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Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket

Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket is tender, juicy and packed with warm flavors. This shredded brisket is perfect for tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls or also freezers great for later. 

Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket on plate

SLOW COOKER MEXICAN BEEF BRISKET

When summer arrives in Ohio there are two things I like to do – grill and use my slow cooker.

Using your slow cooker in the warmer months prevents your house from heating up when you use your oven. It also means you can leave it bubbling away while you get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine!

Today’s Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket is the perfect summer meal that works great in Mexican dishes. Try adding it to tacos, rice bowls, quesadillas, enchiladas or nachos.

This recipe makes enough for 8 to 10 people so I always freeze half of the Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket for a quick and easy dinner later.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is the rub on the beef which is made up of some of my favorite warm spices including Mexican oregano, cumin, coriander and chipotle chili powder.

Keep this recipe in your back pocket for your next taco night! I promise your family will love the flavor and how juicy this beef is. It really is the perfect base for all your favorite Mexican meals.

I love slow cooking meat in this way, ready to add to a variety of dishes. Try my Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken, Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, or Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork.

Choosing The Best Beef Brisket

When making this Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket you will want to find a 3 pound Certified Angus Beef ® brand beef brisket. When I pick my brisket I always looking for a good amount of marbling on one side of the brisket, marbling {or the fat} means flavor. This fat also helps keep the beef tender and juicy.

Did you know Certified Angus Beef® brand doesn’t actually raise the cattle? They select the best beef farmers across the United States. The Certified Angus Beef® brand community is actually made up of small ranchers from coast to coast, most of whom have only 20-40 cattle in their herds. 

Only 1 in 4 Angus cattle meet the Certified Angus Beef® brand’s 10 quality standards.  Just look for that Certified Angus Beef® brand logo. That’s how you’ll know you’re purchasing top quality beef for you and your family!

Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket Taco

Why You Will Love This Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket Recipe

Easy to Cook: This recipe is really easy to prepare, hands on prep time is minimal. Just rub the dry rub over the beef and layer up all the ingredients in the slow cooker pot, then turn it on and leave it to bubble away.

Meal Prep: Slow cooked beef brisket freezes really well, so I like to enjoy some now, then freeze some of the beef and cooking juices for a quick an easy dinner another day.

Feed a Crowd: This recipe will comfortably feed 8 to 10 diners, so ideal when entertaining family and friends.

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

Beef Brisket Ingredients:

  • Beef – I used 3 pounds of beef brisket, you can leave whole or cut it into two chunks if it is too large for the slow cooker pot.
  • Vegetables – I use a combination of garlic, sweet onion, poblano peppers and a jalapeno pepper to flavor the beef.
  • Dried herbs – I add bay leaves to flavor the broth.
  • Tomato – I add a cup of tomato sauce to flavor the broth.
  • Broth – I use a good quality beef broth for cooking the beef brisket in.

Rub Ingredients:

  • Ground spices – I used a combination of ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and black pepper in this rub.
  • Ground chili – I used 2 chili powders in this rub, regular chili powder for heat and chipotle chili powder to add a smokiness to the beef.
  • Dried herbs – I added some dried Mexican oregano to the rub. If you can’t find Mexican oregano, substitute with regular oregano.
  • Salt – I added sea salt to season and flavor the beef.
Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket One Taco

How To Make Mexican Beef Brisket In Slow Cooker

  1. Prepare the rub: Combine the rub ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
  2. Layer up the slow cooker: Spread the garlic, onion, jalapeño and poblanos in the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
  3. Rub the beef: Lay the brisket on a large cutting board and using your hands rub the beef with the spice mixture on both sides {save the extra spice mixture in case you want to sprinkle it on the finished brisket}.
  4. Add the brisket: Place the brisket in the slow cooker on top of the onions and poblanos. Place the bay leaves in the slow cooker next to the brisket and pour the tomato sauce and the chicken broth around the sides of the brisket.
  5. Cook the beef: Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove the brisket from the slow cooker and place it on a large cutting board. Once it cools slightly use two forks to shred the beef. Return the beef back to the slow cooker and mix well to combine the beef with the juices. Cover with the lid and let the meat sit for another 10 minutes on warm.
  6. Finish the dish: Once you are ready to eat the brisket remove from the juices and place on a large platter. Sprinkle the extra rub over the brisket if you want and garnish with the cilantro.
Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket White Plate

Recipe Modifications For Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket

Beef: I’ve used beef brisket in this recipe, but you can use other slow cook beef joints like beef shoulder or chuck roast.

