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Tacos de cachete

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Taco type
Also known as: Cheek tacos, Beef cheek tacos

Tacos de cachete are tacos of beef cheek meat, steamed or simmered until gelatinous and soft, chopped and served in corn tortillas; cachete is one of the core cuts of the head-meat (cabeza) taco tradition.

Contents
  1. Overview
  2. Preparation
  3. Where it is found
  4. Recipe
  5. Where to try it
  6. Reviews
  7. See also
  8. References

Overview

Cachete is the meat on the side of the face, which Rachel Laudan describes as the meaty bits below the eyes and between the ears and mouth. It is a hard-working muscle laced with connective tissue, so long, moist cooking turns it into one of the most succulent fillings at a cabeza stand. Chilango lists cachete as one of the parts that make up a standard chopped head taco, and nearly every head-taco stand in Mexico City sells it as a separate order as well.

Because whole heads are hard to buy outside Mexico, beef cheek is the usual home stand-in for tacos de cabeza; MasterClass's head-taco recipe is built entirely on beef cheek, which most butcher counters can supply.

Preparation

At a stand the cheek comes off the cooked head and waits in the steamer with the other parts until ordered, when it is chopped on the block. At home the cheek is typically braised or simmered for one and a half to two hours or more, until fork-tender. MasterClass gives a version braised in a purée of toasted guajillo and cascabel chiles with garlic, oregano and cumin, then shredded and moistened with the reduced braising liquid; plainer stand-style versions use only water, onion, garlic and salt.

Where it is found

Cheek is a mainstay at Mexico City's head-taco stands. Sopitas notes that Los Cocuyos in the Centro Histórico is known for its steamed tongue and cheek, and El Financiero lists cachete among the offerings at Tacos de cabeza Arturo in colonia Morelos, Tacos El Paisa in Roma Sur and Tacos Lolita in Roma Norte. In Culiacán, the El Chino cart sells cheek separately from its mixed head meat.

Recipe

Makes About 16 tacos · Time: About 3 hours

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg beef cheeks, trimmed of silverskin
  • 1/2 white onion, plus chopped onion for serving
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 16 to 20 corn tortillas
  • Cilantro, limes, salsa roja

Steps

  1. Put the cheeks in a heavy pot with onion, garlic, bay and salt; add water to cover.
  2. Simmer gently, covered, for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat collapses when pressed.
  3. Drain, reserving broth. Pull the meat into pieces and chop finely.
  4. Keep the meat warm in a steamer basket or covered pan with a splash of broth.
  5. Steam the tortillas briefly over the meat and fill. Top with onion, cilantro, salsa and lime.

For a braised version, blend toasted, soaked guajillo and cascabel chiles with garlic and oregano and simmer the cheek in that sauce.

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. "Beef Head Tacos/Tacos de Cabeza". Rachel Laudan. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "Tacos de cabeza: un manjar al vapor". Chilango. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  3. "5 de cabeza para empezar: aquí los encuentras en la CDMX". El Financiero. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  4. "How to Make Tacos de Cabeza". MasterClass. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  5. "De lengua me como un taco: los mejores de la CDMX". Sopitas. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Beef tacos Mexico City cuisine Offal tacos Street food Taco types