Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (2024)

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This brisket quesadilla recipe is absolutely savory and delicious. Using leftover beef brisket, these quesadillas are super easy to make, topped with tender brisket, shredded cheese, barbecue sauce, and crispy fried onions strings all stuffed between flour tortillas.

Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (1)

Brisket is a classic barbecue favorite here in Texas, where we love our barbecue as much as we love our Mexican and Tex-Mex food. I’ve been making brisket for years, and while most of it gets eaten, I do still have a bit of leftovers. That’s why I started trying to come up with creative ways to reuse my day-old brisket, and I must say, I’ve come up with some great recipes.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been sharing delicious ways to use leftover brisket, and today I have another delicious recipe for you. These quesadillas have become a family favorite sense I first started making them to use up our leftover brisket, and I think your family will love them, too.

Brisket Quesadilla

Brisket quesadillas are a fantastic way to use up your leftover brisket. Tender, pulled barbecue brisket is combined with cheese and crispy onion strings to create a loaded quesadilla that is absolutely overflowing with flavor. Every bite brings the flavor of the classic barbecue beef we all love, melty cheese, and the sweetness and crunch of the crispy onion strings. You’ve never had quesadillas like these!

Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (2)

Why You’ll Love This Brisket Quesadilla Recipe

  • It’s so versatile and is perfect for a delicious lunch, dinner, appetizer, or simply an afternoon or after-school snack.
  • It’s a simple recipe that uses your leftover brisket, almost all of the cooking has already been done.
  • These quesadillas are so hearty and delicious. You’ll know you had something substantial after eating one of these bad boys.
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Tips and Variations

This recipe is very easy, but I have a couple of tips to make it the best it can possibly be. I also have some great options for changing things up if you’d like.

Tips

  • Only heat the leftover brisket until it’s just heated through. It’s already wonderfully tender. You don’t want to cook it more.
  • Heat the brisket over medium heat. Don’t try to rush it by using higher heat. You could burn the beef.
  • You can cook the quesadillas by filling half of a tortilla and folding it over or topping an entire tortilla with ingredients and then top with a second tortilla.

Variations

  • Try using any of your favorite cheeses for this recipe. Pepper jack cheese will add a bit of heat, colby jack and Monterey jack cheese are a great choice. They’re all delicious.
  • For a spicy variation, add diced jalapenos to the brisket before heating it up.
  • For even more flavor, add a thin layer of refried beans to the quesadillas.
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Storing and Reheating Brisket Quesadillas

Never store quesadillas after they’ve been made. The moisture from the barbecue brisket will make the tortillas soggy. Instead, store your brisket in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and all other ingredients separately. Then, when you’re ready to serve them, make more quesadillas.

Brisket Quesadilla Ingredients

It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this recipe.

  • Leftover beef brisket
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Beef broth
  • Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, add more if desired
  • Flour tortillas
  • Crispy onion strings, if desired
  • Additional BBQ sauce, for drizzle
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Brisket Quesadilla Instructions

Making these quesadillas is as easy as the ingredient list. In just a handful of steps, you’ll be enjoying delicious quesadillas!

Step 1: Heat the Brisket

Heat leftover brisket, barbecue sauce, and beef broth over medium-high heat in a small saucepan until heated through. Stir frequently.

Step 2: Make the Quesadillas

Place a flour tortilla in a frying pan, or skillet, on medium heat. Spread shredded brisket on one half of the tortilla, sprinkle shredded cheese and crispy onion string on top of the brisket. Then, fold the tortilla in half and cook until it begins to brown. Flip and cook the other side in the same manner until the outside is toasted and the cheese is melted. Serve with an extra side of barbecue sauce for dipping, or sour cream if desired.

If serving as an appetizer, place finished quesadilla on a large cutting board and cut into three equal pieces.

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Try This Delicious Brisket Quesadilla Recipe Today

Whether you make it for lunch, dinner, or as an appetizer, these tasty quesadillas are always a huge hit with everyone. Tender, barbecued brisket, cheese, and onion strings come together to create a beefy, cheesy quesadilla that will have everyone coming back for more. Give it a try, and I know you’ll find yourself making it again and again.

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More Brisket Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Beef Brisket – A super easy oven baked brisket recipe that makes amazing leftovers!

Brisket Mac and Cheese – A homemade, creamy, and delicious mac and cheese recipe that is topped with tender brisket, crispy onion strings, and barbecue sauce.

Brisket Tacos – An amazing brisket taco recipe that is loaded with brisket, onion strings, barbecue sauce, and soft flour tortillas.

And, Brisket Grilled Cheese – Crispy and toasty bread filled with brisket, BBQ sauce, lots of cheese, and topped with onion strings.

Here is a delicious BBQ Brisket Breakfast Tacos Recipe from Traeger that you might enjoy as well.

Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (8)

Brisket Quesadilla

Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (9)Great Grub, Delicious Treats

These delicious and cheesy beef brisket quesadillas are super easy to make using leftover brisket, sharp cheddar cheese, fried onion strings is a flour tortilla, and served with a side of BBQ sauce.

