Suadero Tacos, Mexico’s Little Known Tasty Taco

Tacos have become a staple food choice among Americans, with Taco Tuesday and taquerias becoming more popular and commonplace. Yet, there’s one taco that few have even heard of, even among the biggest taco connoisseurs, known as suadero tacos.

Suadero tacos are corn tortillas filled with suadero meat that’s been slow-cooked and then grilled before serving. They are typically topped with diced white onions, fresh cilantro, and salsa, and served with a lime wedge awaiting squeezing for the perfect finishing touch of flavor.

In this article, I’ll explain what suadero meat is and how tacos have evolved to include it as a featured ingredient.

I’ll also provide instructions for how to properly cook suadero and a delicious recipe for suadero tacos you can easily make at home!

What Is a Suadero Taco? 

A suadero taco is named for the particular cut of meat featured in the dish, known in Mexican cuisine as suadero. Comparable to carnitas in both taste and preparation, suadero tacos are considered a delicacy in Mexico City and surrounding areas, where they’re commonly found at street taco stands.

In Mexican cuisine, suadero meat is traditionally braised and then fried in fat or seared on a hot grill to produce a rich, tender, and crispy final result.

What Is Suadero Meat? 

Suadero meat is a specific cut of meat taken from just above a cow’s udders, between the sirloin primal and lower flank sections. Also called ‘rose meat’ for its pink color, suadero has a smooth texture and rich flavor. Though rare and hard to find, some cuts of suadero are pork instead of beef.

Suadero is a fatty, thinly-sliced cut, comparable to brisket or skirt steak, though without the muscle grain.

It becomes tender when slow-cooked and can be served soft or crispy (either way is delicious). 

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find suadero.

Mexican chefs and butchers are more likely to be familiar with or even differentiate it from similar cuts, as it’s virtually exclusive to Mexican cuisine.

The History of Suadero Tacos

Today’s taco is a fairly modern concept of an ancient dish.

Some believe the word “taco” stems from the word “tlahco,” meaning “in the middle” in Nahuatl, a Uto-Aztecan language.

Historically, the Aztecs are believed to have made corn-based flatbreads, resembling tortillas, topped with raw fish or even insects.  

Moving much closer to present-day, Mexican immigrants in the late-19th and early-20th centuries introduced Americans to a soft tortilla wrapped with a spicy filling, which has since taken on varied ingredients and a new, signature shape to evolve into the taco we know today.

Suadero, however, seems to be rather recently notated in this centuries-long timeline of tacos, as far as ingredients are concerned.

Yet, it’s unclear as to exactly when.

Proteins such as beans and fish were eventually replaced with meats like lamb and pork as tacos became more and more Americanized throughout the decades.

Yet, we don’t see a record of beef being used for tacos until the 1960s, which is the same decade that tacos became popular street food in Mexico City.  

Add that to the various changes made in trade between the US and Mexico in the late 90s –when it’s likely that Mexican butchers began retaining and selling meat that may have otherwise been scrapped for other uses– then we might surmise that suadero tacos made a quiet debut near the end of the 20th century, likely in Mexico City or thereabouts.

Traditional Suadero Taco Recipe

This traditional version of suadero tacos uses minimal ingredients to feature the rich, mouthwatering flavor of the meat.

Yet, feel free to modify this simple recipe however your creativity and taste buds desire by adding spices to the marinade or changing taco toppings.

Ingredients

For marinade:

• 1-2 lbs (16-32 oz) suadero meat
• 4 Tbsp. oil (whatever kind you prefer)
• ½ cup (4 oz) fresh lemon juice
• 1-2 tsp garlic, chopped fine
• 1 tsp dried (or 1 tbsp fresh) oregano 
• 1 tsp black pepper

For tacos:

• 1-2 lbs (16-32 oz) marinaded suadero 
• Water (enough to fully cover the meat inside the cooking vessel)
• 2-3 tbsp oil (or rendered suadero fat)
• 6-12 corn tortillas (aim for 2-3 oz of meat per tortilla)
• ½ cup (4 oz) finely diced white onion
• Finely chopped fresh cilantro
• Salsa, any kind (optional)
• Salt to taste

How To Cook Suadero Meat for Tacos

Suadero isn’t known as the most tender cut of meat, and its best flavor is achieved through slow cooking methods at low temperatures.

