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1
To make the barbecue rub, in a small bowl, combine the smoked salt, ancho chile powder, chipotle powder, and black pepper.
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2
Sprinkle the rub over the entire brisket and massage the spices well into the surface of the meat.
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3
Place the brisket in a nonreactive pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight, or at least 4 to 6 hours.
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4
To make the barbecue sauce, in the jar of a blender, add the 2 cups chipotle barbecue sauce, roasted garlic, tomatoes, onion, Tabasco, chipotle puree, and liquid smoke and puree until smooth.
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5
You should have about 3 1/2 cups sauce.
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6
Reserve 2 1/2 cups for cooking the brisket.
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7
To make a sauce for the tacos, put the remaining 1 cup barbecue sauce in a saucepan with 1/2 cup water and cook, covered, over low heat, 20 to 30 minutes.
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8
Set aside at room temperature if using the same day.
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9
Or transfer to a container and refrigerate until needed; gently reheat before serving.
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10
To cook the brisket, in a very large skillet (12 to 14 inches), heat the canola oil over high heat until very hot.
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11
Decrease the heat to medium-high and sear the spice-rubbed brisket on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
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12
The spice rub on the meat should be a dark mahogany color, but not burned.
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13
Remove from the heat, reserving any browned crusty bits from the pan.
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14
Preheat the oven to 275F.
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15
Line a roasting pan with two 18-inch-long sheets of 12-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil.
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16
Have another 18 by 12-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil ready.
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17
Place 1 1/4 cups of the reserved barbecue sauce on the foil.
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18
On the sauce, place the brisket and any browned, crusty bits from the skillet in the center of the foil.
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19
Pour over the remaining 1 1/4 cups barbecue sauce.
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20
Seal into a tight packet by crimping the ends of the foil together and mold the remaining piece of foil around the packet to keep steam from escaping.
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21
Place in the oven and cook until you can insert a fork with just a little resistance, about 4 1/2 hours (or about 5 hours if you prefer a more tender brisket).
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22
Remove from the oven, open the foil to let the steam escape (be careful, the steam is hot), and let the meat cool in its juices for about 15 minutes.
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23
The meat should pull apart with 2 forks and still have a toothsome texture.
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24
Reserve about 1/2 cup of the meat juices and add to the reserved barbecue sauce and rewarm to serve with the tacos as a sauce.
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25
Shred the meat along the grain with forks and reserve in a saucepan with some of the remaining pan juices.
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26
Serve immediately or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.
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27
To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter.
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28
Divide the slaw and filling equally between the tortillas and top with crema and barbecue sauce.
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29
Grab, fold, and eat right away.
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30
Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand.
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31
Spoon on some slaw and filling, top with crema and barbecue sauce, and eat right away.
