How to Reheat Brisket to Keep It Juicy (I Tested 3 Methods)
Making homemade brisket is 100% worth the time it takes. The meltingly tender beef, the robust flavor, and the hint of smokiness make it my go-to for football watch parties, barbecues, and casual dinners with friends. Because my favorite brisket recipe takes hours to cook, I like to make enough so I have leftovers to enjoy later … but reheating it can be tricky.
If you try to hurry the process, you’ll dry out the meat and your beloved brisket will become beef jerky in no time flat. To make sure my brisket leftovers stay as juicy and tender as the day I made it, I tested multiple ways to reheat them and arrived at the three best methods (and one total fail). Read on to learn how to breathe new life into your leftovers so your brisket can be stretched to multiple meals.
Reheat brisket in a 350°F oven, on a rack set over a baking dish with a 1/4 inch of beef broth, beer, apple juice, or another flavorful liquid on the bottom. Wrap the baking dish tightly in aluminum foil and bake until warmed through, 45 to 90 minutes for a 1 1/2-pound piece of brisket.
The Best All-Around Method for Reheating Brisket: The Oven
To get started, I consulted Mary Cressler of the popular barbecue website vindulge.com and author of the Fire + Wine cookbook about how she reheats brisket. She recommends reheating big pieces of brisket in the oven on a rack set over a pan of beef broth and wrapped in foil. While the USDA recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F, Mary opts for a lower temp, 150°F to 155°F, at which point pasteurization occurs, killing any harmful bacteria without drying out the meat. I tried her method and, just as she said, a 1 1/2-pound piece of brisket heated up in 45 minutes to 150°F was hot throughout and deliciously juicy.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 10 to 20 minutes before reheating to come to room temperature.
Set a rack inside a baking dish (or a rimmed baking sheet if you have a really large piece of brisket). Place the brisket on the rack and pour enough flavorful liquid — like beef broth, beer, or apple juice — into the bottom of the pan until it is 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep. Wrap the entire pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake until the meat registers 150 to 155°F (USDA recommends 165°F), about 45 minutes to 1 hour for a 1 1/2-pound piece of brisket. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes on a cutting board before slicing.
The Best Method for Reheating Brisket for Super-Juicy Meat: The Slow Cooker
This method takes about twice as long as the oven, but the meat becomes extra juicy because of the moist heat of the slow cooker. Keep in mind that you’ll need a slow cooker that can fit your brisket in one piece for the most even reheating; I don’t recommend stacking chunks of brisket because they will reheat unevenly and the top pieces tend to dry out. Add just enough flavorful liquid to the slow cooker to create steam, but don’t drown the meat or you’ll be leaching out flavor. Heat until the brisket reaches 155°F to 165°F. Timing will vary by the size of the brisket. A 1 1/2-pound piece of brisket will take about two hours to heat through.
Remove the meat from the refrigerator 10 to 20 minutes before reheating to come to room temperature. Place the brisket in a slow cooker. Add enough liquid to submerge about a quarter of the meat.
Cover and set on low heat.
Cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 150°F to 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the brisket. Rest meat on a cutting board for five minutes before slicing.
The Best Method for Reheating Slices of Brisket: The Stovetop
This method is a good option if you have just a few servings of brisket that’s already been sliced and is destined for sandwiches or is going to be slathered in sauce. Add a single layer of slices to a nonstick skillet with just a splash of flavorful liquid or plenty of barbecue sauce, thinned with a little water if necessary, and keep your heat low. Resist the urge to stir; the meat may fall apart if you handle it too roughly.
Arrange slices of brisket in a nonstick skillet in an even layer and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of beef broth, beer, apple juice, or thin barbecue sauce.
Cover and cook over low heat until the meat is piping hot and the liquid is bubbly, about 8 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat as soon as the meat is hot to avoid overcooking.
Tips for Reheating Brisket
Skip the microwave. Microwaves reheat food by turning moisture into steam, which then evaporates and can make brisket tough and dry.
Only slice what you need. Whole brisket reheats better than sliced meat, which can dry out more easily. Slice only what you’ll eat right away and keep the rest of the leftover brisket unsliced until you’re ready to reheat with the oven or slow cooker methods above.
Let the meat come to room temperature. Leave meat out for 10 to 20 minutes at room temp to help shake off the cold of the fridge before reheating.
Crisp up the exterior. If you love the crisp outer coating (called “bark”) that brisket has right out of the smoker or oven, you can sear fully reheated unsliced meat briefly for 1 minute in a smoking-hot pan after reheating to crisp it up. Be careful not to overcook it, or the meat fibers will become dry (which leads to chewy brisket).
Slice across the grain. Always slice brisket against the grain to interrupt the long muscle fibers and create a more tender chew.
Try a leave-in thermometer. A leave-in probe thermometer with a tether to a digital readout is a great way to gauge the temperature of the meat because you don’t have to open the slow cooker or uncover the meat in the oven in order to check the temperature of the meat.
Further Reading
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