Chipotle Brisket Tacos with Charred Rajas and Tomatillo Salsa

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A no-smoker route to deep, barbecue-adjacent brisket tacos: a chipotle-and-cumin rub gets seared hard, then the meat braises low and slow in the oven until it shreds under a fork. Charred poblano rajas and a blistered tomatillo salsa carry the smoke that a pit would normally provide, and the reduced braising liquid becomes a glaze you toss the shredded beef in right before it hits warm corn tortillas.

Ingredients

• 3 lb beef brisket, flat cut, fat cap trimmed to 1/4 inch
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp chipotle chile powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 canned chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup Mexican lager or water
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves

• 4 large poblano peppers
• 1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp lime juice

• 1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 2 serrano chiles
• 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/2 small white onion, quartered
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt

• 18 small corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Pat the brisket dry. Combine the kosher salt, chipotle powder, cumin, ancho powder, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper, and brown sugar, then rub the mixture over every surface of the meat. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate uncovered up to 24 hours for a drier, more crust-friendly surface.
2. Heat the oven to 300°F. Warm 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the brisket fat-side down for 5 to 6 minutes, until deeply browned, then flip and sear 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the sliced yellow onion to the pot with a pinch of salt. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, scraping up the browned rub stuck to the bottom, until the onion is soft and golden. Add the smashed garlic and chopped chipotles with their adobo and cook 1 minute more.
4. Pour in the beef broth, beer, and vinegar, add the bay leaves, and bring to a simmer. Return the brisket to the pot fat-side up; the liquid should come about two-thirds up the meat. Cover tightly, transfer to the oven, and braise 3 1/2 to 4 hours, turning the brisket once at the halfway mark. It is done when a fork twists out a shred with no resistance and an instant-read thermometer reads 203°F.
5. While the brisket braises, char the rajas. Set the poblanos directly over a gas burner on high or under the broiler 4 inches from the element, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until blackened and blistered all over, 8 to 12 minutes total. Seal them in a bowl covered with a plate for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins, pull out the stems and seeds, and tear the flesh into 1/2-inch strips.
6. In a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sliced white onion with 1 tablespoon oil, undisturbed for 3 minutes at a time, until charred in spots and floppy, about 8 minutes. Stir in the poblano strips, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the lime juice, cook 2 minutes, and set aside.
7. Make the salsa: wipe out the skillet and heat it over medium-high. Dry-roast the tomatillos, serranos, unpeeled garlic, and quartered onion, turning occasionally, until blackened in patches and the tomatillos have slumped and turned olive green, 10 to 14 minutes. Peel the garlic, then blend everything with the cilantro, lime juice, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a loose, slightly chunky salsa. Taste and add salt or a splash of water as needed.
8. Move the cooked brisket to a cutting board and tent with foil for 15 minutes. Skim the fat from the braising liquid, fish out the bay leaves, then boil the liquid and onions over high heat until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups and glossy, 12 to 18 minutes.
9. Slice the brisket across the grain into 1/2-inch slabs, then shred or roughly chop into bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the reduced liquid and toss to coat; keep warm over low heat. For crispy edges, spread the coated meat on a sheet pan and broil 3 to 4 minutes until the tips darken.
10. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, about 30 seconds per side, and stack them in a clean towel. Build each taco with a spoonful of brisket, a tangle of charred rajas, tomatillo salsa, queso fresco, chopped onion, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and any remaining salsa on the side.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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