Ever found yourself staring at a piece of leftover brisket, wondering how to restore its juicy tenderness without turning it into a dry disappointment? You’re not alone.
Reheating brisket can be tricky, as it can easily become dry or lose its tender texture if not done correctly. Here’s my step-by-step video on how to properly reheat brisket while retaining its moisture and flavor:
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4 Ways How To Reheat Brisket
Luckily, there are more than a few ways in which you can reheat your brisket, meaning you won’t be too limited by your kitchen! The 4 ways I recommend reheating your brisket are:
1. Reheating Brisket in the Oven
2. Reheating Brisket in the Smoker
3. Reheating Brisket in the Crockpot
4. Reheating Brisket Using Sous Vide
Reheating Brisket in the Oven
- Preheat Oven to 325ºF
- Pour leftover cooking juices on the brisket (opt for beef broth if you don’t have any left over au jus)
- Double Wrap Your Meat In Foil (This Helps Keep It Moist)
- Let It Sit At Room Temp For 20-30 minutes
- Place The Brisket In The Oven
- 20 minutes if it’s already sliced
- 1 hour if it’s whole
Start by getting your oven to a steady 325ºF, pour the leftover juices, and wrap your brisket in two foil layers. This double-armor shields against potential holes that could cause the meat to dry. Let the foil-wrapped brisket sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.
Ovens can suck moisture out of your brisket if there’s not enough to start with. To avoid this, always save the juices from your initial cook. If you didn’t manage to save enough brisket juice, beef broth will do the job.
Reheating time will depend on your brisket size. If it’s a whole piece, it needs an hour in the oven. If it’s pre-sliced, 20 minutes will suffice. Aim for an internal temperature of 160 degrees. After all, the goal is to reheat, not re-cook.
Essential Tools:
- Baking pan
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Beef broth or brisket drippings
Reheating Brisket in the Smoker or Grill
This method works whether you’re using a:
- Charcoal grill
- Gas grill
- Electric smoker
- Charcoal smoker
- Pellet smoker (like a Traeger or PitBoss)
Set your grill to 225 degrees. Place the foil-wrapped brisket in indirect heat. Once the internal temperature reads 155 degrees, unwrap it and let it grace the direct heat for 5-10 more minutes. Remember, the final internal temperature should be 160 degrees. Immediately transfer it to a serving plate to prevent overcooking.
Note: The wood you use while smoking doesn’t matter since it’s wrapped in foil while reheating. But if you’re curious, here’s our list of the best wood for smoking brisket.
Essential Tools:
- Aluminum foil
- Optional: Barbecue sauce
Related: Smoked Brisket Recipe
Reheating Brisket in the Crockpot
Despite being slower, this technique excellently safeguards against dry brisket. Allow the brisket to reach room temperature for about 20 minutes. If it’s too hefty for the crockpot, feel free to slice it. Don’t forget to add all the leftover brisket drippings or beef broth.
Set the crockpot to low (between 185 and 200 degrees), and let it work its magic for around 4 hours. Once done, shift the brisket to aluminum foil, drizzle it with the crockpot broth, wrap it, and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
Essential Tools:
- Beef broth or leftover brisket drippings
Reheating Brisket Using Sous Vide (Water bath)
If a Sous Vide machine is not at hand, don’t worry. Start by filling a pot with water, but ensure there’s enough room for the brisket. Aim for a water temperature of 165 degrees.
Now, bag your brisket along with its drippings into a freezer baggie and immerse it in the pot. Leave the baggie top open. Once the water temperature is restored, it should take around 1-3 hours to thoroughly reheat the brisket.
Although 1-3 hours feels like a slog, it’s much quicker than getting the internal temp of your brisket back up to 195-203 like when you originally smoked it.
Essential Tools:
- Digital thermometer
- Water
- Vacuum seal bag, Ziploc bag, or plastic wrap
- Optional: Sous Vide Machine
Quality storage and freezing significantly affect the success of reheating. After enjoying your brisket, let the leftovers cool, then slice the brisket and immerse the slices in the remaining juices. This ensures the brisket retains its moisture and savory flavors during storage.
As tempting as it might be, avoid the microwave. Microwaved brisket simply doesn’t do justice to the rich flavor profile we love. “Brisket in the microwave” doesn’t even sound right!
Related >> Can You Freeze a Brisket? Tips and Guidelines
Reheating Brisket FAQs
Does Brisket Reheat Well?
Rest assured, brisket reheats brilliantly. In fact, smoking briskets ahead of time and reheating them later is a common practice among brisket lovers. This works wonderfully for most, as timing when the brisket will be ready to serve can be a challenge.
What Temp Should I Reheat Brisket To?
Always aim for an internal brisket temperature of at least 165°F, guaranteeing it’s safe to consume. For the optimum brisket flavor, aim for an internal temperature of around 195°F. However, individual preferences vary, so find a temperature that suits your palate. When reheating in the oven, keep the temperature below 325°F to prevent the juices from evaporating and drying out your brisket.
How Do You Serve Brisket The Next Day?
The secret to a tasty day-after brisket starts with storage. Slice your brisket, place it in a container, and douse it in meat juices. The next day, remove the solidified fat layer, transfer the slices to a tray, and apply your preferred reheating method.
Should I Slice Brisket Before Refrigerating?
Slicing your brisket before refrigeration fast-tracks reheating and helps the brisket soak up more au jus, enhancing its flavor after refrigeration.
What Are Some Leftover Brisket Recipes?
I love turning leftovers into more meals. Here are four suggestions for leftover brisket recipes:
- Brisket tacos
- Smoked brisket nachos
- Brisket stuffed peppers, with cheese of course
- topped with brisket
Reheating Other Foods?
If you hate throwing out food like I do, you’ll love our other guides on reheating food.
- How To Reheat Chicken Wings
- How To Reheat Pulled Pork
- How To Reheat Ribs
- How To Reheat Steak
- How To Reheat Prime Rib
More Brisket Resouces:
- How Long to Smoke Brisket at 250 Degrees
- How Long to Smoke Brisket per Pound
- BBQ Brisket Burnt Ends Recipe
- Brisket Tacos Recipe
- Hot and Fast Brisket Recipe
Final Thoughts On Reheating Leftover Brisket
Tossing leftover brisket is a real waste! There’s a world of possibilities for enjoying it the second time around while keeping it juicy.
For safety, always make sure the internal temperature of any meat is at its minimum safe temperature. The last thing you’d want is to be sent to the hospital from food poisoning, so be safe and take the temp of your meat.
