Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients for Brisket Grilled Cheese

​This recipe starts with simple ingredients, but not skimping on quality! 

• Leftover Brisket – it starts with the best brisket, shredded or sliced. Consider using our Smoked Brisket Flat Recipe which is slightly leaner.
• Sourdough Bread – Substitute French or any other bread that has a nice crust and chewy interior.
• Cheese – We’re going for melted cheese goodness over here. So we prefer the combo Smoked Cheddar and some Gruyere (or Comté) cheese. But Monterey Jack cheese works in a pinch.
• Butter – It’s the best way to get a perfectly golden brown sandwich. Some say mayo, but we go with butter.
• Dijon Mustard – Adds a great pop to the sandwich.

Best Cheese for Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

We’ve discovered the best combination for our brisket grilled cheese is a mix of shredded smoked cheddar and Comté (or gruyere). Comté and gruyere melt incredibly well, and are both fairly mild cheeses (so they won’t take away from the main attraction). Cheddar has great flavor and also melts well. The combo if the two is out of this world.

If you don’t have those, there are several kinds of cheese that will work well as an alternative including, Monterey Jack cheese or pepper jack cheese. Both are common cheeses that makes for a good grilled cheese sandwich.

How To Make A Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwich

1. Start by warming up your leftover brisket. I like to do this in a pan on the stovetop, slowly. The juices from any fat will re-hydrate your meat if it’s been sitting in the fridge. If you’re dealing with dried out brisket and need to add a bit of moisture, I recommend adding about a tablespoon of your favorite BBQ sauce. But don’t go too heavy on the barbecue sauce. We’re just trying to add a little hydration, not overpower the meat with BBQ sauce.
2. Once the meat is warmed, transfer to a plate, wipe out the pan, and get it nice and hot for cooking your sandwiches.
3. Lay out your bread and distribute the butter one side of both pieces. Turn the bread slice over and use the un-buttered side to build the sandwich. Add a layer of Dijon mustard to the inside of the bread (the un-buttered side). This is going to add flavor and acidity to contrast the richness of the meat. Next, layer with cheddar, load on the shredded brisket (be generous), and then top with the shredded Gruyere (or Comté).
4. Place the other slice of bread on top (butter side facing out).
5. Place sandwiches on the hot skillet (covered with a lid) and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until the bread is golden, then flip. Cook other side until equally golden and crispy and the cheese is ooey gooey melted and you just can’t take the waiting anymore. 
6. Alternatively you can use a panini press to make it a brisket panini! 
7. Cut in half. Feel free to enjoy this brisket grilled cheese with this Smoked Tomato Bisque for the ultimate soup and sandwich combination.

There are perfect pairings in this world — peanut butter and jelly, apple pie and ice cream, burgers and fries, and grilled cheese and tomato soup. This here is grilled cheese and tomato soup on steroids!

Wine and Beer Pairing

We like to pair with Barbera. You’ll be surprised how well the fruity and acidic wine goes with the buttery, crusty, cheesy hearty sandwich loaded with the tender smoky brisket. The sandwich would be fantastic with an oaked Chardonnay (bring on the buttery oaked wines… more butter da better).

Otherwise a nice Pilsner will do the trick! Light and refreshing and perfect way to cut through the richness of these sandwiches (and trust me, these sandwiches are rich!).