This recipe is a family favorite and probably the only way you will want to have beef tacos going forward. I think my kids prefer these tacos over the actual brisket. Smoked tender brisket in a taco is so much better than buying ground beef at your grocery store.
The recipe is simple and very quick to make. You do not need many ingredients but the usual suspects that are typically in your fridge and spice rack.
Some great sides/sauces to accompany your tacos could be Guacamole, Salsa and Sour Cream. Instead of Salsa, I add a quick shot of our homemade BBQ sauce to the taco right before we wrap it tight.
Add some homemade guacamole to the taco, it tastes amazing.
If you haven’t already checked out our brisket smoking guide, you can see it here. You can freeze and reheat brisket as well. We go over the safe way of doing it with our Registered Dietitian Julie Harris.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 – 2 lbs leftover brisket (cubed 1/4″ to 3/8″)
- 1/2 head of lettuce (chopped)
- 2 tomatoes (cubed)
- 1/2 sweet onion (chopped fine)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
- 6 Large tortillas (1 package of hard tacos)
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 TBSP homemade taco mix
Homemade Taco Mix
- 2 TBSP chili powder
- 1/2 Tsp onion powder
- 1/2 Tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 Tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 Tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tsp paprika
- 3 Tsp cumin
- 1 Tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 Tsp kosher salt
Equipment:
- Large Frying Pan
- Spatula
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Cheese Grater
Instructions:
- Get out your leftover brisket and start chopping it into ¼” to 3/8” cubes.
- Chop all of the vegetables to a taco friendly size and set aside.
- Mix your spices together to create your taco mix.
- Heat up the frying pan to medium heat and add your chopped brisket.
- Combine water and taco mix together in a small cup. Pour over chopped brisket and mix well.
- Simmer on low for at least 10 min. or until most of the moisture is evaporated and the brisket is well seasoned.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Custom build your tacos to your liking; add the brisket meat first, then tomatoes, onion, and lettuce. Top with cheese and your favorite bbq sauce. Add guacamole, salsa, or sour cream to your liking.
- Wrap your taco tight and enjoy.
Check out our other favorite leftover brisket recipes.
Brisket Tacos
Equipment
- Large Frying Pan
- Spatula
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 pounds Leftover Brisket cubed
- 1/2 head Lettuce chopped
- 2 Tomatoes cubed
- 1/2 Sweet Onion chopped fine
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese
- 6 Tortillas Substitute with hard tacos if desired
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 TBSP Homemade Taco Seasoning mix
Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 2 TBSP Chili powder
- 1/2 Tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic salt
- 1/3 Tsp Red pepper flakes
- 1/2 Tsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Paprika
- 3 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Black pepper
- 1 1/2 Tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Get out your leftover brisket and start chopping it into ¼” to 3/8” cubes. Chop all of the vegetables to a taco friendly size and set aside.
- Mix your spices together to create your taco mix. Heat up the frying pan to medium heat and add your chopped brisket. Combine water and 2 TBSP taco mix together in a small cup. Stir well. Pour over chopped brisket and mix well. Simmer on low for at least 10 min. or until most of the moisture is evaporated and the brisket is well seasoned.
- Remove from heat and set aside. Custom build your tacos to your liking; add the brisket meat first, then tomatoes, onion, and lettuce. Top with cheese and your favorite bbq sauce. Add guacamole, salsa, or sour cream to your liking.
- Wrap your taco tight and enjoy.
I am on my way to learning how to make a great brisket. The one that I smoked on July 3rd stalled out at 165 and never got to a higher temperature. I finally brought it in after 3 hours at 165 and put it in the oven. When it hit 180, we had to eat, but it was super dry. Today on July 4th, I made your brisket tacos. I can understand why your kids like it better than the brisket. I happen to like crispy tacos a lot so I used this recipe. thisweekfordinner.com/how-to-make-crispy-taco-shells/. I used to think that I liked ground beef crispy tacos, but I was wrong – these are the best crispy tacos that I have ever tasted.
After your brisket got to 165 or 175 depending on the size, you should have wrapped it in foil, or what I use is peach paper, then put back on the grill until 200 or 205, then I take it put in cooler doesn’t matter regular or Styrofoam, towel on bottom n a couple on top, let rest 2 hours or for however long your willing to wait..