tacos - taqueria style

[Smoky Brisket]

The taco trucks out here are pretty awesome and cheap and give me a chance to work on my Spanish. So I thought I'd try to recreate them.

Went to a Latino grocery store and found "beef for taquitos" or something like that. I honestly dont know what part of the cow it's from. My guess is flank steak (ie carne asada). Anyway, it's presliced small. I added lime juice, s & p, garlic powder, cumin and chili powder:

Since it was nice out, I fired up the grill so we could eat outside. While the fire was getting going, I chopped up onions, cilantro, lime wedges and radishes. (For some reason, the taco trucks give you a bag of radishes with your tacos - palatte cleanser maybe?)

Once the fire was hot, I added my cast iron pan and got it hot. Added the beef:

Once done, I put the grate back on and grilled up some corn tortillas:

Double up the tortillas and put it all together with some Cotija cheese. Normally they dont come with cotija, but my wife likes it, so...:

 

[DallasCowpoke]

Those look killer SB, and you get double points from this CEC for using your CIS on your grill.

I use my gas Weber w/ my CI skillets at least twice a week, especially in the warm weather. About 3-4 years ago, I found a 1/2" slab of CI in a junk pile. I used a setaline torch and cut it to size to replace the grates. It's now a perfect griddle.

 

[S197HQQKEM]

My guess would be that that meat is beef cheek meat, they sell that at the wal-marts in Clewiston and Hialeah, both of which have large mexican populations.

 

[scottsins]

are those radishes? or red onions?

i've never had/wanted radishes on tacos.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

They're radishes. They're actually a big player in "street vendor" tacoritas in Mexico, especially in the Yucatan Peninsula. They give a really nice contrast of texture as well as that nice radish bite of mild spice.

I went to an American Culinary Federation meeting her in Dallas last month where braised radishes were served as a side to a seared quail dish. That was a first for me, and MAN were they good!

 

[scottsins]

interesting.

i do enjoy pickled red onions on tacos too, which a lot of people aren't really aware of. i just hate radishes generally, but i appreciate your application of that ingredient from it's true cultural roots.

 

[ctrl+alt+del]

Those look damn good and I will definitely try to give those a shot tomorrow. Cotija pwns, BTW.

 

[utexas_61]

scott you should try the radish thing. ive always done it where you take a bite of the taco, and then a bite of the radish. it really is pretty damn tasty...and i too dont like radishes

 

[DallasHorn]

Radishes are great in Mexican food, I normally do not eat them, but had some this weekend. Made some salsa. Mangoes, jalapeno or habanero peppers made one each way, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and cumin. Also had 4 kinds of jar salsa, but everyone wanted the fresh stuff, lots of work but well worth it.

 

[Son of a Son]

I'd be real curious to know what kind of meat it was. And if indeed it was barbacoa (cheek meat) I'd like to know where to find it in Austin.

 

[threesheets]

As long as they have La Micoachana meat markets in Austin (pretty sure there are a few), you're gold.

 

[Earp]

That does not look like barbacoa. Barbacoa is more stringy and more greasy. You buy barbacoa pre-cooked and ready to eat. Here is a picture of barbacoa.

These meat markets will have barbacoa on Sundays.
LA MICHOACANA MEAT MARKET - LOCATION AUSTIN AREA
#1
1917 East 7th St.
Austin, TX 78702 512-473-8487

#2
6908 Cameron
Austin, TX 78752 512-451-9404

#3
512 W. Stassney, Suite 1073
Austin, TX 78745 512-916-9938

#4
9308 Lamar Blvd., North #B
Austin, TX 78753 512-491-8993

#5
5706 Manor Rd.
Austin, TX 78723 512-674-0446

 

[C-Man]

Did we ever come to a consensus on what kind of meat that is? I'd like to make this tonight. I went to La Michocana here in Dallas last night and didn't know what to get. Nothing was pre-cut like Smoky's was. I went ahead and bought some marinated fajita meat in case I couldn't find what I'm looking for.

 

[OrngNugz]

Next time you grill some steak throw a few extra pieces on. Pretty much any type of steak will do but fajitas is a bit too tough for taqueria style. When your ready for your tacos, usually next day for me, chop up the extra already cooked/cooled meat (easer to cut that way) and place in a pan with fixings. I like them Alambre style..

Alambre fixings are chopped:
Anaheim green peppers, can spice it up adding jalapeno
Onions
White cheese to taste

top with salsa and some guac if its handy

 

[C-Man]

I went to FIesta yesterday and got the meat I needed. I forget exactly what it was called but they had it. You'll know it when you see it. I'm going to try the 'puerco' next time for tacos al pastor.