Slow Cooker Carne Picada Tacos with Avocado Salsa

Loosely translated as "minced meat," the traditional texture of carne picada ranges from finely chopped to ground. Here we start with brisket, which becomes nice and tender in the slow cooker, then shred and chop the meat before serving. The seasoning is flavorful but not too spicy. Blistered jalapeños added at the end will satisfy the heat-lovers in the family. Pile the brisket into warmed corn tortillas with the jalapeños, lettuce, cheese and avocado salsa for a healthy dinner that'll wake up your taco night routine.

Ingreadient

  • 2 pounds beef brisket (flat end), trimmed
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 8 small jalapeño peppers
  • 16 corn tortillas, warmed
  • 2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
  • ½ cup crumbled cotija (see tip) or feta cheese
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
  • 2 mini sweet peppers, diced
  • ½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt