Vida Recetas Editorial
Beef is the star of this spectacular oven-baked brisket barbecue recipe, a home-friendly version of the traditional pit barbecue. The brisket is seared on the grill and then slowly baked wrapped in banana leaves with a broth flavored with cinnamon, bay leaf, and a touch of cumin, achieving an incredibly tender and juicy texture. This recipe is ideal for special occasions, family gatherings, or to surprise lovers of Mexican cuisine with a hearty and flavorful dish.
The brisket is shredded and served in fried tacos, accompanied by a manzano chile sauce that adds a fresh and fruity heat. Pickled red onion adds an acidic contrast that balances the fat of the meat.
The key is in the initial searing and slow cooking, which allows the meat to absorb all the flavors.
Prep
30 min
Cook
720 min
Servings
10
Brisket Preparation:
Get a brisket weighing approximately 5 to 6 kilos.
Do not remove any fat; use it as it comes naturally.
Cut the brisket into several pieces to make the process easier.
Sealing the Meat:
Prepare your grill with charcoal, ensuring an even and very strong heat bed.
Seal the meat on all sides.
Turn it over approximately every 20 seconds.
Preparation of the Garlic Paste and Seasoning:
In a mortar, crush 2 whole heads of raw garlic with a drizzle of olive oil until it forms a paste.
Add more olive oil to the garlic paste.
Massage the sealed meat with the garlic paste.
In a coffee or spice grinder, grind about 3-4 tablespoons of a pepper blend.
Generously season the meat with the freshly ground pepper and flaky sea salt.
Assembly of the Barbacoa in the Pot:
Place a layer of banana leaves at the bottom of a steamer pot.
Arrange the seasoned brisket pieces inside the pot.
Add 1 cinnamon stick and 3-4 bay leaves.
Pour in approximately a quarter cup of homemade or store-bought beef broth.
Cover the barbacoa with more banana leaves.
Seal the pot tightly with its lid and then wrap it well with aluminum foil.
Cooking the Barbacoa:
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
Put the pot in the oven for 12 hours.
Preparation of the Pickled Red Onion with Habanero (5 days before):
Finely slice the red onion.
Add habanero peppers and 4-6 crushed garlic cloves.
Place everything in a glass jar.
In a pot, boil equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar.
Pour this hot mixture over the onions in the jar.
Seal and refrigerate for 5 days.
Preparation of the Chile Manzano Sauce:
Boil 3 red tomatoes, 2 tomatillos, and 5 chile manzanos.
Remove the tomatillos after 2 minutes.
Remove the seeds from the chile manzanos.
Blend the cooked chiles with approximately a quarter cup of water, 2-3 crushed garlic cloves, a piece of raw white onion, and salt and pepper to taste.
Finishing the Sauce:
In a hot skillet with oil, pour in the blended sauce.
Let it simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes.
Shredding the Barbacoa:
After 12 hours, remove the pot from the oven.
Shred all the meat and place it in a container.
Preparation of the Golden Tacos:
Warm the corn tortillas.
Fill each tortilla with enough barbacoa.
Fold the tortillas like quesadillas.
Heat a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of lard.
Place the tacos in the skillet and fry them until golden brown.
Remove excess fat with a paper towel.
Plating:
Place the golden tacos on a plate.
Serve the hot chile manzano sauce over the tacos.
Sprinkle crumbled fresh cheese on top.
Accompany with avocado slices and pickled red onion.
Enjoy this flavor explosion!
This recipe has a hard difficulty level, which means it's accessible for cooks of all levels.
The preparation time is 30 minutes and the cooking time is 720 minutes.
This recipe is designed for 10 servings.
Yes, many ingredients can be substituted with similar alternatives. We recommend checking the recipe variations.
Store the preparation in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Some preparations can be frozen for up to 3 months.
