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Tacos de ojo

From WikiTacos, the taco encyclopedia · Taco type
Also known as: Eye tacos, Beef eye tacos

Tacos de ojo are tacos made from the steamed eye of a cow, chopped and served in corn tortillas at head-meat (cabeza) stands; they are among the rarer and more daring orders in Mexican street food.

Contents
  1. Overview
  2. Texture and flavor
  3. Preparation and serving
  4. Where to find it
  5. Recipe
  6. Where to try it
  7. Reviews
  8. See also
  9. References

Overview

The eye is one of the standard parts of a beef head and is sold at many cabeza stands, but in small quantities, since each head yields only two. Univision notes that relatively few are prepared and that they are sought mainly by connoisseurs. Sopitas places ojo among the head cuts alongside cheek, brain, ear and tongue, and calls it one of the more exotic items in Mexican street food.

The name lends itself to wordplay: in Mexican slang, "echarse un taco de ojo" means to enjoy looking at something or someone, a pun many stands and food writers enjoy.

Texture and flavor

Once steamed, the eye and its surrounding tissue are soft and rich. Univision describes a cartilage-like, slightly gelatinous texture, while Sopitas says it practically dissolves in the mouth. The flavor is mild and fatty, so it is usually paired with a sharp salsa.

Preparation and serving

The eye cooks with the rest of the head in the steamer. To order, the taquero chops it into small pieces on the block and serves it in small tortillas with green salsa, cilantro and onion. At Tacos Lolita in Roma Norte, eye is combined with tripe in a house taco called the "jarocho," according to El Financiero.

Where to find it

In Mexico City, ojo appears at long-running head stands such as Los Cocuyos (Centro Histórico, open since 1980), El Borrego Viudo in Tacubaya (opened 1969, better known for al pastor), Tacos El Paisa in Roma Sur, and Tacos de Cabeza Don Chencho in colonia Albert, which has more than thirty years in business.

Recipe

Makes 8 small tacos · Time: About 4 hours

Ingredients

  • 4 beef eyes, ordered from a Mexican butcher
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 small corn tortillas
  • Salsa verde, chopped onion, cilantro, lime

Steps

  1. Rinse the eyes and trim away any excess fat or muscle the butcher has left attached.
  2. Simmer with onion, garlic, bay and salt for 3 to 4 hours, or steam over the aromatics for the same time, until very soft.
  3. Drain and chop finely, discarding any hard fragments.
  4. Warm the tortillas over steam, fill with the chopped eye and finish with salsa verde, onion, cilantro and lime.

Eyes are often sold attached to the head; ask the butcher to remove them. Many cooks mix ojo with cheek to stretch it.

Where to try it

  • Los Cocuyos, Mexico City: Centro Histórico head-taco stand that reliably sells eye.
  • Tacos de Cabeza Don Chencho, Mexico City: Colonia Albert head-taco specialist near Portales metro.
  • Asadero El Leñador, Hermosillo
  • Tacos Atarantados, Monterrey
  • Tacos de Armando, Hermosillo

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. "Comida para valientes presenta: nos echamos un taco de ojo". Sopitas. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  2. "Ojo, zorrillo, vísceras... tacos exóticos (y deliciosos) que no esperabas en el plato". Univision. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  3. "5 de cabeza para empezar: aquí los encuentras en la CDMX". El Financiero. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  4. "Tacos de cabeza: un manjar al vapor". Chilango. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
Categories: Beef tacos Mexico City cuisine Offal tacos Street food Taco types