Beef Brisket Tacos
Everybody loves tacos, right? These bad boys are easy to make and full of flavor!
INGREDIENTS
3-4 lb. beef brisket
Salt & pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, quartered
8 garlic cloves or garlic confit cloves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
4 cups homemade beef broth
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish (20 g)
1 bay leaf
For the shredded beef tacos
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Eight to twelve (8-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
1 cup pickled red onions
1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
1 or 2 limes, cut into wedges for serving
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
Season the brisket on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add the brisket to the pot and brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side
Remove the brisket from the pot and place on a plate. Add the onion to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if needed. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes more. Add the vinegar and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the pan drippings.
Transfer everything in the pot to the slow cooker. Add the broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the cumin, paprika, coriander, cilantro, and bay leaf and season with salt. Transfer the brisket to the slow cooker, fatty side up, and pour in any accumulated juices from the plate. Cook on medium until very tender, about 8 hours. Carefully transfer the brisket to a large cutting board, reserving the liquid in the pot. Let the brisket rest for around 10 minutes. You may want to remove the visible layer of fat before shredding. Using 2 forks, shred the brisket in the direction of the grain—the meat should come apart easily. Return the shredded brisket to the slow cooker and stir to incorporate with the juices.
When ready to serve, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, lime juice, and sea salt. Warm the tortillas in a skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute on each side.
Scoop some shredded brisket on each tortilla. Garnish with the cabbage, a dollop of the sour cream mixture, some pickled red onions, and a sprinkle of Cotija cheese. Serve with wedges of lime on the side.