15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (2024)

Ever wondered what to do with leftover brisket? Don't let that succulent meat go to waste and instead refrigerate or freeze it to use up in one of these delicious brisket recipes. PS. We have provided a basic Instant Pot brisket recipe and other cooking methods below!

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (1)

For us Instant Pot users, brisket is a cut that is cooked beautifully in the pressure cooker. We often make a big batch and sometimes are faced with a few leftovers. While having the same brisket meal might not excite you the day after, creating something completely new might just be the ticket.
Before we begin, here is a recap of a few ways you can make brisket in the first place.

FIVE WAYS TO COOK BRISKET

INSTANT POT: Pre-heat the 6 qt IP using Sauté setting. When the Instant Pot is hot, add the oil. Place the brisket in the IP. After the meat sears on one side, flip it over and repeat. Remove the brisket then sauté the onions and add any remaining ingredients, make sure you add at least 1 cup of liquid. Return the meat to the IP, submerging it in liquid. Lock the lid and set to cook on high pressure for 1 hour and 15 minutes with a natural release (takes about another 30 minutes).

Remove brisket and save the juices to make a sauce. Slice brisket against the grain or shred with two forks. Pour sauce over brisket. You can use this as a template and add your own rub seasoning and sauce.

Check out these Instant Pot brisket recipes from:

SLOW COOKER:Rub your spice mixture all over the top of the brisket.Pour 1 cup water into the bottom of slow cooker then place the spice-covered brisket over water. Pour the liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce over top of the brisket. Cover with lid and cook on Low heat for 12 hours.Remove brisket to a large platter to shred. Then return the brisket back to theslow cooker and pour your choice of barbecue sauce all over the top and stir. Cover with lid and cook another 30 minutes then serve. Full recipe fromLife In The Lofthouse.

OVEN:Preheat oven to 300°, create your seasoning and rub on brisket then place the brisket, fat cap up in roasting pan with aluminum foil covering loosely. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes per pound, until the brisket reaches about 180°. (etc. 4.5 lb brisket takes approximately 5 ½ hours.)Open up the foil and place it back in the oven for another 45 minutes to an hour. Full recipe from Will Cook For Smiles.

BBQ: Grilling and Smoking brisket is the most popular method. First, create your seasoning mixture and rub it on the brisket. To get s smokey flavor without a smoker, pour wood chips in a foil pan and add enough water to cover the chips. Cover with foil and cut slits in the foil to allow smoke to escape.Light your grill. Turn the burners on one-half of the grill off. Keep the burners on the other half set to LOW heat. Place the brisket directly on the lit side of the grill, fatty side up, and grill for about 5 minutes. Turn the brisket over and grill for 5 minutes more. Next, place the brisket into a clean foil pan and move it to the unlit side of the grill. Place the covered foil pan with the wood chips in it on the lit side of the grill and close the grill. Allow the brisket to cook for approximately 3 hours. You want your grill temperature to remain at about 300 degrees. Full recipe from Foodtastic Mom.

STOVETOP: Sear the brisket at high heat on all sides in a very large pan to lock in the flavor, moisture, and color. Then saute veggies and seasoning with the brisket followed by adding broth to simmer at a braising temperature of 185°. Reduce until the brisket falls apart. Check out this Youtube video of how to makeStovetop Brisket With Beer & Tomato Sauce: Cooking With Beer

15+ LEFTOVER BRISKET RECIPES

So, you've cooked up a bunch of delicious brisket? If your family hasn't devoured the whole lot, get inspired with our collection of leftover brisket ideas below.

INSTANT POT BRUNSWICK STEW

This stew is a Southern dish made with beans, vegetables, and meat cooked in a tomato base. The stew is usually finished with barbecue sauce and has a touch of cayenne pepper or chili to give it a rich flavor and sweetness. It’s a great recipe for using up leftover meat and vegetables, as well as some ingredients in your pantry. Recipe from Instant Pot Eats.

Brisket Baked Beans

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (3)

Baked beans are inextricably woven into the fabric of American barbecue and they’re about to get a lot better. With brisket. Lots of brisket. This is a great place to use up all those burnt ends and brisket trimmings. Sweet, salty, smoky, and, above all, meaty, these are everything you hunger for in baked beans—and more. Recipe from Barbecue Bible.