4.80 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 543 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, add shredded brisket, barbecue sauce and beef broth. Cook over medium heat until heated through, stirring frequently.

  • In a frying pan over medium heat, place a flour tortilla into the pan.

  • Spread brisket on one half of the tortilla followed by shredded cheese and top with crispy onion strings, if desired. Fold tortilla in half and cook until tortilla starts to brown then flip over and continue cooking until the cheese is melted.

  • *Or spread brisket over the entire surface of the tortilla, top with cheese, onion strings and the top tortilla. Cook and then cut into desired size.

Notes

Nutritional Values are Approximate

Nutrition

Calories: 543kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 41gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 932mgPotassium: 552mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 620IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 454mgIron: 4mg

Keyword Beef and Cheese Quesadillas, Beef Brisket, Brisket Quesadilla, Leftover Brisket Recipes

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Here are a few pics that are perfect to pin to your favorite Pinterest boards.

Enjoy, Terri

Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (10)
Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (11)

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Brisket Quesadilla {Leftover Beef Brisket Recipe} (2024)

FAQs

How do you use leftover tough brisket? ›

To moisten the meat, give it a marinade in some warm beef broth, and make sure to add broth when reheating. Another option is to use the meat in dishes where it can soak up a rich sauce. Add the cooked beef to Slow-Cooker Brisket Chili or Chicken-and-Brisket Brunswick Stew, where the juiciness isn't as necessary.

Can you eat leftover brisket? ›

If you have brisket left, reheat the slices by wrapping them in foil and placing them in the oven at 325°F until they're hot. Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce (like this) for a quick and easy meal.

What can I do with brisket other than smoking it? ›

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  2. Pork-and-Brisket Chili. ...
  3. Slow Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Brisket. ...
  4. Smoked Brisket Sandwiches with Pickled Vegetables. ...
  5. Braised Brisket Tacos with Matzo Tortillas. ...
  6. Brisket with Sweet-and-Sour Onions. ...
  7. Red-Wine-Braised Beef Brisket with Pretzel Dumplings. ...
  8. Brisket with Apricots and Prunes.
Nov 14, 2023

What is the brisket quesadilla chilis? ›

Shredded cheese, slow-smoked pulled brisket, jalapeños, house BBQ.

How do you reheat brisket to make it tender? ›

Cube the brisket, spritz with some apple juice in AL pan, add a few dollops of BBQ then heat in 300 F oven for 90-120 mins until hot and tender.

Is there a way to fix tough brisket? ›

Reheat it in a moist environment: One of the easiest ways to soften a dry brisket is to reheat it in a moist environment. You can do this by placing the brisket in a covered dish with a small amount of beef broth, water, or tomato sauce. Cover the dish with foil and bake it in the oven until it is heated through.

How do you make leftover brisket moist? ›

As we mentioned, to keep your brisket moist, you can also splash a little beef broth, cooking liquid, or water on it before you put it in the oven, and you can drizzle on some gravy or barbecue sauce once it's heated to liven it up again.

Can I eat brisket after 6 days in the fridge? ›

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.

How do you reheat a brisket without drying it out? ›

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.

What not to do with brisket? ›

12 Brisket Mistakes Everyone Should Avoid
  1. Cooking at the Wrong Temperature. ...
  2. Using the Wrong Rub. ...
  3. Not Allowing (More Than) Enough Time to Smoke. ...
  4. Not Letting Brisket Rest Long Enough. ...
  5. Making Too Many Changes Between Cooks. ...
  6. Only Looking at Time and Temperature Before Wrapping. ...
  7. Spraying the Fat. ...
  8. Over or Under Smoking the Meat.

Can you cut brisket into steaks? ›

Yes, brisket can be cut and cooked like a steak, but there are some nuances to consider. Brisket is a tough cut of meat from the chest area of the cow and is traditionally cooked low and slow to break down the connective tissue, resulting in tender meat.

What is the secret to a tender brisket? ›

Once the brisket has cooked for about 6-8 hours, put about 1 cup of beef broth and a few tablespoons of my original rub in a foil pan. Place the brisket fat side down in the pan and cover it with foil to allow it to continue cooking while the steam inside the pan tenderizes it.

What is a quesadilla with meat called? ›

The quesadilla sincronizada (Spanish pronunciation: [kesaˈðiʝa siŋkɾoniˈsaða], "synchronized quesadilla") is a flour tortilla-based sandwich made by placing ham, vegetables (like tomatoes, onion, etc.) and a portion of Oaxaca cheese (or any type of cheese) between two flour tortillas.

What is in a Taco Bell beef quesadilla? ›

Grilled soft tortilla filled with your choice of protein, creamy jalapeno mayo and extra melted cheese. Toasted to perfection and served with your choice of chips and a drink.

Does brisket get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

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

How long does leftover beef brisket last? ›

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.

Can you cook brisket twice? ›

Purchase a whole fresh beef brisket (not corned) or 2 center-cut pieces. Oven-braise the brisket up to 2 days ahead; chill meat and pan juices separately. To serve, slice meat and reheat in sauce.

References

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