Ideally, it should be cooked in a flavorful smoke, steam, or liquid to retain moisture and achieve peak tenderness.

Any of the following equipment you might have on hand is suitable for cooking suadero:

• Pressure cooker: This is the fastest way to cook suadero, taking approximately 40-50 minutes on high. Check the owner’s manual for your particular model to find recommended times based on how much meat you’re cooking. 
• Slow cooker/crockpot: These vessels allow the suadero to marinate in its own juices instead of oil, like some other methods, making for a healthier meal. Cook on low for 6 hours. 
• Dutch oven (or a large pot): You can cook your suadero on the stovetop if you don’t have a dedicated slow cooker or other equipment. Cook the meat for 5-6 hours holding just below a simmer, or boil it for at least 2 hours.
• Wok: For professional chefs, a dome-shaped griddle such as a wok –or a comal de bola, in traditional Mexican cuisine–is used for cooking suadero and other cuts of meat requiring tenderizing. The bowl shape allows meat to cook submerged in its fat and surrounded by steam. Place the vessel over a fire and cook the meat for at least 2 hours or until tender.

Directions

Preparing and cooking the suadero meat takes up most of the process for making delicious suadero tacos.

Yet, once it’s tender, you’re less than 5 minutes away from eating tacos:

1. Marinade the suadero: Mix all the marinade ingredients in a zip top bag or another suitable container. Add the suadero meat, covering it as much as possible with the marinade, then close the bag or cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight, ideally.
2. Cook the suadero meat: Place marinated suadero and its fat into your preferred cooking vessel (Cut meat into chunks if needed to fit) and quickly sear/fry the meat. Add enough water to cover the meat (for pressure cookers, add 2 cups (16 oz) or the amount recommended for your model) and cook until tender. You can add water to lengthen the cooking duration if needed.
3. Chop/shred and then brown suadero: When the suadero is tender, remove and place it on a cutting board to chop or shred it into bite-sized pieces. Once you’re ready to assemble and serve your tacos, use a skillet or grill to brown the meat prior to serving.
4. Warm and top tortillas: Heat a tortilla on the skillet or grill, and place a sizable portion of the browned suadero meat on top. Sprinkle with diced onions and salsa (if desired), finishing with finely chopped cilantro and salt. Serve with a lime wedge for diners to apply before eating.

Leftover suadero can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or 3-4 months in the freezer.

Thaw frozen meat and reheat in a pan with a bit of beef or vegetable fat. 

Conclusion

Much like traditional Birria tacos, Carnitas tacos and tacos al pastor, Suadero tacos make for an impressive dish, whether for a summer fiesta with your friends or Taco Tuesday with the family.

Make this or a creative version of this recipe the next time Mexican cuisine is on the menu, and then sit back and let the compliments roll in.

¡Buen provecho!

Sources

• Wikipedia: Suadero
• Delighted Cooking: What Is Suadero? Nutrition & How to Cook (with pictures)
• Mexico In My Kitchen: How to make Tacos de Suadero Recipe │Authentic Mexican Food Recipes
• NPR: The Salt: ‘Tacopedia’: A Mouth-Watering Tour Of Mexico’s Taco Culture 
• Portamx: Suadero – A Glorious Mexican Dish | The Food Wonder
• MasterClass: Tips for Making Suadero Tacos
• Velas Magazine: What is the history behind Mexican Tacos?
• Delish: Who Invented Tacos? – The History Of Tacos
• History Of The Taco (twistedtaco.com)
• Foodrinke: History of Tacos: 20 Interesting Facts (Origins, Trivia,…)
• Taco Fest Bogota: Suadero Taco Recipe

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