Also, try this recipe:

Brisket Grilled Cheese

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (4)

A buttery, crispy grilled cheese sandwich with gooey melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and pieces of tender slow-cooked brisket, this is a delicious, drool-worthy sandwich. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs kind of lunch. Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen.

Also, try this recipe:

Brisket Loaded Fries

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (5)

A favorite go-to meal or game-day snack.These brisket-loaded fries are piled high and are perfect for feeding a hungry crowd.Recipe from Cowboy's Life Blog.

Also, try this recipe:

VIETNAMESE INSTANT POT BEEF BRISKET TACOS

This meat is tender and slightly spicy, bursting with umami flavor. Shredded slaw, jalapeños, cilantro, and zingy lime make for the perfect crunchy toppings, bringing together that awesome Vietnamese street food vibe right to your dinner table. This scrumptious Vietnamese-inspired Instant Pot beef tacos recipe comes from Laurel Randolph’s cookbook, The Instant Pot No-Pressure Cookbook. Get the recipe fromInstant Pot Eats.

Leftover Smoked Brisket Taquitos

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (7)

Making the brisket taquitos is pretty simple, but the most work goes into the prep. Prepping all the ingredients is important because when you are in the thick of making everything, you don’t want to need something and it hasn’t been chopped or heated! Recipe from System Of A Brown.

Also, try this recipe:

TAMALE (LEFTOVER BRISKET) PIE

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (8)

Ever heard of a tamale pie or a cornbread pie? A cornbread crust is cooked on top of tamale fillings creating a pie.Comfort food using leftover brisket is a huge bonus that is balanced with the fresh sweet cornbread.Recipe from Smella Que.

Texas Brisket Queso

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (9)

The queso is a real, authentic, Tex Mex queso made with American cheese, so it’s Velveeta free. It is so easy to whip up a batch of real queso on your own with yourleftover brisket after a barbecue. Recipe from Urban Cowgirl Life.

BBQ Brisket Nachos

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (10)

Crunchy tortilla chips covered with shredded beef brisket and cheese plus all kinds of toppings. These nachos are totally customizable so that the whole family will enjoy them. Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen.

BEEF EMPANADAS (WITH LEFTOVER BRISKET)

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (11)

Tender smoked beef brisket, mixed with some savory vegetables, herbs, and just a hint of spice, sandwiched in puff pastry, and baked into the most flavorful Beef Empanadas! Recipe from Vindulge.

Leftover Brisket Pasta

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (12)

Sometimes tossing together what is seemingly random ingredients turns into one of the best-loved pasta recipes you will ever have. You just need some mushrooms, kale, onion, lemon, some Parmesan, and brisket.Recipe from Nosh With Tash.

Also, try this recipe:

LEFTOVER BBQ BRISKET PIZZA

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (13)

Kick your pizza night up a notch with BBQ sauce, gooey jack cheese, some fresh veggies, and leftover BRISKET. Recipe from Our Tasty Adventure.

Leftover Brisket Fried Rice

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (14)

Avoid brisket burnout with this fried rice recipe. Veggies and spicy green hot sauce adds some freshness and bring the smoky, meaty brisket back to life. Recipe from With The Woodruffs.

Smoked Brisket Shepherd’s Pie with Jalapeno Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (15)

Take the best part of your BBQ get-together and continue to enjoy it a little longer with this shepherd's pie with a twist. Recipe from Country Cleaver.

CHOPPED SALAD WITH BRISKET LEFTOVERS

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (16)

This is a great appetizer or side to repurpose your leftovers. You can make this salad with any veg, but it is best to use a hearty leaf like kale or Romaine that can be chopped up with another crunchy veg before being topped with meat. Recipe from Jamie Geller.

Also, try this recipe:

Leftover Brisket Breakfast Skillet

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (17)

You can have brisket for BREAKFAST, lunch, and dinner. Do you have plans to go camping? Bring your leftover brisket with you and have a gourmet meal over a fire with this breakfast skillet.Brisket goes perfect with potatoes and a runny sunny-side-up egg. Recipe from Over The Fire Cooking.

Also, try this recipe:

SAVE Instant Pot Brisket Recipes TO PINTEREST

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (18)

15+ Delicious Leftover Brisket Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you use leftover tough brisket? ›

If you want it sliced slice it thin & put it in a steamer basket with beef broth under the steamer & heat it over medium low low heat. I usually make soup or stew with dried out meats, soup if it's a small amount, stew if there's more. Brisket, especially, makes a great beef stew cooked in the Crock Pot all day.

