Low and Slow Pulled Beef Brisket Tacos (Oven-Style)

These slow-cooked beef brisket tacos are super tender, and the sauce is rich with an amazing depth of flavour! Pair the pulled beef with homemade coleslaw, and taco Tuesday will change forever.

Who doesn’t love tacos? I know my family goes crazy for them. But in the past, we just cheated and made the packet variety.

Well, no more after trying out this recipe for the first time!

But what I love most about this recipe is that it suits large family gatherings, it’s simple to prepare, and the entire recipe is prepared in one pan.

Cool huh! Minimal cleanup for large family gatherings. That means you can spend more time with your guests and less time cooking.

And to continue making this recipe even simpler, I’ve paired it with my delicious, easy-to-make (no mayo) coleslaw.

The flavours of the beef brisket and coleslaw work insanely well together.

Trust me. You have to try it once. I know you won’t be disappointed.

But before we get into it, you will need to make it ahead as some preparation is required.

Making the rub for pulled beef brisket tacos

I highly recommend that you make the rub the night before. This will allow the rub to be absorbed into the beef, enhancing the flavour even further.

This is not a necessary step, especially if you don’t have the time.

To begin making the rub, you’ll need the following:

• 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 2 teaspoon celery salt (2 teaspoon crushed celery seeds)
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (2 teaspoon if you like it hotter)
• pinch of salt & black pepper

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, and set aside.

Preparing the beef brisket

There is no science to choosing the best brisket. But you want to be eyeballing the amount of fat it contains.

Don’t get me wrong, you want some fat in your brisket, as fat equals flavour.

But you’re not going to want huge chunks of it. It won’t render, and all you end up with is fat in your pulled beef.

Cut off any thick pieces of fat on your brisket and leave the thinner parts that will render.

Doing this step will create the perfect balance of flavour.

Power tip: Before applying the rub, I highly recommend using gloves. The cumin will smell bad on your hands, and take a few hand washes to get rid of it.

Evenly sprinkle the rub over the bottom of the brisket and use your hands to rub it into the meat.

Flip it over and repeat on the top and sides.

Tightly wrap the brisket up using plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour.

Overnight is preferred.

That’s the first step to your beef brisket tacos completed.

Ingredients you’ll need for the sauce

• 2 large onions (sliced)
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 6 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoon tomato puree
• 250ml can or bottle of beer
• 300ml beef stock
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

You are going to need a roasting pan. You’ll need to prepare the sauce directly on the stove, so I recommend either using an old pan or a cheaper one.

How to sear beef brisket?

Searing your beef brisket is really simple!

To begin, drizzle 2 tablespoon of olive oil into your pan and place it on the stove over med-high heat.

When the oil begins to smoke, carefully place the brisket into the pan.

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil onto the top of the beef and sear all sides for 30-45 seconds.

You want your beef to be slightly charred and well-coloured on all sides.

Once seared, remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.

How to prepare the sauce for beef brisket tacos?

Don’t wipe the pan out before adding the onion and garlic; you will want all that delicious flavour the beef has left behind.

Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F).

Slice 2 large onions lengthwise and finely chop 4-5 garlic cloves, then over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil back into the same pan.

Add the onions and garlic with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 2 tablespoon of tomato puree and 6 bay leaves.

Stir continually until the onions have caramelised.

Add 250ml or ¾ can or bottle of beer and scrape the bottom to deglaze the pan.

Wait until the beer begins to boil, then carefully lift the brisket into the pan, making sure the top is facing up.

Pour 300ml of beef stock around the beef and bring it to a boil.

Once boiled, tightly cover the top of the pan with aluminium foil and place it into the oven for 4 ½ to 5 hours.

Power tip: Baste the brisket with the liquid on the bottom of the pan every hour. This will keep the brisket tender and maximise flavour. Don’t be afraid to add some onions, garlic, and bay leaves on top.

After 4 ½ hours, check to see if the beef can be pulled by trying to shred the meat with two forks.

If you find it is still slightly tough, pop it back into the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Once ready, remove the brisket from the pan and tightly wrap it in aluminium foil for 20 minutes.

This gives you enough time to finalise the sauce.

Finishing off the sauce and serving

To ensure our beef brisket tacos are not swimming in sauce, it needs to be reduced.

Over low heat, add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to add a little extra tang, then simmer the sauce and occasionally stir while the brisket is resting.

Once the meat has rested, shred the beef using two forks, then pop it into a serving bowl.

Pour the sauce into the bowl and combine the sauce with the beef until well-coated.

Heat your mini tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds, then serve them with lettuce, tomatoes and a little cheese.

Or why not try our super simple homemade coleslaw?

Whatever you decide, I’m confident you’ll love my beef brisket tacos.

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Did you make my oven-style low and slow-pulled beef brisket tacos? Tag @justsoyum on Instagram or Facebook so we can find your masterpiece.