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Slow-Cooked Beef Brisket Tacos Recipe

Slow-Cooked Beef Brisket Tacos

Tender beef brisket is seared, slow-cooked in a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce, and shredded for juicy corn tortilla tacos. Fresh onion, cilantro, avocado, and lime bring a bright finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 9 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the brisket
  • 3 lb Beef brisket, preferably flat-cut, trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Vegetable or avocado oil
  • 1 large Large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-2 chiles Canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
  • 1 tbsp Adobo sauce
  • 2 tsp Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 tsp Smoked paprika
  • 1 cup Low-sodium beef broth
  • 14-15 oz can Crushed or fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
For serving
  • 16 tortillas Small corn tortillas
  • 1/2 small Small red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 avocado Avocado, sliced or diced
  • as needed Lime wedges
Optional toppings
  • as desired Pickled jalapenos or radishes
  • as desired Crumbled queso fresco or cotija
  • as desired Sour cream, crema, or salsa

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Pat the brisket dry and season it all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the brisket for about 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply browned, then transfer it to the slow cooker.
  3. Cook the sliced onion in the same pan for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, minced chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, cumin, Mexican oregano, and smoked paprika, cooking for about 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in the beef broth, crushed or fire-roasted tomatoes, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
  5. Pour the sauce over the brisket in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 8-9 hours on LOW or 4-5 hours on HIGH, until a fork slides easily into the thickest part and the meat pulls apart.
  6. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Shred it with forks or slice it thinly across the grain.
  7. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid. Toss some of the liquid with the shredded beef, and reduce the remaining sauce in a saucepan if you prefer a thicker taco filling.
  8. Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet, on a griddle, or wrapped in foil in the oven. Fill them with brisket and garnish with red onion, cilantro, avocado, lime, and optional toppings.

Notes

For the best texture, judge the brisket by tenderness rather than the clock alone. Refrigerating the cooked brisket overnight makes excess fat easier to remove and can improve the flavor after reheating.