Broth: Use a good quality beef broth as it will impart lots of flavor into the beef. Don’t be tempted to use a lighter broth, like chicken or vegetable, as this won’t give you the same meaty flavor.

Peppers: I used a poblano pepper, but you could swap this for any color bell peppers.

Chili: I’ve added a jalapeno pepper to the pot, you could also use sliced red chilies.

Recipe Tips

Reserve Juices: You can reserve the juices from the slow cooker to add to the meat when you are ready to serve the meat. It helps to keep the brisket tender and juicy. When I reserve the liquid I skim the onions, poblanos and fat and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. Once I am ready to reheat the meat I will add a small amount of juice to the meat.

Make Ahead: if you want to get ahead, I recommend making the beef earlier in the day or the day before. This beef brisket will taste even better if allowed to sit as the flavors meld together and intensify.

Leftovers: store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up 3 days.

Reheating: to reheat leftovers place into a pot and warm up to piping hot on the stove. Add a splash of the reserved cooking juices to keep the beef lovely and moist.

Freeze the Beef: once cooked and cooled, place the beef into an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight and warm up in a pot on the stove when ready to enjoy.

Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket Two Tacos

What To Serve With Mexican Beef Brisket

Once made, this Mexican beef brisket can be served with a whole variety of dishes. It works great for tacos, nachos, rice bowls, quesadillas, sandwiches and salads.

If topping tacos or nachos, I like to add some of my favorite toppings, try:

I always like to serve salads with my meals, and this beef works really well with my Mexican Coleslaw, Mexican Street Corn Salad, Mexican Noodle Casserole, or my Street Corn Orzo Pasta Salad.

Other Beef Recipes You Might Like:

LEBANESE MEAT PIES

THE BEST ROAST BEEF RECIPE 

EASY MEDITERRANEAN HAMBURGERS

MEXICAN ZUCCHINI 

LEBANESE BEEF AND GREEN BEANS 

Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket on plate

Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket

Yield: 8
Cook Time: 10 hours
Total Time: 10 hours

Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Brisket is tender, juicy and packed with warm flavors. This shredded brisket is perfect for tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls or also freezers great for later. 

Ingredients

For the brisket:

  • 3 pounds Certified Angus Beef ® brand beef brisket {you can leave whole or cut it into two chunks if it is too large}
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 of a sweet onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced {optional}
  • 1 large poblano, seeded, diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup beef  broth

For the rub:

  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano {or regular oregano}
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine the rub ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
  2. Spread the garlic, onion, jalapeño and poblanos in the bottom of the slow cooker evenly. Lay the brisket on a large cutting board and using your hands rub the beef with the spice mixture on both sides {save the extra spice mixture in case you want to sprinkle it on the finished brisket}.
  3. Place the brisket in the slow cooker on top of the onions and poblanos. Place the bay leaves in the slow cooker next to the brisket and pour the tomato sauce and the chicken broth around the sides of the brisket.
  4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove the brisket from the slow cooker and place it on a large cutting board. Once it cools slightly use two forks to shred the beef. Return the beef back to the slow cooker and mix well to combine the beef with the juices. Cover with the lid and let the meat sit for another 10 minutes on warm.
  5. Once you are ready to eat the brisket remove from the juices and place on a large platter. Sprinkle the extra rub over the brisket if you want and garnish with the cilantro.

Notes

  • You can reserve the juices from the slow cooker to add to the meat when you are ready to serve the meat. It helps to keep the brisket tender and juicy. When I reserve the liquid I skim the onions, poblanos and fat and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. Once I am ready to reheat the meat I will add a small amount of juice to the meat.
  • This meat works great for tacos, nachos, bowls, quesadillas, sandwiches and also freezers great for leftovers.

Today’s post is sponsored by Certified Angus Beef. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. 

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carolyn

Monday 19th of August 2024

Horrible site! Where is your ingredient list and instructions?

Julia

Monday 19th of August 2024

Thanks for your kind words. I am seeing them at the bottom of the post. Did you scroll down? Hopefully it works now if you try it? You can also click "jump to recipe" button and it will take you down to the recipe. Have a lovely day.

Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite

Saturday 30th of June 2018

I use my slow-cooker year round, so love seeing new ideas!

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