Canned Pork Brains Are The Simple Way To Try Traditional Taco De Sesos

As a culinary superpower, Mexico has given the world an array of incredible recipes. From well-known foods like quesadillas to more traditional Mexican dishes such as tacos de sesos, the cuisine is unmatched. Although the dish is local to the coastal region of Mexico, using canned pork brains is a simple way to try them wherever you are.

While our ideas of tacos are filled with tender ground beef or pulled pork, tacos de sesos — which translates to "brain tacos" — relies on a much more delicate part of the body. Made with cow brains and tomatillo or roja salsa, the organ stands out as the star of the dish. In general, brains are delicately smooth and tender, taking on a creamy texture that's reminiscent of custard. While cow brain is a little tougher with a punchier flavor, pork brain tends to be on the lighter side, but shares a similar sweet, savory taste nonetheless.

Finding cow brains in the United States may prove a little tricky, but tracking down some canned pork brains may be surprisingly easy. Once upon a time, brain sandwiches rocked the 20th century working class, and they're still considered a delicacy in the South today. The organ typically comes in a can, packaged along with milk gravy. The pork brains are already fully cooked, so all you need to do is heat it up in a skillet before assembling your taco.

To really focus on the flavor of the brains, season the pork brains quite simply. If you're frying them up in a pan, saute some chopped onions and garlic briefly before adding the pork brains. Since they'll likely be packed in gravy, give the brains a good rinse to get rid of the lingering taste. Stir some smoky taco seasoning into the pan and heat the brains until they've turned white.

The tender meat and spoonful of salsa wrapped in a warmed corn tortilla is classic taco de sesos, but you can spruce it up with a few more ingredients if you don't want to stop there. Balance out the brain's custard-like texture with a few crunchy ingredients. Adding minced white onions with a squeeze of lime is a simple way to give the tacos some crisp elements while bringing out the brain's delicate flavor with added pungency.

Bitterness is another great way to bring out the brain's sweetness, and a Mexican kale salad is the perfect option for that. Complete with earthy kale, crunchy red onions, nutty black beans, and a dash of honey, the salad makes a wonderful filling for a bed of savory brains.