A few years back, I was invited to a tailgating party where I had life-changing brisket tacos. I immediately knew I had to recreate them myself.
I consulted friends who often make them and spent countless hours trying out different recipes and tweaking the ingredients. I can now confidently say I’ve perfected my recipe for beef brisket tacos.
Today, I’ll give you my step-by-step recipe and all my tips so you can have a delicious brisket taco recipe.
Quick Summary
- Brisket tacos are a flavorful dish made from slow-cooked beef brisket served in tortillas with various toppings.
- The recipe includes a detailed guide on preparation, cooking, and assembling the tacos, with a homemade spice rub for the brisket.
- Best toppings for tacos include guacamole, tomatoes, a blend of Mexican cheeses, lime wedges, sour cream, and a sauce made from the brisket's leftover juice.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours
- Total Time: About 4 hours and 30 minutes
- Number of Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef brisket
- 3 cups beef broth
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 jalapenos
- A tablespoon of chili powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 cilantro stems
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- Flour tortillas or corn tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Make the spice rub by mixing the cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Apply the rub to the beef brisket. Make sure the meat is completely covered.
- Take out a large pot and heat the oil on medium-low. Brown the beef brisket on both sides for about five minutes per side.
- Remove the brisket from the pot and place on a plate.
- Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno to the pot you used to brown the brisket. Return to heat and cook until they start to turn brown. Stir occasionally so they don’t burn.
- Add the beef broth and vinegar. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Return the brisket to the pot and spoon the mixture over the top.
- Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven.
- Bake the brisket for between three to four hours until it’s tender and falls apart.
- Remove the brisket from the pot and let it cool before shredding with forks.
- Make the sauce by skimming off the liquid fat layer in the crock pot. Strain the leftover liquid and remove the vegetables. Bring the liquid to a boil on medium-high heat. Then lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 15 minutes until it thickens. Taste and add more seasonings if necessary, or add red wine vinegar.
- While the brisket cools, assemble the tacos. Heat flour tortillas in a skillet or a griddle until they are lightly charred. Put some shredded brisket on each tortilla and top with desired toppings.
Recipe Notes
Here are some tips and what to keep in mind for the best brisket tacos:
- Instead of assembling the brisket tacos yourself, set up a tacos station and place the toppings in individual bowls. This way, your guests can choose their favorite brisket tacos toppings themselves.
- When making brisket tacos get a brisket with a lot of marbling and a rich layer of the fat cap on top for extra flavor and juicy meat.
- I like to use beef broth because it gives the brisket tacos a hearty flavor, but you can also use chicken or vegetable broth.
- Add tomato paste to beef brisket tacos if you want more color and a piquant taste.
- You can use apple cider or red wine vinegar.
- Save the juice the brisket cooked in. Strain it and skim off the grease. You can store it in the fridge, and if you have leftover beef brisket, spoon some juice on top before reheating leftover brisket tacos for moist meat.
- Cook the brisket until it reaches 165 degrees [1]. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
- You can try corn tortillas instead of flour ones. Add some oil and crisp the edges in a skillet before adding the toppings.
- Add some feta cheese and salsa to the toppings. They pair great with brisket tacos.
- Add poblano peppers if you like a little spice, or try jalapeno or serrano peppers if you want a lot of heat.
- You can also use this beef brisket for burrito bowls, nachos, salads, and enchiladas.
- If you need to make beef brisket tacos ahead, cook in the slow cooker up to two days in advance. This will develop flavors even more. Then reheat the meat when you’re ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 588
- Total Carbs: 42 g
- Protein: 49 g
- Fat: 21 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Net Carbs: 0
What Toppings to Use?
The best brisket taco toppings to use are:
- Guacamole - Pairs great with shredded brisket tacos.
- Tomatoes - If you like a lighter taco flavor. You can use store-bought salsa or dice fresh tomatoes.
- Mexican cheese - Use a blend of Mexican cheeses to add a creamy flavor to the brisket tacos recipe. If you’re a huge cheese fan, you can also use shredded cheddar cheese on top of the tacos.
- Lime wedges - Serve tacos with fresh lime juice for a little citrusy flavor. Plus, it looks stunning on the beef tacos.
- Sour cream - Balances out the spicy flavor of the beef brisket tacos.
- Sauce - Use leftover juices as the sauce.
Ideas for Leftover Beef Brisket Tacos
Here’s what to do with leftover beef brisket:
- Storage - Shred the leftover brisket. Make sure it’s at room temperature, and portion the leftover brisket into airtight containers. You can add a little juice to each container to ensure the leftover brisket remains moist. Store in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze - Shred the leftover brisket, cool it to room temperature, portion the meat with sauce, and place it in airtight containers or freezer bags. Label each container with a date so you know how long the leftover brisket has been frozen. Keep the brisket frozen for up to two months for the best quality.
- Reheat - Reheat the leftover brisket with juices in a slow cooker. You can also reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
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FAQs
How Do You Shred Brisket?
You shred brisket with forks. Place the forks with their backs facing each other and pull them in opposite directions to break the meat as you move them. Repeat the motion until all the brisket is shredded, and remove any fat remaining in the slow-cooked brisket.
Why Is Brisket So Expensive?
Brisket is so expensive because there’s an increasing demand for this meat and a limited supply. Plus, the preparation of slow cooker brisket tacos is costly. You need a lot of ingredients. This is why you should save and reuse brisket leftovers.
How Long Does it Take to Cook a Brisket?
It takes between 30 to 60 minutes to cook a pound of brisket. This means a 14-pound brisket will cook for about 10 to 14 hours. However, don’t forget to calculate the trimming, seasoning, and resting into the total cook time.
Why Is My Brisket So Tough?
Your brisket is so tough because you didn’t cook it low and slow. Brisket is a tough cut that has a lot of connective tissue. If you cook it quickly, you’ll have dry meat. Cook it low and slow with liquid so the connective tissue breaks down.
Have You Tried This Beef Brisket Tacos Recipe?
This slow cooker brisket recipe is one of the easiest you can make.
It doesn’t require a lot of preparation, and you’ll have brisket for tacos in as little as a few hours.
Try it out next Taco Tuesday, and experiment with your favorite taco toppings. Make sure to get brisket with a lot of fat for best results.
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Their meat is sourced from family farms that grow animals responsibly without adding hormones or antibiotics. Check out ButcherBox to learn more about them.
Reference:
1.https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/
