Barbacoa De Cabeza recipe
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
12 hrsREADY
12 hrsIngredients
Directions
Before you actually get the cabeza (beef head), understand that it won’t look very nice; in fact it will look pretty gruesome. Therefore, I suggest purchasing the thing the day you cook it.
In the Rio Grande Valley, barbacoa de cabeza is traditionally eaten on Sunday mornings.
Clean the cabeza, removing eyes, ears, etc. Discard the tongue. Leaving it will impart an odd taste to the meat. Wrap the cabeza in a paper sack, along with onions, garlic, and cilantro. Wrap THAT in burlap.
Dig a hole 2 feet deep and build a driftwood fire in it. Wait until the fire goes to coals, then cover them with ashes, followed by the cabeza, then about 2 inches of dry dirt or sand. Fill up the hole. Add 6 to 8 inches of dirt or sand over it. Build a fire on top of the ground. Use slow-burining wood such as oak or mesquite.
Leave the cabeza in the hole 12 to 18 hours. For example, if you begin cooking it at 4:00 p. m., it should be ready by the next morning. Serve with tortillas.
Serves one vanload.
If you want to try barbacoa de cabeza at homne, try wrapping the cabeza in foil and bakinng it in an oven or over a charcoal grill. Using foil in place of the paper bag keeps the cabeza slightly moister while cooking.
Comments
If you cook it in the oven(for how many hours)and at what temperature.First timer on cooking a beef head,Thanks for any help!
Mario have you ever seen the size of a beef head? It's not something you could cook in the oven.
I have lived in South Texas my whole life and when I was younger I was around the tradition of cooking cabeza in the ground. It's the best way.
I noticed on this recipe that it states to remove the eyeballs, ears, and the tongue. Well I've never seen anyone remove these parts. Honestly the tongue and eyeballs and don't forget the brains are all a delicacy.
cook in the oven at 375 for at least 6 to 8 hours. if your oven does not close I use my husbands cords with hooks on end its like a bungy cord to hold oven closed. then I seal the remaining gap with foil. leave all delicacies in eyes ears brains tongue stay put. beef is beef so its kinda like cooking a huge chuck roast. Tejana yo
While in the military I have had variants of this dish in several Hispanic countries, and in none of them did the eyes or tounge get removed... Those are the best parts!