Birria-Style Burnt End Tacos (with Mexican Beef Brisket Burnt Ends)
These burnt end tacos are made with beef brisket point and a birria-style sauce. If you're looking for new burnt ends recipes to make and you love Mexican flavors, then you've got to try these burnt ends street tacos!
Servings: 12 people
Ingredients
- 6-8 pound brisket point
- 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons Mexican seasoning blend like Fiesta That All-Purpose Mexican Seasoning
For the Birria Sauce:
- 3-4 dried pasilla negro peppers seeds removed
- 3-4 dried guajillo peppers seeds removed
- 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 10.5 oz can beef consommé
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce with some sauce from the can
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 medium white onion peeled and quartered
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed, roughly chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro about ½ cup chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes quartered
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
For Serving:
- corn tortillas
- 8 oz queso fresco or cotija cheese crumbled
- diced onion, fresh cilantro, lime juice, Crema, pickled jalapeno, or your favorite toppings
Instructions
- Preheat pellet grill or smoker to 225°F with your choice of wood or pellets.
- Prep the brisket point - Pat the brisket point dry with paper towels and lightly trim, removing only obvious hard fat chunks and silver skin. Season all sides generously with black pepper, then kosher salt, then Mexican seasoning blend.
- Smoke the brisket - Place the brisket fat-side up on the smoker or pellet grill. Smoke at 225℉ for 1 hour, then increase the grill temperature to 250℉. Continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 160-165°F (approximately 5 hours total). Remove from the smoker and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Make the Birria sauce - While brisket smokes, heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the dried peppers for about 2 minutes per side, flipping regularly until fragrant (do not char). Remove the pan from the heat, add enough water to cover the peppers, and soak for about 15 minutes.
- Add the rehydrated peppers to a blender along with fire-roasted tomatoes, beef consommé, chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic, onions, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, Roma tomatoes, and white vinegar.
- Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. *If sauce is too spicy, add more tomato. Or for a spicier sauce, add more chipotles in adobo.
- Cut and braise the brisket burnt ends - Once the brisket has rested, cut into 1-2 inch cubes. Add the brisket chunks to a large aluminum foil pan in a single layer, along with any juices from the cutting board. Pour the birria sauce over the meat, ensuring all pieces are covered.
- Place uncovered pan back on the smoker at 250-275°F. Smoke until burnt ends reach an internal temp of about 203-205℉ and meat is fall-apart tender.
- Remove pan from smoker and let cool about 15-20 minutes. Then shred or break apart the birria-style burnt ends for tacos.
- Assemble the burnt end tacos - Warm corn tortillas on a griddle or directly on grill grates. Add a generous scoop of burnt ends to each tortilla. Top with diced onion, cilantro, Crema, or your favorite toppings. Sprinkle with crumbled Cotija cheese. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Brisket Selection: This recipe works great with less-than-perfect briskets since you're cutting them into chunks and braising. Don't waste your money on prime grade for this application.
- Pepper Toasting: Toast peppers lightly, not dark. You're extracting oils, not charring. About 1-2 minutes per side over medium heat is perfect.
- Leftover Uses: These burnt ends are perfect for enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas, burrito bowls, or tortas. They freeze well for up to 3 months.
- Substitutions: Can't find pasilla negro or guajillo peppers? Use ancho or New Mexico chiles. For the meat, chuck roast, beef cheeks, or short ribs also work great.
- Cooking Times: The cooking times in this recipe are provided as a guide only. You should always cook your smoked meats to the proper temperature, not to a specific time.