Breakfast

Brisket for Breakfast? You Bet!

What do you do with leftover brisket?

No, that is not a joke. Sometimes (rarely), you really do have leftover brisket. This year at Barbecue University we compared two methods for wrapping brisket. We wrapped one brisket in butcher paper (the Aaron Franklin method) and one in aluminum foil (the so called “Texa crutch”, aka, the Tootsie Tomanez method. You’ll read about that in an upcoming blog.

The happy result of our experiment was an over-abundance of brisket. Even after we sliced up four briskets to feed the students, our team, and some of the staff at the Alisal Ranch, we still had leftovers. I wrapped them up for the next day—I knew Steven would enjoy brisket with his breakfast. I decided a brisket hash would be a great breakfast for the crew.

I first learned to make hash while working on the set of Project Fire, where our talented field chef, Mr. Chris Lynch, would make hash with leftovers. He would utilize either steak, brisket, or bacon to make a mouthwatering mid-morning snack that the crew looked forward to eating.

Our term hash comes from the French world “hacher”—literally to chop. (From the same etymological root as our word hatchet.) In a nutshell, you chop up the meat and flavorings and panfry them in a skillet.

Brisket Hash

Here is how my brisket hash came together. To keep things simple, I used ingredients that were already out for the student pantry. (We always keep extra ingredients on hand for our students to use when they want to innovate.)

I wanted to keep thanks simple as I had limited time to cook breakfast while setting up all the grills and smokers for the day’s class.

A 12-inch cast-iron pan was heated on the side burner of a grill, and 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil were added to it. While the oil heated, I chopped 2 cups of sliced rainbow potatoes, which I seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. As the potatoes started to soften, I added one diced red onion, diced red and green pepper, and about a cup of sliced mushrooms.

I seasoned the veggies with hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and additional salt and pepper. The veggies cooked with the potatoes for 8 minutes and then I added two cups of diced brisket. I continued to cook the hash until it was hot and cooked through. The hash was spooned into mini cast-iron pans, each topped with a fried egg.

Hash is the perfect way to use leftovers or just use up food in your refrigerator or pantry. Additional items I like to add when making hash are jalapenos, a can of diced tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes, fresh herbs, and then top the hash with a fried or poached egg. Use what is available and be creative.

The Results

Thanks to the slow smoked brisket, the hash was rich and smoky. The hot pan crisped the potatoes, while the veggies added flavor and freshness. The hash was delicious and filling, and it was just what the staff and Steven were looking for after an early morning of setting up for Barbecue University.

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