Slow-Braised Spicy Brisket Tacos
April 23, 2025Tender, melt-in-your-mouth shredded chunks of brisket slow-cooked in a chile-infused broth tucked in a warm tortilla and topped with your favorite taco toppings for the perfect taco.
Equipment
- 1 8-quart slow cooker or 5 5-quart braiser with lid
- mesh strainer
- 1 Blender or food processor
Ingredients
Brisket
- 2.5-3 pound brisket
- 1 teaspoon oil for searing brisket
- 1 white onion large, peeled, and cut into quarters
- 1 whole garlic head with the top removed (no need to peel the garlic)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 3 Cascabel chile pods stem and seeds removed
- 3 New Mexico chile pods stem and seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon of Kosher or sea salt.
- 4 cups of beef broth or stock see note below
Chile Sauce
- 2 cups braising liquid
- Braised onions, garlic, and chiles.
- 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped Roma
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried Mexican
Serving
- 15 tortillas corn or flour warmed through
- 2 cups guacamole
- 2 cups cabbage finely shredded
- salsa green or red
- pico de gallo
- 15 lime wedges
Instructions
Brisket
- Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Salt both sides of the brisket.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the skillet and sear the brisket with the fat side up.
- Sear for about 2 minutes, then turn the fat side down and sear for another minute. Sear the sides of the brisket for a minute on each side.
- Remove from the heat and place the brisket in the slow cooker.
- Add onion wedges, a whole garlic head, bay leaves, chile pods, peppercorns, and another pinch of salt if needed, if you use low-sodium broth/stock.
- Cover the brisket with beef broth.
- Cover and set the slow cooker to the low setting and braise for 10 hours.
Chile sauce
- Once the brisket is cooked, skim the fat from the braising liquid and remove the bay leaves.
- Remove the brisket from the liquid and set aside.
- Remove 2 cups of braising liquid, the onion, garlic, and chile pods, and place them in a blender or food processor bowl.
- Add tomatoes, cumin, and oregano.
- Blend for a minute or until the liquid is pureed and smooth.
- Pour liquid through a strainer to remove solids and chile pulp.
- Shred the brisket into manageable, bite-sized pieces.
- Add some of the sauce to the brisket. The brisket should be lightly coated in the sauce, not drenched. You will have braising liquid left over. Reserve the braising liquid if you have leftovers to refrigerate or freeze; thereafter, it can be discarded.
- Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Warm the sauce and brisket together if the sauce or brisket has cooled off.
- The brisket is now ready to serve.
Serving
- Serve the brisket with warm tortillas and your choice of toppings.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 15 tacos for a 2.75-pound brisket.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend adding extra braising liquid to ensure the brisket is moist upon reheating.
- Leftovers can be frozen. I recommend adding extra braising liquid to the brisket to ensure it retains its moisture and freezing it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Thawing leftovers in the fridge is recommended.
- Reheat leftovers thoroughly in a nonstick pan for easy cleanup.
Nutrition
Serving: 3tacosCalories: 347kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 42gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 1140mgPotassium: 798mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 180IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 4mg
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
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