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Tacos de suadero

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Taco type
Also known as: Suadero

Tacos de suadero are a Mexico City street taco made from suadero, a thin, fatty cut of beef from between the ribs and the hide, slowly confited in fat on a domed griddle and then chopped and crisped. They are regarded as one of the most characteristically chilango tacos.

Contents
  1. The cut
  2. History
  3. Preparation
  4. Recipe
  5. Where to try it
  6. Reviews
  7. See also
  8. References

The cut

Suadero is a thin, flat beef cut with a smooth texture and a good deal of fat. Sources place it between the rib cage and the skin of the brisket area, extending toward the space between the hind leg and the hide. A single animal yields only a few kilograms. The name is usually explained as a variant of sudadero, the saddle blanket placed on a horse, because the cut lies roughly where such a blanket would rest. A pork version exists but is much less common in taquerías.

History

No documented origin exists for the suadero taco. Chilango describes it as wholly a product of Mexico City and suggests that it began when taqueros applied the slow, fat-based method used for pork carnitas to an inexpensive beef cut. It has since become a fixture of street stands across the capital, often sharing the griddle with longaniza, tripa and other meats.

Preparation

Because the raw cut is tough, some cooks first soak it for several hours in milk or orange juice. Taquerías then cook it slowly in lard and the meat's own rendered fat in the outer ring of a choricera, a griddle with a raised center and a sunken moat, keeping the temperature moderate until the meat is soft. To serve, the taquero lifts a piece onto the hot center, chops it into small cubes and lets it crisp briefly before piling it onto small doubled corn tortillas that have been warmed in the fat.

The tacos are dressed with chopped onion and cilantro, lime, salt and red or green salsa, often with soft-cooked spring onions from the edge of the griddle. Suadero mixed with longaniza is sold as a campechano.

Recipe

Makes About 20 tacos · Time: Optional overnight soak; about 2 hours cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 kg beef suadero (or beef brisket point or navel), cut into 3 or 4 pieces
  • 2 cups milk or orange juice (optional soak)
  • 500 g pork lard
  • 1 white onion, halved
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 20 small corn tortillas
  • Chopped onion and cilantro, limes, salsa verde
  • 8 spring onions

Steps

  1. If using the soak, cover the meat with milk or orange juice and refrigerate overnight; drain and pat dry.
  2. Melt the lard in a wide heavy pan over medium-low heat. Add the beef, salt, halved onion, garlic and bay leaves.
  3. Cook at a gentle simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning occasionally, until a fork slides in easily.
  4. Remove the meat and chop it into small cubes.
  5. Heat a heavy skillet with a spoonful of the cooking fat, add the chopped meat and cook until the edges crisp.
  6. Dip the tortillas briefly in the warm fat and heat on the griddle, cooking the spring onions alongside.
  7. Serve the meat on doubled tortillas with onion, cilantro, lime, salsa and a spring onion.

Where to try it

Reviews

Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.

See also

References

  1. "Este es el origen de los tacos de suadero, los tacos 100% chilangos". Chilango. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "¿De Qué Parte de la Res se Obtiene el Suadero?". N+ (Nmas). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Beef tacos Confit dishes Mexico City cuisine Street food Taco types