How To Reheat Brisket (5 Ways)

When it’s cooked just right, beef brisket is irresistibly juicy, tender, and satisfying. And because it’s usually prepared in large quantities, that means you should have plenty of leftovers to enjoy! Whether you use the oven, sous vide, grill, smoker, or crockpot, learn how to reheat brisket the right way so it tastes just as melt-in-your-mouth delicious as when you first made it!

Brisket is, without question, a labor of love. This cut of meat needs to be cooked low and slow, but the result is so worth it: a crispy outer bark surrounding melt-in-your-mouth tender beef that’s bursting with juicy flavor!

Unless you’re feeding a crowd, there’s a good chance you’re going to end up with plenty of leftovers. And once you know how to reheat brisket the right way, you’re going to be so glad you have even more to enjoy!

In this quick guide, you’ll learn the best method for warming up whole brisket or slices of brisket. Whether you use the oven, sous vide, grill, smoker, or crockpot, your leftovers can taste just as amazing as when they were first cooked!

How to keep brisket juicy

The key to tender leftover brisket is making sure it doesn’t dry out during the storage or reheating process. We want the meat to retain as much juice as possible.

That’s why you never want to reheat brisket in the microwave. This will pull out all of the moisture, leaving you with dry, rubbery meat — not at all what we want! The microwave may seem like the quick and easy option, but the results simply aren’t worth it in my opinion.

Instead, we want to use any of a variety of methods that allow us to slowly reheat the meat without losing moisture. This will keep the brisket nice and juicy, just the way it’s supposed to be.

It’s also a good idea to save any leftover juices you gathered while cooking the brisket. These can be used in the reheating process to help replace any moisture that’s lost. Simply transfer the juices to an airtight container, allow them to cool completely, then store in the refrigerator.

How to reheat brisket in the oven

Start by taking the brisket out of the refrigerator and letting it sit at room temperature for about half an hour. Next, preheat the conventional oven to 325 degrees F, then lay the brisket on a rimmed baking sheet. If you saved any of the juices from cooking, add about a cup to the baking sheet to keep the meat moist. Otherwise, a cup of beef broth will work just fine.

Finally, cover the entire baking sheet in two layers of tin foil, crimping the edges around the pan. You don’t want any holes where steam will be able to escape!

If you’re heating brisket slices, they should be nice and warm in about 20 minutes. If you’re reheating a whole brisket, you’ll want to wait for about an hour.

Oven:

1. Let the brisket sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place brisket on a foil lined baking sheet. Pour any extra juice over the meat to keep moist.
3. Cover completely with foil.
4. For slices cook for 20 minutes, for a whole brisket, cook for 45-60 minutes.

How to reheat brisket sous vide

Using a sous vide is an excellent method to prevent brisket or any other meat from drying out! Whether you’re using whole or sliced brisket, you’ll want to let it sit at room temperature for about half an hour, then transfer the meat to a sous-vide-safe plastic bag or vacuum-sealed bag.

Set the sous vide to 150 degrees F in the water bath. Once the water has reached the right temperature, add the sealed meat to the water, double checking that everything is air-tight and no water can get in the bags.

This is definitely a low-and-slow method, but it works wonders. For thin slices, the meat will be ready in about half an hour. For thicker slices, it could be 1 or 2 hours. For a whole brisket, you’re looking at more like 5 hours.

The beauty of the sous vide method is that the airtight bag means no moisture can escape from the meat. Also, because the water temperature never goes beyond 150 degrees F, the meat can never overcook. It will simply become more tender. If you have the time, the sous vide is one of the best methods you can use to reheat brisket!

Sous Vide:

1. Let sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Place the meat in a sous vide bag.
3. Set the sous vide to 150 degrees F in a water bath. Once 150 degrees has been reached, place the sealed bag in the water.
4. Slices will be ready in about 30 minutes. Thicker slices could take 1-2 hours and for a whole brisket, 5 hours.

How to reheat brisket on the grill

Reheating brisket on the grill is done in a two-staged approach. First, you want to heat your grill to 225 degrees F, or medium heat if using a gas grill, and use a two-zone cooking set up. 

Next, wrap the brisket tightly in foil, then place it in the indirect zone of heat. Keep it here until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees F — the timing will depend on whether you’re heating thin slices, thick slices, or a whole brisket.

After that, unwrap the brisket and place it in the direct zone of heat for another 5-10 minutes. This will allow the bark on the outside to crisp back up. Once the meat reaches 160 degrees F, you’re ready to serve.

Grill:

1. Heat grill to 225 degrees F, or medium heat.
2. Wrap the brisket in foil and place on the indirect heat of the grill.
3. Cook until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F.
4. Unwrap the foil and place brisket on the direct heat for about 5 minutes to help crisp up the bark.

How to reheat brisket in the smoker

To use a smoker, you’ll follow the same instructions as you would for reheating on the grill. Wrap the brisket in foil, heat over indirect heat until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, unwrap, then cook over direct heat for 5-10 minutes until the temperature reaches 160 degrees F. That’s it!

How to reheat brisket in the crockpot

Take the brisket out of the refrigerator and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Next, add the meat to the crockpot, keeping in mind that you may need to slice the brisket so it fits within the pot. You’ll also want to add any leftover juices you stored, although you can also use beef broth if necessary.

Finally, set the slow cooker to low and let the meat warm for about 4 hours. Before serving, you can transfer the brisket to aluminum foil, drizzle the liquid from the crockpot over the meat, wrap it up, then allow the meat to sit for 10 minutes to absorb as much juice as possible.

Crockpot:

1. Let brisket set out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
2. Place meat in the crockpot and add any leftover juices or a little beef broth.
3. Set cooker to low and let warm for 4 hours.

How to store brisket

Always let your leftover meat fully cool first. If you’re planning to store it in the refrigerator, you can leave it whole or cut the meat into slices. If you slice the brisket, let the slices come to room temperature in the leftover juices so they don’t lose any moisture as they cool. Finally, transfer the meat to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

If you plan to freeze your brisket, it’s better to leave it whole. This will keep the meat from losing too much juice in the process. Vacuum-sealing is the best method for longer storage, but you could also wrap the brisket in plastic wrap and tin foil, then store it in a freezer-safe bag. For best results, add some of the leftover juices before wrapping the brisket.

How to use leftover brisket

There are several ways to use and eat leftover brisket.

Try serving it with some delicious side dishes for a simple meal

Use on a delicious BBQ sandwich smothered in sauce.

Serve it with a side of eggs and hash browns for a protein packed breakfast.

Slice it up and use for tacos or on nachos.

How to reheat more food

• How to reheat chicken wings
• How to reheat rotisserie chicken
• How to reheat ribs
• How to reheat pancakes