How long is leftover brisket good for? ›

Wrap whole or sliced leftover brisket and its juices in aluminum foil and store in a ziptop bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, according to the USDA. Whole pieces retain moisture better than slices, so wait until after reheating to slice the meat if possible.

How do you reheat brisket to make it tender? ›

To reheat the brisket, wrap it in foil or plastic and place it in a preheated oven at 325°F for 10-15 minutes. You can also reheat it in a microwave using a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a damp paper towel to prevent it from drying out.

How to make brisket extra juicy? ›

After two or four hours of cooking, you can lightly spray your brisket with water, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, or apple juice. You can do this every 30 minutes or every hour, based on preference.

Does brisket get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

The temperature of the meat begins to rise again -- which you want because brisket gets more tender the longer you cook it.

Why is my brisket still tough after 8 hours in the slow cooker? ›

The meat was overcooked: Slow cookers are known for their ability to tenderize meat, but if the meat is cooked for too long, it can become overcooked and tough. It's important to follow the recommended cooking time for your recipe to ensure that the meat is cooked to the correct doneness.

Can I eat week old brisket? ›

Storing Fresh Brisket

A fresh brisket will be fine in the coldest part of your refrigerator (35 to 40 F) for up to five days before cooking and up to eight days if your refrigerator section is kept at a temperature lower than 34 F.

Can I eat brisket after 6 days in the fridge? ›

USDA recommends using cooked beef within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.

Can I freeze brisket after cooking? ›

Place in the freezer. Store frozen cooked brisket in the freezer for up to three months, or up to 12 months if vacuum sealed.

Can I cook brisket the day before and reheat? ›

In theory, you should be able to hold your brisket for up to a week if you were to vacuum seal it. Wrapped in foil, I would not leave it longer than 36 hours. This brisket is best if you reheat it within 24 hours.

Why is my brisket still tough? ›

OK, most of the problem with tough brisket is usually undercooking. The way to solve this is to cook to internal temperature of about 95C or 203f. But that is just a rough guide to tender brisket. If you cook it very low & slow, say anywhere from 220f to 240f, it will be close to tender at 91C or 196f.

Is there a way to tenderize already cooked meat? ›

Simmering in a little bit of liquid or broth is a great way to tenderize. Acidity can also be your friend here. A little bit of vinegar and lemon juice in the liquid can help you tenderize the meat. It adds moisture, but it also cooks the meat.

What is the best liquid to keep brisket moist? ›

Keeping a water pan in the smoker is the best way to retain moisture. After the first 2-3 hours start spritzing your brisket with water, apple juice, hot sauce or apple cider vinegar every 30 minutes to an hour. This helps keep it moist and stops it from burning.

How do you make brisket more flavorful? ›

Common go-to rubs include seasonings like garlic, herbs, and spices. Just be sure to take it easy on the rub so that your brisket doesn't come out too salty. If you plan to mop or baste your brisket while smoking, be sure to coordinate the flavors properly with your rub. Marinating is another option for smoked brisket.

What do you moisten brisket with? ›

Tips for the Best Smoked Brisket Recipe:

After the first three hours of cooking the brisket directly on the grill, spritz it down generously with the apple juice and apple cider mixture. This spritz not only helps to keep the meat moist, it helps create that delicious, smoky bark.

Is there a way to fix tough brisket? ›

So, if you end up with a tough brisket, is there anything you can do to save it? Unfortunately, right at that time – not really. If the brisket is tough, it is because it needs more time to cook to tenderize and break down the connective tissues.

Why did my brisket turn out tough? ›

So, if you don't cook brisket for long enough (or to the right internal temperature), the connective tissue isn't going to have time to break down. Therefore, you will be left with a tough brisket.

What to do with overcooked smoked brisket? ›

Wrap in foil, add some liquid -beef broth will work, toss back on the pit for a while. Make burnt ends out of the point. If still dry, use it to make chili.

What makes beef brisket tough? ›

Insoluble collagen can only weaken and soften with prolonged exposure to heat; it won't break down into gelatin. Thus, while brisket has more collagen than chuck, the collagen in both these well-exercised cuts is mainly insoluble, so neither produces enough gelatin to create full-bodied juices.

References

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