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Brian Tsao

meat tacos
S1E4 Mexican/Latin · 2014

New York chef featured on CBS News after his victory

Where to find them
● @chefbriantsao

The first season of Beat Bobby Flay is a document of overconfidence — Bobby's overconfidence, specifically, in the belief that his restaurant-trained technique would carry against any dish from any tradition. Brian Tsao, now operating Mission Sandwich Social in Brooklyn, walked into S1E4 with meat tacos and the kind of quiet assurance that CBS News found interesting enough to profile after the win.

Tsao's taco strategy was about fat management in the protein: he braised his meat at 300°F with a chile-and-citrus liquid, then pulled and crisped the shreds in the rendered braising fat — the confit finish — before they went onto the tortilla. The tortilla itself was pressed and toasted to order, not held. The difference between a corn tortilla pressed and toasted in front of you and one that's been sitting in a stack for twenty minutes is the difference between a structure and a suggestion.

Mission Sandwich Social is the current home base, but the win at S1E4 is the origin story. Bobby Flay, cooking tacos in the first season of his own show, had not yet learned what first-season hubris costs.

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meat tacos

20 min Prep
30 min Cook
4 Serves
Ingredients
  • 1.5 lb beef chuck, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 white onion, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp ancho chile powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup beef stock
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 12 corn tortillas, warmed
  • Fresh cilantro, diced white onion, and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef cubes for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Set aside.
  2. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to caramelize slightly. Add ancho powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne; toast for 30 seconds.
  4. Return all beef to the skillet. Add beef stock and apple cider vinegar. Stir in 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook uncovered for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and sauce coats the meat with a thick, glossy consistency.
  5. Warm corn tortillas directly over a gas flame for 15 seconds per side, or wrap in a damp towel and warm in a 325°F oven for 2 minutes.
  6. Spoon the braised meat into warm tortillas. Top with fresh cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately.
Inspired by Brian Tsao’s winning meat tacos. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
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