Suadero Tacos Recipe: Tips for Making Suadero Tacos
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: May 2, 2022 • 2 min read
Tender braised beef pan-fried to crispy brown perfection is the star of these flavor-packed suadero tacos, a Mexican street-food mainstay.
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What Are Suadero Tacos?
Suadero tacos, also known as tacos de suadero, are a popular Mexican dish that involves braising and frying beef, then tucking the meat into a warm corn tortilla. Suadero beef is a cut of meat from the middle part of a cow, between the animal’s sirloin primal and the lower flank. Suadero has a smooth texture, unlike brisket or hanger steak, which each have a muscle grain.
In Mexican cuisine, it is traditional to braise the suadero meat before frying it in fat to yield a rich protein that is tender and crispy. Along with tacos al pastor and tacos de barbacoa, tacos de suadero are some of Mexico City’s most popular street tacos.
3 Tips for Making Suadero Tacos
This tasty taco truck staple will be the hit of any Taco Tuesday celebration. Follow these simple tips to craft the best suadero tacos possible:
- 1. Change up the seasonings. Customize your suadero seasonings to suit your taste preferences. Add heat to the dish with cayenne pepper, hot sauce, chile de árbol, guajillo peppers, or chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Incorporate additional spices and herbs into your spice rub like ground cumin, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and more.
- 2. Go low and slow. Suadero is a tough cut of meat requiring a long cooking time to reach a tender and shreddable texture. Using an eight-quart pressure cooker will infuse the meat with the spices in significantly less time than other cooking methods.
- 3. Experiment with toppings. Customize your suadero tacos with a variety of toppings. Top the beef with roasted and raw vegetables like peppers, onions, shredded lettuce, and diced tomatoes for fresh flavor. Pile on traditional taco additions like pickled jalapeño peppers, sour cream, guacamole, and cotija cheese. Dress the tacos with a fruity salsa—like watermelon or mango salsa—for a fresh and sweet variation.
Top Suadero Tacos Recipe
makes
12 tacosprep time
15 mintotal time
1 hr 25 mincook time
1 hr 10 minIngredients
- 1
In a pressure cooker set to medium-high heat, warm up 2 tablespoons of the beef fat.
- 2
Season both sides of the suadero meat with salt, black pepper, and chile powder. Let the meat rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- 3
Add the seasoned meat to the pressure cooker pot and sear on each side for 5 minutes.
- 4
Add the onion, garlic cloves, and chile peppers to the pot and pour the broth over the suadero.
- 5
Lock the pressure cooker lid and cook the meat on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- 6
When the safety valve releases, remove the pressure cooker lid. Carefully transfer the suadero meat to a cutting board. Set the braising liquid aside.
- 7
Chop the suadero into bite-sized pieces.
- 8
In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, warm up the remaining 2 tablespoons of beef fat.
- 9
When the fat is shimmering in the skillet, add the chopped suadero to the pan. Cook until the meat is browned and crispy on the outside, about 6–8 minutes. If the meat seems dry, add a ladle of the braising liquid to the pan.
- 10
Transfer the suadero meat to a serving bowl.
- 11
Serve the taco meat family-style with warm corn tortillas, finely chopped cilantro, diced white onion, salsa, and lime wedges.
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