Pickled Beef Tostadas with Tomatillo Salsa

Name: Pickled Beef Tostadas with Tomatillo Salsa
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 155 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 large tomatillos, husked and coarsely chopped; 1 serrano chile, seeds removed if desired, chopped; 1 avocado, finely chopped; Kosher salt to taste; 1 pound beef brisket, trimmed and sliced against the grain ½ inch thick; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; ½ habanero chile, seeds removed if desired, finely chopped; ½ serrano chile, seeds removed if desired, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; ¼ cup fresh lemon juice; ½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest; ¼ cup fresh lime juice; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; ¼ head green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 cups); ½ red onion, thinly sliced; 4 tostada shells; 1 avocado, cut into 1-inch pieces; 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Recipe GLPR9886aee7523736

Mexican

Main Course

155 min

630 cal

Servings: 4

Grill

SNAP eligible

Grilled beef brisket sliced thin and marinated in a bright citrus and chile pickle, topped on crispy tostada shells with fresh tomatillo salsa, creamy avocado, pickled cabbage, and cilantro. This Latin American-inspired dish combines charred beef with vibrant, tangy flavors.

Save recipes you love

Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.

Create free account Sign in

Ingredients

4 large tomatillos, husked and coarsely chopped

1 serrano chile, seeds removed if desired, chopped

1 avocado, finely chopped

Kosher salt to taste

1 pound beef brisket, trimmed and sliced against the grain ½ inch thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ habanero chile, seeds removed if desired, finely chopped

½ serrano chile, seeds removed if desired, finely chopped

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

¼ head green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

½ red onion, thinly sliced

4 tostada shells

1 avocado, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

Pulse the tomatillos and 1 chopped serrano chile in a food processor until coarsely puréed. Transfer to a medium bowl and gently fold in the finely chopped avocado. Season the salsa with kosher salt to taste and set aside.
Season the sliced beef brisket evenly on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours if preparing ahead.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the finely chopped habanero chile, ½ chopped serrano chile, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, lime zest, fresh lime juice, and fish sauce. Stir well to combine and set the pickling mixture aside.
Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Grill the beef brisket slices for about 1 minute per side until lightly charred on the exterior but still rare in the center (the internal temperature should remain well below 145F as the beef will be finished in the pickling liquid). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.
Cut the rested brisket into ¼-inch pieces and add them to the reserved pickling mixture. Toss gently to combine, ensuring all pieces are coated. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to marinate.
Add the thinly sliced green cabbage and red onion to the pickled beef and pickling liquid. Toss everything together to combine evenly.
To assemble, place each tostada shell on a serving plate and generously top with the pickled beef mixture and its liquid. Arrange the 1-inch avocado pieces on top, spoon on a portion of the tomatillo salsa, and finish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff3.75

The 155-minute stated time understates the reality: beef brisket needs a genuine braise of 3 to 4 hours at low heat to become tender enough to shred, making actual prep-to-table closer to 240 minutes. Tomatillos, serrano chiles, habanero chiles, and fish sauce demand stops at either Kroger or Harris Teeter in Charlotte; Food Lion and Walmart carry these sporadically, and ALDI rarely stocks them fresh. The brisket itself will run $12 to $16 for a 2-pound cut suitable for four servings, and the fresh chile and tomatillo combination pushes the per-serving cost to around $5.50 to $6.00. This is a weekend project with real flavor payoff and good reheating properties in the fridge, but it requires planning, a longer window than advertised, and certainty about ingredient sourcing before you shop.