Brisket Sliders That Make Leftovers Taste Great

Brisket sliders turn leftover cooked beef into warm, cheesy party sandwiches in just 25 minutes. The brisket is gently rewarmed with beef broth and barbecue sauce before it goes onto soft Hawaiian rolls, helping the beef stay moist through the final bake. Tangy pickled onions balance the brisket and melted cheddar.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb cooked brisket, thinly sliced or chopped
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 12 Hawaiian rolls, kept connected and sliced horizontally
• 6 oz cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup pickled onions, drained

The brisket should still be fairly moist before reheating.

How To Make It

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the bottom half of the Hawaiian rolls in a 9×13-inch baking dish.

2. Warm the brisket, beef broth, and barbecue sauce in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The brisket is ready when it is steaming hot and the skillet has only a small amount of loose sauce.

3. Pile the warm brisket over the rolls. Top evenly with the cheddar and pickled onions, then place the roll tops over the filling.

4. Stir the melted butter, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder together. Brush the mixture over the roll tops, then bake at 350°F for 5 minutes. The sliders are ready when the cheese is melted and the roll tops are lightly browned.

Why You Rewarm the Brisket With Broth and Sauce

Leftover brisket can lose moisture when it goes back into the oven. Gently warming it with beef broth and barbecue sauce adds moisture before the short final bake, while the sauce lightly coats the beef instead of leaving it sitting in excess liquid.

The goal is a small amount of loose sauce in the skillet. Too much liquid can make the rolls soggy, while completely dry brisket has less moisture available to withstand baking.

If the Brisket Turns Dry

Dry, stringy brisket usually means the beef has lost too much moisture during reheating or baking. Keep the skillet heat gentle rather than using high heat, and keep the final oven time short.

If the filling already seems dry before assembly, stir in another tablespoon or two of beef broth. This gives the beef additional moisture before it goes into the baking dish.

Substitutions

These are untested alternatives, so expect some changes in the finished sliders:

• Pepper jack for cheddar: Adds more heat and melts readily, so the sandwiches will be spicier.
• Soft dinner rolls for Hawaiian rolls: Gives the sliders less sweetness and a slightly less tender texture.
• Dill pickle slices for pickled onions: Keeps the tangy contrast but adds a more pronounced pickle flavor.

Storage

Refrigerate assembled leftover sliders in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat until the brisket reaches 165°F; the rolls will be softer after refrigeration.

Make-Ahead

The brisket can be warmed with the broth and barbecue sauce and refrigerated separately for up to 3 to 4 days from when the brisket was originally cooked. Assemble the sliders just before baking.

Have more brisket to use up? It also makes a hearty leftover brisket chili, and if you are starting from a fresh roast, slow cooker brisket tacos give you plenty left over for these sliders.

Serving Ideas

Serve the brisket sliders with coleslaw, butter pickles, or potato salad. Extra barbecue sauce also works well alongside the sandwiches.

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