- Warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan according to the packet instructions, keeping them wrapped in a clean tea towel as you go. Fill with beef, drained pickled onions, avocado and coriander. Loosen the reserved dipping sauce with a splash of hot water if needed and add a squeeze of lime to taste. Divide it between four small bowls and serve alongside the tacos with lime wedges.
Top tip
The beef must pull apart easily before shredding. Cheek size varies, so judge tenderness rather than relying only on the clock. Reduce the sauce with the meat removed so the filling coats the tortillas without soaking them.
