Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (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.

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.

Reheating brisket sliced or whole depends on how you plan to use it. For best results, slice only what you need when serving the first day and store leftover brisket as a whole piece. Warm the leftover brisket whole and slice before serving to keep it from drying out.

Slice the brisket into 1/4-inch-thick slices and put the slices into a roasting pan. Cover the sliced meat with the defatted cooking liquid and reheat slowly. All the fat is gone and the meat is tender and juicy.

Next, preheat your oven to 325˚and place your brisket in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle the meat with some of the original cooking liquid or a little beef broth, then cover the dish tightly with foil. Heat until the brisket is warmed through (cooking times will vary depending on whether your brisket is sliced or whole).

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.

Pre-sliced brisket can be reheated in the oven just like larger pieces of beef, but do it at about 375-degrees. You can even use a glass pan and cover the pan with aluminum foil to make clean-up easy. Only reheat for 15 to 20 minutes to avoid drying out the meat.

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

Reheating the brisket whole, and then slicing it when it's time to serve helps keep the brisket from drying out.

How long is leftover smoked brisket good for? ›

Refrigerate meat and poultry within 2 hours of removing it from a smoker. Cut the meat or poultry into smaller portions or slices, place it in shallow containers, cover, and refrigerate. Use it within 4 days or freeze for later use.

There are no limits to how many times you can safely reheat leftover home-cooked meals. However, best practice is to limit the number of times you do so. More often than not, you wouldn't need to reheat one type of dish more than once. If you are making meals in bulk, separate and store them in individual portions.

Safe Cooling

A whole brisket is a large cut, so for rapid cooling cut it into sections with a sharp knife. Cover each piece loosely with wax paper or aluminum foil, and refrigerate it immediately.

A couple of ways to keep brisket moist. The first is to introduce liquid, fat or oil or butter during the cook to keep moisture or introduce the moisture element after cooking to keep moist. The best way is to make sure you cook the brisket low and slow to avoid drying it out.

As long as the portion of brisket you're reheating fits in the air fryer basket without too much crowding, you're good to go. But be warned: It may dry the brisket out a bit and cause the texture to be a little chewier, so have plenty of warm gravy at the ready.

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.

If you overcook meat, it becomes dry and tough. Often people using a slow cooker and don't check when the food is actually done. If a recipe says cook for 8 hours on low, people may not check the food for 8 hours.

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.

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