Recipe & pairing | Deborah Kaloper's (Taco Night) Shredded brisket tacos

Whether it’s a weekend gathering with mates, a date-night in, or simply taco Tuesday, Deborah Kaloper’s Taco Night (available now) has the best tacos for any occasion. Here’s what we’re pairing with some delicious shredded brisket tacos.

Pairing tip: "I’m scooting further down into the South Americas to grab a pairing for this - for me, it gets no better than a rich Argentine malbec - juicy, dark fruited with all the robust tannin I could ask for. Continuing our hispanic theme (and why not, any excuse to crack into these epic wines) a great glass of grenache/garnacha or a tempranillo/Rioja would be equally welcome alongside a flour tortilla stacked with steaming beef brisket. I don’t know why I decided to write this before lunch, because now I can’t think of anything else. And why would I want to? It’s an 11/10." - Nick

Try this with:

Bodegas Baigorri Old Vine Reserva Garnacha 2017

Serious wine for not-so-serious people. That’s what I think of the wines of Bodegas Baigorri, nestled amongst the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria mountain in the illustrious Rioja Alavesa sub-region. This showcases the best elements of grenache with super bright raspberry and cranberry fruits, balanced with chewable tannins and a full-force body. This is a ripper wine now, but will guarantee happy ageing in your cellar, under your bed, or at your friends house for safe keeping (as we suspect you’ll find it difficult to keep your hands off at easy reach).

Aylés Vino de Pago Cuesta del Herrero 2020

This wine is unique for many reasons, but particularly for those three beautiful, coveted words: Vino de Pago. This classifies a single vineyard of immense quality and interest, much like France’s Grand Cru classification. There are only 20 of them across Spain, making this almost infinitely better value than any wine you can buy at the price. Taking out a Best in Show award from Decanter - all we need to say is there are not many wines like this one.

Shredded beef brisket tacos

Makes 24

• 1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) beef brisket, cut into 8 even pieces

• 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil

• 1 large carrot, roughly diced

• 1 large onion, roughly diced

• 4–5 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon ground ancho chilli powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 500 g (2 cups) tomato passata (pureed tomatoes)

• 750 ml (3 cups) beef stock 

• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano

TO SERVE

• 24 warm Flour tortillas, about 15 cm (6 inches) in size [see below for recipe]

• Pico de gallo [see below for recipe]

• Sliced avocado

• Mexican crema, sour cream or creme fraiche chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

• Green chilli sauce [see below for recipe]

Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).

Season the beef well with sea salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish (Dutch oven) over medium–high heat. Add the meat in batches, searing on all sides for 4–5 minutes, until well browned. Set the meat aside. 

Turn the heat down slightly, add the carrot and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5–6 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli powder and cumin, and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the remaining ingredients, including the browned beef, then increase the heat and bring just to the boil. 

Cover the dish with a tight-fitting lid, then transfer to the oven. Cook for 2½–3 hours, until the beef is fork tender. Set the meat aside, allow to cool slightly, then shred into pieces using two forks.

Place the casserole dish containing the sauce back on the stovetop over high heat. Cook for 6–7 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly, until you have about 375–500 ml (1½–2 cups) of sauce. Puree the sauce using a stick blender, then add the shredded meat and stir through to combine. 

To serve, place some of the brisket on a warm tortilla. Add some pico de gallo, avocado slices, crema, coriander and a dash of green chilli sauce. Serve immediately.

Flour tortillas

Makes 18 × 18 cm (7 inch) tortillas

• 600 g (4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

• 1¾ teaspoons baking powder 

• 125 g (41/2 oz) lard or butter, finely diced

• 330 ml (11 fl oz) warm water

• Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together into a large bowl.

Add the diced lard or butter and crumble it through the flour until the mixture becomes sand like. Slowly add the water, little by little, while kneading the mixture together until it forms an elastic dough. 

Divide the dough into 18 equal portions, roll into balls, then cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 30–40 minutes.

Place a ball of dough between two pieces of waxed baking paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out into an 18 cm (7 inch) round tortilla. Continue rolling out all of the tortillas, then cover with the tea towel until ready to cook. 

Heat a large flat cast-iron frying pan or comal over medium–high heat. Add a tortilla and cook for 1–1½ minutes on each side, until the tortilla is slightly dry to the touch, with lightly browned bubbles on the surface; it should feel dry, but still be soft and pliable. 

While cooking the remaining tortillas, keep the cooked tortillas warm 

by stacking them on top of each other and covering them with the tea towel.

Serve immediately.

NOTE: For a fresh twist, try making chilli flake or marigold petal tortillas. While rolling out the tortillas, sprinkle the top of the dough with a pinch of chilli flakes, or edible marigold petals.

Pico de gallo

Makes about 2½ cups

• 3 large ripe juicy tomatoes, diced 

• 1/2 white onion, diced

• 1 fresh green jalapeno chilli, finely diced

• 1 small garlic clove, crushed

• 1/2 cup chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

• 60 ml (1/4 cup) lime juice

Add the ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

The pico de gallo is best made near serving time, but will keep refrigerated in a clean airtight container for 1 day.

Green chilli sauce

Makes 625 ml (2½ cups)

• 200 g (7 oz) fresh green jalapeno chillies, roughly chopped

• 4 fresh green cayenne chillies, roughly chopped

• 1 white onion, roughly chopped

• 1 cup roughly chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

• 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 125 ml (1/2 cup) white vinegar 60 ml (1/4 cup) lime juice

• 2 tablespoons panela (see Notes) or brown sugar 

• 21/2 teaspoons sea salt

Place the ingredients in a high-speed blender, add 80 ml (⅓ cup) of water and puree until smooth.

The sauce will keep in a clean airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.

NOTES: Panela is an unrefined cane sugar, typically used in Latin American recipes. For a less acidic sauce with a milder flavour, heat 125 ml (½ cup) of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then carefully add the raw green chilli sauce – it will spit! Cook for 4–5 minutes, then leave to cool. The sauce will keep in a clean airtight container in the fridge for 5–7 days.

Recipe & images taken from “Taco Night: 60+ recipes for date nights, lazy nights and party nights” by Deborah Kaloper, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $29.99), available now. Photography © Mark Roper.