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What to do with leftover corned beef on #TacoTuesday? Try these Irish Tacos with Corned Beef and Spicy Slaw! Succulent leftover corned beef gets diced up and topped with a simple horseradish slaw. Fill a warm flour tortilla, and garnish with extra sharp Irish cheddar... It's not Mexican, but isn't anything in a tortilla worth a try? This unique taco is muy delicioso!
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taco: a crispy or soft corn or wheat tortilla that is folded or rolled and stuffed with a mixture
~~ Merriam-Webster
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks - About Unique Tacos
Tacos are a "thing" at Beyond Mere Sustenance. From Peruvian-inspired fish tacos to Indian street tacos, I'm always "pushing the envelope." We love these fried oyster tacos, and these Korean tacos. When time is not an issue, we're making these Yucatán-Style Pork Tacos, or these smoked pork tacos.
While I honor and adore traditional tacos, there are abundant recipes on the internet and in books by people with more credibility than I. We enjoy them on a regular basis. However, filling a tortilla in a new (and sometimes unique) way makes me "tick." I love it!
In this spirit, I started playing with corned beef. Why not? Whether you brine and cook your own corned beef, or buy one prepared at the store, it's likely to be more than enough for one meal. Why not use corned beef leftovers for some delicious, unique tacos?
I can hear the grumbling... "but these aren't tacos!" Well, I guess it depends on your definition! Merriam-Webster says a taco is "a crispy or soft corn or wheat tortilla that is folded or rolled and stuffed with a mixture." I will submit that these Irish Tacos qualify!
📋 Irish Taco Ingredients
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
Horseradish Slaw
- cabbage - I find that a head of cabbage lasts much longer than a bag of shredded cabbage. We make tacos frequently, and it's usually not a problem to finish the entire head. However, shredded cabbage or a bag of coleslaw mix is a great time saver!
- carrots - I have used both these matchstick carrots, and whole carrots. The choice is yours.
- apple - Choose a firm, tart apple like a granny smith.
- scallions
- lemon - Lemon is the stand-in for lime with these non-traditional tacos.
- vinegar - I like sherry vinegar for its smooth, less-acidic characteristics. Substitute a wine or champagne vinegar.
- sugar
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper
horseradish crema
- mayonnaise - I use olive oil mayonnaise, but use whatever you have on hand.
- yogurt - I keep nonfat plain yogurt in my refrigerator. You can use any plain yogurt.
- horseradish - This recipe was developed using pure horseradish. You can use a horseradish cream, but you may want to taste and adjust.
- mustard - I like stoneground mustard for this slaw dressing, but any mustard should be fine.
- hot sauce - This is an optional ingredient. Add to taste!
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Irish Tacos
- onions - This recipe calls for caramelized onions, and they're worth the effort. You can use yellow, white, or red... whatever you have on hand.
- corned beef - This taco recipe requires already cooked corned beef. You can usually get the deli counter to cut thick slices, and then dice them, and this is so easy if you haven't got leftover corned beef. If you're fortunate enough to have leftover corned beef, shred or dice it so that it is easy to eat in a taco.
- cabbage slaw - See the Ingredients lists above for the coleslaw and crema.
- cheese - I'm all about sharp Irish cheddar for these tacos.
- garnishes - We're garnishing these tacos with lemon wedges rather than the traditional lime wedges.
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🔪 Instructions
- Step 1 - Start caramelizing the sliced onion. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the onion is soft and has a good amount of color, add the diced corned beef. Continue cooking until you see some crispy edges on the corned beef (about 7-8 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Step 2 - Add all veggies and apples to an appropriately sized bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss with the produce. Squeeze ½ lemon over the top, and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside. Make the horseradish crema by whisking together the mayonnaise, yogurt, horseradish, mustard, and hot sauce (if using).
- Step 3 - Add about a tablespoon of the horseradish crema to the slaw, tossing to combine. Add additional salt, pepper, and hot sauce as needed. Add remaining sauce to a prep bowl. Grate Irish cheddar, and add to a prep bowl. You might like to include wedges of lemon to garnish, though it's optional. Warm tortillas by your preferred method. I have a tortilla warmer. I warm 6 tortillas for 1 minute in the microwave, but there are other options!
- Step 4 - Assemble tacos. Start with the corned beef/caramelized onions mixture. Add the spicy slaw, followed by a bit of Irish cheddar. Garnish with a bit of the horseradish crema and a lemon wedge as desired. Enjoy!
❓ FAQ
Do I have to use homemade corned beef?
NO! On photo day, I got my deli to slice off ½ pound of Boar's Head corned beef. I diced it up, and it was perfect. I am working on a sous vide corned beef recipe, and I know that will be amazing in these tacos. Most people cook a pre-brined and marinaded corned beef, and this recipe is perfect for leftover corned beef!
💭 Tips
As mentioned above, I usually heat my tortillas in a tortilla warmer in the microwave. See Three Ways to Warm Tortillas for more methods.
Now that you've read through the post, do you have any thoughts? I'd love the feedback! Respond to the comments box below, or email me at tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com.
📖 Recipe
Irish Tacos with Corned Beef and Spicy Slaw
Ingredients
Irish Tacos
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 8 ounces lean corned beef, diced - remove fat
- 2 ounces Irish cheddar, grated
- 6 small flour tortillas
Horseradish Slaw
- 3 cups cabbage, shredded
- ½ cup shredded or matchstick carrots - about 1 large carrot
- 1 small apple, small dice or grated
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 2 mini red peppers, thin-sliced
- ½ lemon, squeezed over the slaw ingredients
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon horseradish crema - after making the crema below
Horseradish Crema
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt*
- 2 teaspoons horseradish +/- - see Ingredients in post
- 1 teaspoon stoneground mustard
- hot sauce - to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Corned Beef and Caramelized Onion
- Start caramelizing the sliced onion. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the onion is soft and has a good amount of color, add the diced corned beef. Continue cooking until you see some crispy edges on the corned beef (about 7-8 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Horseradish Slaw
- Add all veggies and apples to an appropriately sized bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss with the produce. Squeeze ½ lemon over the top, and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside. Make the horseradish crema by whisking together the mayonnaise, yogurt, horseradish, mustard, and hot sauce (if using).
- Add about a tablespoon of the horseradish crema to the slaw, tossing to combine. Add additional salt, pepper, and hot sauce as needed. Add remaining sauce to a prep bowl, and set aside.
Irish Tacos
- Warm tortillas by your preferred method.
- Assemble tacos. Start with the corned beef/caramelized onions mixture. Add the spicy slaw, followed by a bit of Irish cheddar. Garnish with a bit of the horseradish crema and a lemon wedge as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
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