Southwestern Brisket in the Slow Cooker

I’ll be dreaming about this recipe for months.  I have been searching for the recipe  for years.  I love the brisket. There are so many possibilities with this recipe.  In the next couple of months you are going to see several recipes that I am testing to find the perfect brisket.  This one could be THE ONE!  When you make it you’re going to think it is just too easy to be good, but it is THAT good!   I saw it on Smitten years ago and pulled it out when I was cleaning my freezer and lo and behold found a 6 lb brisket.  I know that’s a lot of brisket but the two of us ate every bite and slurped every drop of broth wanting more.  Now here is a recipe that you can put in the slow cooker a couple of days before Christmas and you can feed the hungry for many times.  In fact you have to make this at least a day before serving it since it takes about 10 -12 hours to cook .   A must do step is to store the meat separated from the broth.  It will make it easy to skim the fat from the broth and  you will be surprised at how little will be to skim.   So get your cooking on for the holiday season with this brisket. It is as good as my favorite restaurants or better because you have all the control!  Enjoy!

Southwestern Brisket in the Slow Cooker  by way of Smitten     from The Food Network  

Yield:  8 or more tacos

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds beef brisket
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices
• 2  chipotle chiles en adobo, canned in sauce  (I used a few more peppers)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons molasses

1. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat just until beginning to smoke.
3. Add the meat and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total.
4. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker; leave the skillet on the heat.
5. Add garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, and cumin to drippings in the skillet and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add vinegar and boil until it’s almost gone, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
7. Stir in water and pour the mixture over the brisket.
8. Crush the tomatoes through your fingers into the slow cooker; add the tomato juices, chipotles, bay leaves, and molasses.
9. Cover the cooker, set it on LOW, and cook the brisket until it pulls apart easily with a fork, about 10- 11  hours.
10. Remove brisket from the slow cooker and pull apart with two forks.
11. Drain the broth using a fine sieve.  I lined mine with a paper towel to keep the small particles out.
12. Store the broth and meat separately in tightly covered containers in the refrigerator.
13. The next day skim the fat from the broth.
14. Heat meat and broth over low heat.
15. Use however you want.  I chose tacos and burrito bowls this go round.