Smoked Brisket Tacos are a quick and easy way to take your BBQ beef brisket leftovers to heights of savory, Tex-Mex deliciousness they have yet to see before!
This recipe is beyond simple. Juicy, bite-sized bits of brisket get wrapped in a tortilla, and the toppings are completely up to you! Keep it simple and serve your Brisket Tacos street taco style, or top them off with the fresh flavors of chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro, add a little shredded cheese and a drizzle of crema for some decadence, and you've got an explosion of flavors in your hands.
Not only is this crowd-pleasing concoction of flavors one of the quickest meals you'll ever pull off, but you can enjoy these tacos any time of day! They're great for lunch, dinner, or even as a breakfast taco with scrambled eggs! Love beefy tacos? Bookmark our Fajita Tacos Recipe in your internet browser for next week's taco night!
Brisket is a large cut of beef that comes from the lower chest area of the cow. They are on average about 15 pounds, making brisket an excellent choice of protein for feeding a crowd. However, because this area sees a lot of movement and it is a fairly tough cut of meat. A Texans favorite way to work around this problem is to smoke it low and slow on the BBQ pit!
When brisket is cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time, the fat and connective tissue melt down and dissolves into the beef. Then, what was once a tough piece of meat, becomes tender, juicy, beefy perfection.
Smoked Brisket is a Texas food staple and when it comes to putting those leftovers to good use, trust this -- we know where it's at.
HOW TO MAKE BRISKET TACOS
Brisket Tacos are an excellent way to put that leftover smoked brisket to work. To kick off the recipe, you'll want to have your leftover brisket heated to a temperature of your liking.
The quickest way to do this is in your microwave. To keep the brisket from drying out, cover it with a damp paper towel before sending it off to reheat. How long it takes for it to heat through is entirely dependent on how much brisket you're reheating.
Once your brisket is nice and hot, you can either shred it or chop it into bite-sized pieces for your tacos. You'll want to have near a ¼ cup of shredded brisket per taco.
Once your brisket is ready to go, it's time to settle on a tortilla. Y0u can use either corn tortillas or flour tortillas for brisket tacos, whichever you prefer is fine!
Beyond preparing the tortilla and the meat, the rest is really up to you! Below, you'll find lots of yummy topping (and serving) options for your brisket tacos!
BRISKET TACO OPTIONS
Beef can stand up to a lot of flavors, making this taco recipe particularly flexible. Our favorite topping combo for Brisket Tacos was simple, yet super flavorful:
- Fresh Sliced Jalapenos
- Chopped Tomatoes
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- Chopped Cilantro
- Mexican Crema
BRISKET STREET TACOS
You could go straight up Carne Asada Mexican street taco-style and top them off with a squeeze of lime, cilantro, and chopped white onion.
BBQ BRISKET BREAKFAST TACOS
Brisket tacos for breakfast? There couldn't be a heartier way to start the day.
The brisket breakfast taco is a popular menu item at Texas BBQ restaurant Rudy's. It features chopped beef brisket with scrambled eggs, shredded cheese, and a finishing drizzle of either salsa or BBQ sauce.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BRISKET TACOS
There's certainly more than one way to top a brisket taco, but if you're wondering what to serve them with, we've got you covered there too.
Below are just a few of our favorite ideas for rounding out your meal.
Jalapeno Poppers
Homemade Pico de Gallo
Refried Black Beans
Chili Cheese Dip
Jalapeño Cornbread
Easy Spanish Rice Recipe
Side dishes like Mexican rice, refried black beans, or jalapeño cornbread add more sustenance to your meal. And, as we all know, dips and starters make every meal more exciting!
Want to top off your Brisket Tacos with something extra delicious? Add this Chipotle Sauce to your must-make list!
MORE WAYS TO USE UP LEFTOVER BRISKET
If you have a ton of leftover brisket and you're looking for more yummy ways to put it to delicious use, you've got options!
Of course, there's the Texas staple, Chopped Beef Sandwiches, but if you'd like to stick with the Tex-Mex route you can use your leftovers to top off nachos or as an enchilada or burrito filling!
6 MORE TACO RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Ground Turkey Tacos
- Carnitas Tacos
- Crispy Potato Tacos
- Tacos de Pollo
- Pulled Pork Tacos
- Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos
Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe
Authentic Carnitas Recipe
Crispy Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papa)
Tacos de Pollo (Chicken Tacos Recipe)
Pulled Pork Tacos
Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos
Smoked Brisket Tacos are a quick and easy way to turn your BBQ beef brisket leftovers into a whole new meal! Juicy, bite-sized bits of brisket get wrapped in a tortilla and topped with chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, shredded cheese, and a drizzle of crema.
- 1 pound leftover smoked brisket
- 6-8 corn or flour tortillas
- Topping Ideas: Chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapenos, chopped cilantro, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and Mexican crema
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Microwave the leftover brisket in a microwave-safe bowl or container, covered by a damp paper towel until warmed to your liking.
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Transfer the brisket to a work surface and chop into small bits and pieces. You should have about 2 cups of chopped brisket.
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Add about a ¼ cup of brisket to each tortilla and top as desired. Serve and enjoy!
