Smoked Beef Brisket Street Tacos

This post is a collaboration with Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.

Tacos aren’t just for Tuesday, ya’ll! Serving up smaller “street tacos” is one of my favorite party foods because they’re always a favorite and easily serve a crowd. Today, we’re chatting all about these delicious smoked beef brisket street tacos!

Down south, we enjoy a lot of smoked meats, and my husband and I are big fans of smoked beef Brisket in particular. When it comes to making it ourselves, I use the Classic Smoked Beef Brisket recipe from Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. I’ve raved about their recipes before, and this Brisket does not disappoint. I used it for these street tacos and find that it’s also delicious on its own as well!

Let’s chat a bit about smoking beef, shall we? Even though my husband is the grill and “smoker” master in our household, I find all these tidbits fascinating, especially when I’m developing party recipes with the delicious smoked beef! The “low and slow” cooking method creates that “melt in your mouth” tenderness that smoked meat is known for.

Tips for Smoking Beef

• The best cuts for smoking are generally the tougher, larger cuts of beef because a longer, more gentle cook time and temperature melts the fat and tenderizes the beef. We used Brisket for our tacos but you can also smoke Ribeye Roast and Back Ribs.
• There are a lot of wood options for smoking meats. I’ve listed a few of my favorites below along with notes about each.

1. Hickory – Provides a sweet, savory and hearty flavor to the beef. One of the more popular woods due to its strong flavor.
2. Mesquite – Will give a very smoky flavor and is great for cooking smaller cuts during a shorter period of time.
3. Oak – One of the more common woods used for smoking. Has a subtle flavor that is great for cooking larger cuts as it won’t be too overpowering.

When you start with a high-quality meat like a smoked beef Brisket, almost any topping is going to taste amazing! For these street tacos, I chose avocado, diced red onion, and freshly chopped cilantro. I kept it simple and let the flavor of the smoked beef Brisket really shine! You could easily serve this with a drizzle of BBQ sauce as well.

Let’s chat about pairing these tacos with a vegetable or side dish. I love to whip up this 3-ingredient corn dish when serving tacos. It comes together in minutes and can be prepped in advance which is key for entertaining a crowd. Combine corn with diced bell peppers and top with crumbled or grated cotija cheese. That is IT! It couldn’t be any easier – or more delicious. It’s the perfect side for these street tacos.

Below is the recipe for the smoked beef Brisket tacos. It yields roughly 16 tacos, depending on your tortilla size, but you can easily adjust to fit your crowd size. They’re not only perfect for serving as a dinner party entree but also can be served as a larger appetizer!

I hope you’re inspired to recreate these street tacos for your next party or festive weeknight meal. We love them and know you will too!

For more beef-inspired entertaining ideas, check out the links below! And for more beef recipes, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com!

• Black and Bleu Steak Salad
• 7 Tips for Throwing the Perfect Barbecue
• Mini Appetizer-Size Cheeseburgers