If you're looking for a way to transform that leftover Holiday Brisket into a gourmet meal, look no further than the Ultimate BBQ Brisket Melt Sandwich. This isn't just a basic sandwich; it's a masterclass in flavor and texture. Whether you're feeding a hungry crowd or just treating yourself to a post-holiday lunch, this recipe is the gold standard for brisket leftovers.
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Why You'll Want to Make Ultimate BBQ Brisket Melt Sandwich
- Effortless Gourmet Results: Since the brisket is already cooked, you get deep, slow-roasted flavor in a fraction of the time it takes to prepare a meal from scratch.
- Budget-Friendly Luxury: By repurposing a large holiday roast, you're effectively lowering your "cost per meal," turning a premium ingredient into multiple high-value lunches or dinners.
- Crowd-Pleasing Comfort: It strikes the perfect balance between a hearty smokehouse classic and a cozy grilled cheese, making it a hit for both casual family lunches and game-day spreads.
- Superior Texture Contrast: The combination of crispy, buttery toasted bread against tender, succulent beef and gooey melted cheese creates a professional-level mouthfeel.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Steps to Make Ultimate BBQ Brisket Melt Sandwich
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Combine BBQ sauce and low-sodium beef broth in a measuring cup.
- Place brisket slices in a single layer in an 11x7 baking dish. Then, pour the prepared liquid over. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
- Combine room temperature unsalted butter and Hellmann's Garlic Aioli in a small bowl. Then, spread one tablespoon of the mixture over one side of each piece of bread.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place one slice of prepared bread, buttered side down, onto the skillet. Then top the bread with two slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese.
- Place the heated brisket in a single layer on top of the cheese.
- Then, top the brisket with a little additional BBQ sauce.
- Sprinkle two tablespoons of French's Crispy Fried Onions on top of the sauce-covered brisket.
- Place two slices of pepper jack cheese on top of the fried onions.
- Then, place another slice of the prepared bread, buttered side up, on top of the cheese. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the underside is golden brown.
- Carefully flip the sandwich over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the finished sandwich to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes before cutting in half and serving.
- Follow steps 4-10 to make the second sandwich. Serve with potato chips, coleslaw, pickle chips, and some additional BBQ sauce for dipping.
Don't let that tender leftover brisket sit in the fridge-transform it into this Ultimate BBQ Brisket Melt Sandwich that the whole family will rave about. Whether you stick to our classic recipe or add your own signature twist, this sandwich is guaranteed to satisfy your deepest comfort food cravings.
By pairing smoky beef with gooey cheese and perfectly toasted bread, you've turned a simple meal into a smokehouse-quality experience right in your own kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this recipe, I use The Rustik Oven Pane Italiano bread. However, you can use almost any bread, like a sturdy sourdough or even Texas toast. You need something thick enough to hold the weight of the meat and the moisture of the BBQ sauce without becoming soggy. For a sweeter profile, brioche is also a fantastic choice.
The secret is to reheat it low and slow, topped with a mixture of beef broth and a little BBQ sauce, before adding it to the oven. Make sure to cover your baking dish with aluminum foil to keep the meat moist and tender.
Extra Sharp Cheddar is the classic choice for its bold flavor, and Pepper Jack is great if you want a little heat. If you're looking for a superior "pull," try Provolone or Muenster, which melt beautifully.
Yes! If you are making a large batch, assemble the sandwiches on a sheet pan, brush the tops with melted butter, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- The "Mayo" Secret: Combining unsalted butter with Hellmann's Garlic Aioli on the exterior of the bread creates the ultimate golden-brown crust by blending the rich, creamy flavor of dairy with the superior browning properties of an oil-based emulsion. While the butter provides that classic savory taste, the aioli has a higher smoke point that prevents the bread from burning, allowing enough time for the cheese to melt completely. Furthermore, the garlic notes in the aioli toast directly into the bread, creating a gourmet, garlic-bread finish that perfectly complements the smoky BBQ flavors.
- Create a Cheese Barrier: To prevent the BBQ sauce from making the bread soggy, place a slice of cheese on both the top and bottom pieces of bread. This creates a "seal" that keeps the moisture of the meat and sauce contained in the middle. Using both Extra Sharp Cheddar and Pepper Jack creates the perfect flavor and texture balance for a rich, smoky brisket melt. Together, this duo delivers the ideal combination of a bold flavor profile and a gooey, cheese-pull consistency that a single variety simply can't achieve.
- Thin Slices are Better: Rather than one thick slab of brisket, use several thinly sliced or shredded pieces. This creates more surface area for the cheese to grip onto and makes the sandwich much easier to bite through.
- Balance the Richness and Texture: Adding a layer of French's Crispy Fried Onions inside the sandwich provides a concentrated, salty crunch that mimics the "bark" of a freshly smoked brisket. These onions also provide a deep, toasted savory flavor that enhances the aromatics of the garlic aioli crust without the moisture release of raw onions, which could otherwise make the bread soggy.
Other Great Sandwich Recipes
- Ultimate Meatball Sub Bundtwich
- Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese
- Leftover Rib Roast Sliders: Your Ticket to Holiday Flavor-Town!
- Easy Sweet n' Spicy Chicken & Waffle Sliders
- Cheeseburger Pretzel Bites
- Chicken Parmesan Texas Toast
- Disney-Inspired Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich
- Honey-Mustard Ham and Swiss Sliders: Bite-Sized Bliss
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Ultimate BBQ Brisket Melt Sandwich
Equipment
- 11x7 Baking Dish (see Note #1 at the bottom)
- aluminum foil
- Cast Iron Skillet
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 12 oz leftover Holiday Brisket
- ⅓ c BBQ Sauce plus extra for sandwich
- ¼ c Low Sodium Beef Broth
- 4 slices Hearty White Bread2
- 2 tbs Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 2 tbs Hellmann's Garlic Aioli3
- 4 slices Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 4 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
- ¼ c French's Crispy Fried Onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Combine BBQ sauce and low-sodium beef broth in a measuring cup. Place brisket slices in a single layer in an 11x7 baking dish. Then, pour the prepared liquid over. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
- Combine room temperature unsalted butter and Hellmann's Garlic Aioli in a small bowl. Then, spread one tablespoon of the mixture over one side of each piece of bread. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Place one slice of prepared bread, buttered side down, onto the skillet. Then top the bread with two slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese.
- Place the heated brisket in a single layer on top of the cheese, then drizzle with additional BBQ sauce. Sprinkle two tablespoons of French's Crispy Fried Onions over the sauce-covered brisket. Top with two slices of pepper jack cheese on top of the fried onions. Then, place another slice of the prepared bread, buttered side up, on top of the cheese.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Carefully flip the sandwich over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the finished sandwich to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes before serving.
- Repeat steps 3-6 to make the second sandwich.
- Yield two Ultimate BBQ Brisket Melt Sandwiches
Tips/Notes
- Use a baking dish where the brisket will fit in a single layer, covering the entire bottom of the dish. It's better to have a dish that's slightly too small, where the slices are overlapping slightly, than a dish that's too big.
- I used The Rustik Oven Pane Italiano bread.
- You don't have to specifically use Hellmann's; you can use any garlic aioli spread.
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