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Rick Martinez Brisket Tacos (Tacos de Suadero)

Brisket Tacos (Tacos de Suadero)

byRick Martínez
Total 3 hours and 45 minutes
Active 75 mins
Makes 8 servings (3 tacos per person)
TIP: The suadero can be cooked and refrigerated, uncut, in its cooking liquid for up to 3 days. The red and green salsas can be made 3 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons rendered lard, preferably not hydrogenated, or extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 pounds (907 grams) suadero (brisket) or flank steak
  • 1 pound (454 grams) beef knuckle or marrow bone (about 1 large)
  • 4 spring onions or scallions, root ends trimmed
  • 3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
  • 1 large chile jalapeño, stemmed
  • 5 teaspoons (20 grams) sea salt
  • 24 corn tortillas
  • Taqueria-Style Red Salsa (Salsa Taquera Roja), recipe follows
  • Taqueria-Style Green Salsa (Salsa Taquera Verde), recipe follows
  • For serving: chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, sliced radishes, and lime wedges
    Taqueria-Style Red Salsa (Salsa Taquera Roja)
    • 2 tablespoons rendered lard or extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 to 5 dried chiles de árbol, stems and seeds removed, chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
    • 1 pound (454 grams) ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
    • Fine sea salt
      Taqueria-Style Green Salsa (Salsa Taquera Verde)
      • 1/2 pound (227 grams) tomatillos (about 4), husked, rinsed, cored, and quartered
      • 1 spring onion or scallion, root ends trimmed, roughly chopped
      • 1 garlic clove
      • 2 chiles serranos, stemmed and roughly chopped
      • Fine sea salt
      • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
        Directions
        1. Heat the lard in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and cook the suadero until browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the knuckle or marrow bone to the pot and cook until browned on at least two sides, 4 to 6 minutes.
        2. Add the reserved suadero and any accumulated juices back to the pot, along with the spring onions, garlic, jalapeño, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the meat is very tender and will shred easily with little resistance, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
        3. When ready to assemble the tacos, remove the suadero, jalapeño, spring onion, and garlic and transfer to a cutting board. Shred and roughly chop the suadero and chop the jalapeño, onion, and garlic. Return them to the pot with the cooking liquid and stir to combine.
        4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Moisten one side of a tortilla in the oil on the surface of the cooking liquid in the pot. Place the tortilla in the hot skillet, dipped side down. Rotate the tortilla around the skillet with tongs or a spatula to coat the surface evenly in the oil. Flip the tortilla and cook the other side until lightly browned in spots. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
        5. Increase the heat under the skillet to high. Add 2 cups of the meat mixture from the pot along with some of the oil on the surface and spread it in an even layer over the skillet. Cook, tossing or stirring the mixture frequently, until the meat is crisped on the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.
        6. To assemble the tacos, spoon some meat and a little of their juices onto the tortillas and top each with Taqueria-Style Red Salsa, Taqueria-Style Green Salsa, onion, cilantro, radish slices, and a squeeze of lime.
        1. Taqueria-Style Red Salsa (Salsa Taquera Roja)
          1. Heat the lard in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chiles and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted and very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook until their juices have almost completely evaporated and they are just beginning to get tender, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water, increase the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.
          2. Season the tomato mixture with 1 teaspoon salt. Using a potato masher, smash the mixture until you have a chunky salsa. Let cool, then season with more salt if necessary.
        1. Taqueria-Style Green Salsa (Salsa Taquera Verde)
          1. Combine the tomatillos, spring onion, garlic, chiles, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons water in the jar of a blender and process on low speed until almost completely smooth. Add the cilantro and process until no large pieces of cilantro remain. If the salsa is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time until it’s pourable. Season with more salt if necessary.