These Brisket Tacos are the ultimate Tex-Mex tacos, with beef brisket that is slow cooked and served on tortillas with cheese and sautéed onions and peppers. Then serve the pan juices for dipping alongside the tacos.
Season all sides of the brisket with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large oven-safe pot. Add the brisket and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the brisket from the pot.
Add the onion to the pot and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. This should take about 10 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and cook another 2 minutes.
Turn the heat off, and add the vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pan as you pour to remove all of the pan drippings.
Add the cumin, jalapeños, cilantro, and bay leaf. Add the brisket back into the pot, fat side up, (along with any accumulated juices), fat side up. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 5-6 hours (or 1 1/2 hours per pound) until the meat is fork tender.
Remove the pot from the oven, take off the lid, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
While the brisket is resting, turn the oven to broil. Place the peppers on a baking sheet (I like to cover mine with foil first for easy clean up) and place in the oven. Let the peppers cook, turning every 5 minutes, until the peels are charred. It’s ok if there is some green left, but you want them mostly charred so that the skins will be easier to remove. This should take about 20-25 minutes.
When the chiles are charred on all sides, transfer them to a heat proof bowl and top the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the pepper sit until they are cool enough to handle. (The plastic wrap will help them to steam, which makes it easier to remove the peels.
When cool enough to handle, peel the skins off. If a few patches remain, that is ok, but you want the majority of the skin gone.
Transfer to a cutting board and cut the peppers open. Discard the stems and the seeds. Cut the peppers into strips. Set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the pepper strips and cook another minute then remove from the heat.
Once the brisket has rested, remove it from the pot and cut off the fat. Shred the meat with 2 forks.
Strain the remaining cooking liquid and discard the fat. Add 2 tablespoons of the liquid to the brisket and reserve the rest for serving. Add more salt and pepper to the brisket, if needed.
Heat the broiler. Place 3-6 tortillas on a baking sheet (however many you can fit without overlapping) and top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Fill the tortillas with the shredded meat and the onions and peppers. Serve with the reserved liquid for dipping.
Notes
source: The Homesick Texan's Family TableNutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.