This brisket sandwich is such a simple way to use your leftover beef brisket. It’s also one of the most comforting and delicious sandwich bites you’ll ever have. Dress it up or just keep it basic, make your own rolls or buy some — any way you prepare it, it will be your go-to leftover brisket recipe.
For ease of browsing, here are all my brisket recipes in one place.
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Why you’ll love this recipe!
Using leftover brisket to make a brisket sandwich might seem obvious, but the bite you take is epic! All that comfort food flavor you coaxed out of your braised, slow-cooked, pressure-cooked or smoked brisket combined with a chewy, crispy bread is one beautiful bite.
You could make a brisket just to prepare these sandwiches but this is more like the beauty of a turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving. No cooking but all the benefits of the work you did for days before.
This is the perfect midnight snack, midday lunch or quick dinner after a busy day. And yes, I do recommend you make my challah rolls for these leftover brisket sandwiches but you can use whatever bread or roll suits your fancy. This is a sandwich – enjoy it your way!
Ingredients you’ll need
Think of this recipe as a template to create your own personal version. What I made the day I shot this was so good but there are many ways to end up with a delicious beef brisket sandwich!
- Leftover brisket: Ok I can hear you now – who has leftover brisket??!! But on the rare occasion that you do, make a sandwich ok? In these photos, I used my leftover tsimmes brisket. But any brisket will work including my pomegranate molasses version, or my mom’s sweet tangy brisket, braised or slow-cooked or pressure-cooked! And then think of the flavors in the brisket to decide on sandwich additions.
- Challah rolls: No, you don’t have to have leftover challah or make fresh rolls but you might and you can! Or just use your favorite bread such as rye or a store-bought dinner roll. The advantage of homemade challah rolls? While you’re forming the rolls, you can decide to put the leftover brisket inside and end up with a grab and go bun. More on that in another post!
- Coleslaw: This is optional but I recommend it. It adds lovely crunch. You don’t need to even make any coleslaw dressing (but you can!). I used some leftover juice from pickled red onions on my slaw in this version.
- Sandwich spread: I happened to have a wasabi horseradish type of spread so I gave it a try. If you like a kick, it was the PERFECT addition. Use your imagination. If it were my mom, it would be ketchup. Or just use some extra leftover brisket sauce. Or barbecue sauce. Just depends what flavor your brisket it to begin with.
How to make this recipe
Grab your ingredients, a knife and a plate and you are ready to go!
1. Depending on what type of roll or bread you are using, slice the roll in half. You could lightly toast it – that is up to your personal preference and also how fresh the bread is.
2. Now add some brisket on one side of the bread or roll. I heated my leftover brisket up and used some of the juice and extra goodies in the brisket such as carrots.
3. Then add some sandwich spread to the other side of the bread or roll or use some of the extra brisket sauce.
4. Pile on some of the cole slaw if you are using it.
5. Close up the sandwich and enjoy that delectable bite as soon as you can.
Check out my web story for a quick visual guide for how to make this recipe.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Make this sandwich your own. Prefer the brisket cold? That’s great. Like your bread toasted? Awesome. Prefer butter or margarine to coat the second side of the roll or bread? Have it your way!
- The yummies you cooked with your brisket like potatoes, carrots, dried fruit, onions – they are all delicious on the sandwich.
- Short on time but want to make your own rolls? My challah roll recipe can be completed in about 2 hours from start to finish. Not all hands on. You can fit it in even on a busy day, especially if you work from home!
In addition to the ones suggested here, pickled red onions would be a nice flavor addition. Depending on the flavor profile of the brisket and whether or not you keep kosher, mayonnaise, mustard varieties, barbecue sauce, horseradish or just extra sauce from the brisket are all good options for slathering on the bread or roll.
Slices are fine but you can also chop it up into smaller pieces for a chopped brisket style sandwich. Or if your brisket was pulled because it was so tender it fell apart while slicing it, that is perfect for a sandwich too!
If you have leftover brisket in the freezer and/or leftover challah rolls, absolutely defrost the meat and/or rolls and use them for a sandwich. This might be the perfect time to toast the roll. And a great time to use a sandwich spread if there wasn’t a lot of brisket sauce with the frozen brisket.
What to serve with a brisket sandwich
If this sandwich is going to be a meal, here are some fun side dishes to serve with it:
It goes without saying, matzo ball soup would be a great accompaniment!
Leftover potato kugel? Think of it as a side of potato chips :-).
How about mushroom barley soup? Bubbe would be proud.
Or if a salad suits you better, this apple kale salad would be a fantastic sidekick.
And don’t forget the brisket!
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Brisket Sandwich
Ingredients
- leftover brisket
- 2 mini challah rolls or one large one or other bread or roll of your choosing
- coleslaw mix
- sandwich spread
Instructions
- Depending on what type of roll or bread you are using, slice the roll in half. You could lightly toast it – that is up to your personal preference and also how fresh the bread is.
- Now add some brisket on one side of the bread or roll. I heated my leftover brisket up and used some of the juice and extra goodies in the brisket such as carrots.
- Then add some sandwich spread to the other side of the bread or roll or use some of the extra brisket sauce.
- Pile on some of the cole slaw if you are using it.
- Close up the sandwich and enjoy that delectable bite as soon as you can.
Notes
- Make this sandwich your own. Prefer the brisket cold? That’s great. Like your bread toasted? Awesome. Prefer butter or margarine to coat the second side of the roll or bread? Have it your way!
- The yummies you cooked with your brisket like potatoes, carrots, dried fruit, onions – they are all delicious on the sandwich.
- Short on time but want to make your own rolls? My challah roll recipe can be completed in about 2 hours from start to finish. Not all hands on. You can fit it in even on a busy day, especially if you work from home!
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Sandi
So yummy!! Brisket is pure comfort food.
Beth Lee
I couldn’t agree more. Glad you enjoyed it!