Slow Cooked Brisket Tacos Recipe
This Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Tacos Recipe requires little hands on time, but every minute is worth the effort. Corn tortillas filled with slow cooked brisket, guacamole, and pickled red onion are out-of-this-world delicious.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For The Seasoning (Meat Rub)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 3 lbs. beef brisket flat cut; trimmed of excess fat and “silver skin”
- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1 onion halved and sliced ½ inch thick
- 1 jalapeno or poblano pepper; seeds removed and roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
For The Tacos:
- 12 6-inch corn tortillas
- 1 ½ cups guacamole
- 1 tomato cut into small pieces
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and sliced
- 1 cup Mexican cheese such as queso fresco or cotija cheese
- 1 cup pickled red onions
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
For Slow Cooker Brisket:
- Prepare the meat rub: Mix the paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Prick both sides of the meat in several places ( about 20-30 “hits”) using the tip of a sharp knife. Then pat dry the meat on both sides using a sheet of paper towel.
- Rub the spice mixture over both sides of the meat. Wrap it tightly with stretch film or plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight (up to 8 hours.)
- On the day of cooking, remove the meat from the refrigerator and let it rest for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Remove the stretch film. Sprinkle it with the flour on both sides, shaking off the excess.
- Whisk together beef broth and tomato paste in a measuring cup until combined. Set it aside.
- Place half of the sliced onions, pepper, and minced garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the meat with the fat side up on top of the mixture.
- Add the remaining sliced onions, pepper, and minced garlic on top of the meat. Pour the mixture over the meat. Add the thyme and bay leaves to the liquid.
- Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8-10 hours or until meat is fully cooked and shreds easily.
- Transfer the now-cooked brisket onto a cutting board (or cookie sheet) and cover it with aluminum foil to keep it warm. Right before serving, shred the meat using two forks. When done, cover it with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
To Make The Sauce:
- Using a large spoon, skim off the liquid fat layer in the crock pot as much as you can*. Place a colander over a saucepan, strain the leftover liquid, and discard the veggies.
- Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until it is reduced by half and slightly thickened. Taste for seasoning and add more if necessary. Add the red wine vinegar at the last minute to brighten the flavor.
To Assemble the tacos:
- Set up your taco station by placing the toppings in individual serving bowls, the now-shredded meat, and the reduced sauce.
- If preferred, warm tortillas.
- To assemble the brisket tacos, place shredded brisket over a corn tortilla. Drizzle it with a tablespoon (or more) of the reduced sauce, and then add the toppings. Repeat the same process with the rest of the tortillas.
- Garnish with fresh lime and serve!
Notes
- Taste for seasoning: There are two times I recommend tasting this recipe for seasoning: First, just after shredding your meat, and then second, when the sauce is fully reduced after the simmering time is fully completed. Since we are “cooking off” most of the liquid, adding seasonings to the sauce too soon may produce an overly salty sauce.
- Make it your own: I included some topping suggestions, but as with any other taco recipe, the sky is the limit when dressing your tacos. Use this recipe as a place to start and customize it to your liking.
- Skim the fat: Do not skip removing the liquid fat at the top layer of the liquid. The amount of liquid fat you’ll end up with depends on how fatty your meat is. You can reserve (I usually freeze it) and use it in place of oil or butter in recipes or discard it. Alternatively, if you have it, you can use a fat separator to remove it.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the slow-cooked brisket recipe up to 2 days in advance. Doing so helps develop flavors and make them rich and even more delicious. When ready to serve, warm up the meat (and the sauce), prep taco toppings, and assemble at the table.
- Storage: To store your slow cooker brisket tacos, shred the leftover meat and bring it to room temperature. Then, portion the leftovers into airtight containers, add a little juice and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Freezing and thawing: Before you freeze your brisket, shred it and let it cool to room temperature. Portion the meat and leftover sauce into several airtight containers, labeling them with dates so you can keep track of their freshness. Then, place each airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw the brisket in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating the brisket in a pan with the juices for maximum juiciness. However, you could also place the leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes. Be sure to drizzle them with some of the juices so they won’t dry out in the oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 642kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 1394mg | Potassium: 1315mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1502IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 7mg
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