Shredded Beef Brisket For Tacos (Instant Pot)

Shredded Beef
Fall-apart tender and oh, so tasty!

Another simple recipe that yields great results: Shredded beef using a brisket cut. Use it to make chopped and shredded beef that is perfect for tacos or burritos. For this recipe I wanted to keep the flavors clean and simple, so I didn’t go for a marinated beef as you have in carne asada. I also decided to go without the Guinness as a braising liquid. Instead I went for a wonderful bone broth to pump up the flavor without masking the flavor of the beef.

Bison Bone Broth

The beef is from my favorite meat folks at Prather Ranch. There are lots of cuts to use (chuck roast being another great choice), I chose the brisket cut. I was going for that moist, mouth-watering, pull-apart texture that you find in a really great pastrami or corned beef. You can also check out my corned beef tacos here.

Shredded Beef

Brown In The Pot

Doing a quick browning in the Instant Pot also adds to the depth of flavor, so be sure not to skip that step. It’s a quick sear on the outside you are looking for. Don’t be afraid to give it some color.

Shredded Beef
Browning the meat in the pot first will give it those crisp edges

Taco Time

We love to make small street-sized tacos, even though we do still manage to try to overload them with toppings! I like to think of them as bite-sized morsels of deliciousness. (I really did try to use each one as an opportunity to do different bites on each one).

Shredded Beef

Shredded Beef Brisket For Tacos (Instant Pot)

Beef brisket browned and then cooked until it’s fall-apart tender in the Instant Pot. Makes a great filling for tacos and burritos.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
NPR: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American, Mexican, Pub
Keyword: beef, comfort food, instantpot, taco, tacos
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 187
Author: BlakOpal

Ingredients

Taco Ingredients

  • Street-size flour tortillas
  • 1 Red onion finely chopped
  • Cilantro chopped
  • Lettuce thinly sliced
  • Cheddar cheese blend shredded
  • Refried beans
  • Avocado halved and thinly sliced
  • Sour cream or crema

Instructions

  • Gather ingredients and tools.
    Cut your brisket into two pieces. 
    Note: If it is large, you may want to make 3 pieces. The pieces should fit easily in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
    Shredded Beef
  • Peel and quarter the onion. Peel the garlic cloves. Set aside.
  • Turn the pot to Sauté. Add some olive oil in the bottom of the pot and place one piece of brisket in the pot. Let it begin to sear on one side without turning it or moving it around. Then flip it over and sear the second side. You want to get some good browning on both sides. Remove to a side plate. Repeat with all pieces.
    Note: if the meat is sticking, use a silicone spatula to help move it around.
    Shredded Beef
  • Pour bone broth into the bottom of the pot and use the spatula to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the meat into the pot and add the onions and garlic.
    Turn off sauté. Put the lid on and set the vent to closed. Turn the Instant Pot on to manual, high for 90 minutes.
    Leave to do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes, and then carefully release the remaining pressure.
  • While the meat is cooking, you can begin to prepare the toppings for your tacos. Chop up onions and cilantro, and slice lettuce and avocados. Feel free to use your favorite ingredients!
    Shredded Beef
  • After pressure is released, remove the meat to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes. Strain the liquid in the pot, and reserve the broth for adding some back into the meat. The rest you can use in future recipes.
    Shredded Beef
  • Cut the meat thickly against the grain, and roughly chop (in my case the meat just fell apart as I was cutting it!)
    Shredded Beef
  • Heat the tortillas by holding them in a dry cast iron pan for a few seconds, and the flipping them over. Serve hot.
    Shredded Beef
  • Top the tortillas with the shredded beef and your choice of toppings, and don’t forget the sour cream! Enjoy!
    Shredded Beef
Nutrition Facts
Shredded Beef Brisket For Tacos (Instant Pot)
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 187 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 70mg23%
Sodium 90mg4%
Potassium 414mg12%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin C 2.3mg3%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @BlakOpalEats or tag #blakopal!

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