Nothing beats tender shredded brisket piled high on a bun with melted cheese and crunchy coleslaw. These Brisket of Beef Sandwiches are perfect for parties or game days and my absolute all time favourite way to use up leftover brisket!
Made more brisket than you bargained for?! Or maybe, just maybe, you’re like me and you intentionally made extra beef brisket in the slow cooker for the sole purpose of enjoying a hearty and oh so satisfying brisket of beef sandwich. I don’t blame ya.
Think tender shreds of brisket and caramelized onions, the most perfect creamy coleslaw, ooey, gooey melted cheese all piled high on an oven toasted bun. The au jus that comes directly from the brisket is enough to keep everything juicy and moist that even a saucy gal like me doesn’t go reaching for things like spicy mayo or ranch dressing (although I’m not saying I’d be opposed to adding either of those things…).
This brisket of beef sandwich seriously checks off all the boxes and I just know you’re going to feel the same!
I’m not going to lie. When I make beef brisket, I normally dream up of all the different ways I can use the leftovers. YES, brisket is an amazing cut of meat and when cooked correctly, is mouth wateringly delicious and fall apart tender. However, when you’re just cooking for two like I normally am, a single brisket meal can last for dayyysss! They’re normally on the bigger side of beef cuts weighing anywhere from 2-14 pounds.
Not to worry, though! That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this delicious cut of meat if you don’t have plenty of mouths to feed. It makes amazing leftovers for things like soup, nachos, bowls, tacos, pizza, pasta or rice dishes, quesadillas, breakfast hash, poutines, AND MORE. But even still with all of those options, I have to admit, that not one of them compares to sinking my teeth into a juicy and crunchy brisket of beef sandwich.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO THROW THESE DELICIOUS SANDWICHES TOGETHER
The ingredients are simple. The sandwich is glorious. Here’s what you’ll need for these brisket sandwiches in a little bit more detail:
- The Brisket: Well, duuuuh! The tender and juicy brisket is the star of the show when it comes to these brisket of beef sandwiches. As I said, I love using leftover brisket but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making a fresh batch specifically for this reason. You can choose to shred the brisket or slice it, depending on your preference. My slow cooker beef brisket recipe is perfect for this and it’s the one you see in the photos. But my instant pot brisket recipe also works great!
- The Onions and Au Jus: These delicious tasting things come from the recipe I mentioned above of making beef brisket in the slow cooker. The au jus is basically just the sauce/gravy/liquid at the bottom of the crock pot that the brisket cooked in for 8+ hours. It keeps the brisket flavourful, moist, juicy, and from drying out. The onions were also cooked in the au jus in the crock pot and are beautifully caramelized and tremendously flavourful because of it. Both are a mandatory part of these brisket of beef sandwiches for me! However, if you didn’t use my slow cooker method for cooking brisket and therefore, don’t have either one, feel free to omit them or caramelize your own onions in some beef broth on the stove.
- The Coleslaw: For crunch, texture and flavour. Dare I say that the slaw is *almosssst* just as important as the brisket itself?! Which is why ya gal has got you covered! This healthy Greek yogurt coleslaw is the perfect pairing for these brisket of beef sandwiches!
- Cheese: I meaaaaan, oeey, gooey melted cheese on top of tender, juicy brisket?! Why, yes, that’s another mandatory ingredient for me when it comes to a brisket sandwich! I used swiss cheese here but any cheese that melts good will get the job done just fine! Try it with mozzarella, cheddar, or provolone. Or, omit the cheese completely, if you’re not into that kinda thing.
- Buns: You want fresh buns that will perfectly hold all the toppings. You can choose which kind you want to use, just make sure they’re fresh (I can’t stress that enough!). I used burger buns because that’s all I had on hand. However, next time I’d go for something like a kaiser or ciabatta bun instead.
HOW TO MAKE A BRISKET OF BEEF SANDWICH (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make these hearty brisket sandwiches in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Use fresh buns. This is of utmost importance (for any sandwich, for that matter!). It’s really key to use the freshest buns you can find for these brisket sandwiches as a stale bun is seriously going to ruin the entire experience.
- If using leftover brisket, heat it up in the oven, microwave, or stovetop before piling it on the bun. It only takes a few minutes in the oven to melt the cheese which is not enough time to properly heat it through.
- I know it’s tempting but don’t put too much au jus on the sandwich or the buns, although toasted, will absorb too much of it and become soggy. EXTRA TIP: Whether or not you toast your buns is a personal preference, I guess. I’m usually a toasted bun kinda gal so it was a no brainer for me in this recipe as I feel it also helps with potential sogginess from the jus. Just be sure to keep an eye on the buns if you do decide to toast them so they don’t burn.
- Melt the cheese. I mean, I guess you can somewhat call this a personal preference as well, however, I just feel that the melted cheese adds the perfect touch to these brisket sandwiches that you wouldn’t get if the cheese wasn’t melted.
- There are no rules when it comes to these brisket of beef sandwiches! Pile them as high or low as you like and add more toppings if your little heart desires. Creamy horseradish sauce, sauerkraut, whole grain mustard, broiled bacon, pickles, hot peppers in oil, or pickled onions are some of my favourites!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Since I used leftover brisket from my slow cooker beef brisket recipe, I ended up with the “point” or “second cut” of the brisket. However, I’m sure it would be just fine if you have the “flat” or “first cut” of the brisket. Remember, you can choose to either slice or shred your brisket to make these delicious tasting sandwiches.
Ah, there are so many delicious things that pair perfect with a brisket sandwich. Either creamy coleslaw or tangy coleslaw is a no brainer. Try topping yours with some pickled onions or garlic butter mushrooms…it’s a game changer! French fries, homemade potato chips, or mashed potatoes all make remarkable sides for brisket. If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, soup, salad or veggies are always reliable options. Creamy pumpkin soup, egg drop soup, cream cheese corn, kale caesar salad, or cauliflower ‘potato’ salad are some of my favourites.
Leftover brisket should last about 5 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. Which is why these beef brisket sandwiches are one of my favourite uses out of them!
MORE DELICIOUS BEEF RECIPES
HEARTY BEEF AND VEGETABLE SOUP
PERFECT SLOW COOKER ROAST BEEF
15 MINUTE GROUND BEEF AND RICE BOWLS
LOVE THIS RECIPE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
BRISKET OF BEEF SANDWICH
Ingredients
- Beef Brisket*
- Caramelized Onions & Au Jus*
- Creamy Greek Yogurt Coleslaw
- Sliced Cheese (that melts well) I used Swiss
- Fresh Buns
Instructions
- Slice or shred the brisket, as desired.
- Toast the buns under a broiler for a minute or two, careful to keep an eye so they don't burn.
- To the bottom bun, add the brisket, onions, a splash of jus, and the cheese (in that order). Remove the top bun that's already toasted and return to the broiler for a few minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted over the onions and brisket.
- Pile high with creamy coleslaw. Close with the top bun. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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