In case you are having taco cravings as strong as some of us, cough, cough, I thought I would share this top-notch Spicy Orange Brisket Tacos recipe with you!
I recently got a Brisket in my Butcher Box that I get every month, and it was a bit of a surprise! With the nice weather, I wasn’t in the mood for a deep wintery braise (since all braises make me associate red wine and mashed potatoes to it!) so I thought why not turn it into something a bit fresher and make tacos!?
Yes, I know, you still have to slow cook it, and even turn on the oven if you want an especially crispy beef taco, but it’s not TOO hot here, so I think I can handle it! I always especially love recipes where I can start it and then check out for half the day and get other things done and then come back to such a lovely dish that is mostly done for me.
And just so you know, I used a 2.25 lb brisket and the entire batch of Spicy Orange Beef was gone in one sitting with the four of us. So yeah, it was seriously good! But I think it would feed 6 in a normal family.
*Notes! I try to avoid corn, so I simply made these same tacos but used lettuce leaves in place of my tortillas and still REALLY enjoyed every single thing about it!
Also, you can serve the Beef regular or crispy- instructions below on how to broil it for caramelization and crispy texture (pictured below)!
- Spicy Orange Brisket:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2-2.5 pounds brisket
- 1 ½ yellow onions, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2 jalapeno’s, roughly chopped
- 1 ½ cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 oranges halved
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt
- Fresh Slaw:
- 3 cups finely shredded red or green cabbage
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 fresno chili, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 fresh lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- kosher salt
- Tortillas
- Toppings:
- Fresh avocado slices
- Sweet and Spicy Pickled Red Onions
- Generously rub all sides of the brisket with kosher salt
- Heat a heavy pot over high heat until very hot. Add the oil and then sear the brisket for about 10 minutes on each side until it has a good golden crust on all sides.
- Add the onions, garlic and jalapeno and stir into the fat until slightly golden and translucent. Add the crushed tomatoes, orange juice, orange halves and bay leaves. The mixture should mostly cover the beef. Bring to a simmer and then put a lid on the pot and turn the heat to lowest. Simmer for four hours, flipping the brisket half way through.
- When the beef is very tender and falling apart, remove it from the pot and transfer it to a baking dish. Remove the orange halves and bay leaves from the pot and dispose of them. Transfer the liquid and onions/jalapeno and garlic to the jar of a blender. Puree on high and then transfer back to the pot. Remove the any visible fat or gristle from the Brisket. Shred the beef and then add it back to the pot with the sauce. Bring the heat up to medium-high and cook for another 15 minutes, letting the liquid thicken. You can serve just like this, store it in the sauce in the refrigerator for a few days or take an additional step and make the beef crispy!
- For Crispy Beef:
- Preheat the oven to broil. Spread the beef out over a sheetpan. I added some fresh orange slices. Broil for 3-5 minutes until very crispy and the sauce will kind of caramelize on the beef- serve hot.
- For the Fresh Slaw:
- Combine the cabbage, chili, cilantro, oil and fruit juice. Toss well to combine and season to taste with kosher salt. Set aside.
- Heat your tortillas. Heat the tortillas in a dry non-stick pan and then stack them together inside a piece of foil which you should close back up to keep the heat and steam in! If you have a gas stove, another option is to heat them directly over the open flame (using tongs)- that is what I prefer since it gets them nicely charred on the edges.
- To Assemble the Tacos:
- Take your hot tortillas and add a little fresh slaw, a few tablespoons of beef and top with avocado slices and pickled red onions.
wow, an inspired brisket, thank you. I love the orange flavor and that no tortillas are required!
Thank you Sabrina!
Can you make this in the slow cooker or Instant Pot–or both for a crowd? Any idea on variances in instructions or cooking times?
Hi Dani! YES. I think browning it first and then slow cooking for 6-8 hours is a great option! Not sure how to do this in the insta-pot, but if you try it please let me know!
Hi Heather,
This sound delish! Do you think we could brown it, then put it in a crockpot for 6 hours? Our house heats up in the summer and I can put the crockpot in the garage to keep the heat outside! Will make it one way or the other.
Thanks,
Cher
Absolutely Cher! Great idea for the hot weather!
This looks amazing! I haven’t gotten a Butcher Box in a while but I think I need to get back on the train. So good!