Ready to make an exceptional BBQ brisket melt? This recipe layers smoky, tender brisket with melted cheese, caramelized onions, and crisp sourdough for a sandwich that’s rich, flavorful, and satisfying. Below you’ll find clear steps for prepping and smoking the brisket, making sweet caramelized onions, and assembling and toasting the melt.
Table of Contents
Pellet Brisket Overnight: Pros and Cons
Smoking a brisket overnight on a pellet smoker is a great way to develop deep, complex smoke flavor. Cooking low and slow—around 210°F with hickory pellets—produces a tender interior and a well-developed bark. The trade-off is that it takes planning and attention to maintain a steady temperature and balanced smoke so the crust doesn’t become overly bitter.
Trimming Brisket
Trim excess fat before smoking to help the rub and smoke reach the meat and to promote even cooking. Proper trimming improves bark formation and yields better slices when the brisket is finished.
Why Resting Brisket is Important
Let the brisket rest after cooking so the juices can redistribute. Resting wrapped brisket in a cooler for 2–3 hours helps the meat relax and finish cooking gently, resulting in moist, sliceable brisket every time.
Ingredients:
- Brisket
- Mustard (as a binder)
- Favorite pepper-forward brisket rub
- Hickory pellets for smoking
- Apple cider vinegar
- Beef tallow (3–4 tablespoons)
- 2 whole onions
- Avocado oil (2 tablespoons)
- Kosher salt (1 tablespoon)
- Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons, plus more for toasting)
- Sourdough bread
- Fried crispy onions
- Colby Jack cheese (2 slices per sandwich)
- Provolone cheese (2 slices per sandwich)
- Your favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions:
1. Trim the brisket of excess fat. Spread a thin layer of mustard over the meat to act as a binder, then season generously with a pepper-forward rub. Refrigerate 1–2 hours to let the flavors penetrate.
2. Set your pellet smoker to 210°F and add hickory pellets. Place a water pan underneath the top shelf to maintain moisture. Smoke the brisket for 9–10 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165–170°F.
3. When the brisket hits 165–170°F, remove it and wrap it in butcher’s paper. Lightly spritz the paper with apple cider vinegar and spread 3–4 tablespoons of beef tallow over the meat before sealing. Raise the smoker to 250°F and continue cooking until the brisket is probe-tender and reaches about 204–206°F.
4. Keep the brisket wrapped and place it in a cooler to rest for 2–3 hours. This resting period refines texture and makes slicing easier.
5. During the final hour of rest, caramelize the onions: dice two onions and sauté them in a skillet with 2 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat until they are soft and golden.
6. Assemble the melt on sourdough slices. On the bottom slice layer fried crispy onions, two slices of Colby Jack cheese, four thin slices of brisket, caramelized onions, a drizzle of BBQ sauce, and two slices of provolone. Top with the other slice of sourdough.
7. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium with a little butter. Toast the sandwich 3–4 minutes per side, flipping once, until the bread is golden and the cheese is melted.
Printable Recipe Card
BBQ Brisket Melts
Ingredients
- Brisket
- Mustard as a binder
- Favorite brisket rub preferably pepper-forward
- Hickory pellets for smoking
- Apple cider vinegar
- Beef tallow 3-4 tablespoons
- 2 whole onions
- Avocado oil 2 tablespoons
- Kosher salt 1 tablespoon
- Unsalted butter 2 tablespoons plus more for toasting
- Sourdough bread
- Fried crispy onions
- Colby jack cheese 2 slices
- Provolone cheese 2 slices
- Favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions
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Trim brisket of excess fat and apply mustard all over as a binder.
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Season generously with a pepper-forward brisket rub and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
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Smoke on pellet smoker at 210°F with hickory pellets and a water pan for 9–10 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165–170°F.
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Wrap in butcher’s paper, spritz with apple cider vinegar, and add beef tallow. Return to the smoker at 250°F until the brisket reaches 204–206°F and is probe-tender.
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Rest wrapped brisket in a cooler for 2–3 hours.
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Sauté diced onions with avocado oil, kosher salt, and butter until caramelized.
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Assemble the melt with sourdough, fried onions, Colby Jack, brisket slices, caramelized onions, BBQ sauce, provolone, and the top slice of bread.
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Toast in a cast iron skillet with butter for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and the cheese is melted.
Try these brisket melts for a weekend cook or when you want to impress family and friends. The combination of smoky brisket, sweet caramelized onions, crunchy fried onions, and melted cheeses on toasted sourdough is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
DID YOU ENJOY THESE BBQ BRISKET MELTS? CHECK OUT OTHER BEEF RECIPES!
Items used in This Recipe
Knitted Gloves
Food Processor
Cast Iron Skillet
Meater +
Charcoal Chimney
Charcoal Starters
Firestarter Guard