Day 53 - Brisket Huevos Rancheros

Brisket Huevos Rancheros

 Ok, I'm cheating.  I didn't take this to lunch today.  In fact, I didn't go to work today.  But this was such a delicious brunch that I had to share!

I also can't take full credit for this recipe.  A similar recipe came about a few months ago when I was having dinner with my friends Kate and Frances.  We wanted to cook, and started talking about what we already had at home.  Long story short, we combined ingredients and leftovers we already had, took them to Kate's house, and made some delicious brisket huevos rancheros.  Then I had huevos rancheros at a diner the other night, and decided to re-create the brisket version this weekend!  And, being me, I used the slow cooker to do it.

Brisket isn't a traditional choice for huevos rancheros.  The dish usually consists of a corn tortilla, some sort of chili sauce, and a fried egg.  The chili sauce is where everyone gets creative - sometimes it's as simple as a smooth red sauce, or it can be chili with beans, beef, vegetables, or whatever else.  My version is a little less "soupy," which I like.  If you like all the sauce, though, you could easily take the liquids from the slow cooker and thicken them like a gravy.

This has tons of protein - one small serving will last you all day.  I added beans to amp up the protein level (and save money on the amount of brisket I had to buy - $6 a pound is crazy!), but you could leave them out if beans aren't your thing.  Accompanying it with avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, hot peppers, or even some nice breakfast potatoes would be lovely.  I'm also writing the recipe assuming you want to make about 3 servings - but you can stretch the brisket mixture as far as you want.  You could make as few as two servings or as many as 5 or 6.  For more servings, I'd recommend adding more beans, or even more brisket (at the same cooking time).

This takes a lot of very simple prep time, so be sure to read ahead before you commit to cooking.   The timing is perfect for you to soak your beans on your way to work Friday, toss the recipe into the slow cooker before bed Friday night, and wake up to a delicious brunch on Saturday morning!

Brisket Huevos Rancheros

1 lb brisket
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup dried pinto beans
1 T paprika
1 t chili powder
1 t worcestershire
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
12 oz beer (I prefer corona, but used Yuengling this time...because that's what was in the fridge)
6 fajita sized tortillas
2 T butter or oil
3 jumbo eggs

Soak dried pinto beans for at least 8 hours (or overnight).  Drain beans and place them in the bottom of a slow cooker (I used a 2qt size - your 4qt crock should be ok).  Add onion, bell pepper, and brisket.  In a separate bowl, whisk together all spices with beer and pour over brisket.  Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours, or high for about 6 hours.

When brisket is ready, set slow cooker to warm setting.  Lightly butter each tortilla and place, butter side up, on a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Bake for about 5 minutes at 375F, or until puffy and slightly browned.  While tortillas are cooking, cook eggs as desired (fried or poached is recommended - you want the yolks to ooze and be delicious).

On a plate, layer 2 tortillas, desired amount of brisket mixture, and one egg.  Serve immediately.

Serves 3.