Oh, hello there! Welcome to The Mountain Kitchen, where classic Italian comfort food meets American barbecue in this smoked brisket lasagna with barbecue sauce.
David and I love brisket, so you become creative with the leftovers when only two people are eating on it. That’s why we created this recipe. It’s a new favorite on our growing list of ways to use leftover beef brisket.
What is Smoked Brisket Lasagna?
Consider this recipe a BBQ Lasagna! This lasagna isn’t like the classic lasagna you already know and love. Instead, the silky lasagna noodles are smothered in layers of gooey cheese, chopped smoked beef brisket, with drizzled with barbecue sauce instead of tomato sauce.
What is in this Brisket Lasagna?
A detailed list of ingredients is in the recipe card at the end of this post.
PASTA: We use traditional lasagna noodles that you precook before use because that is what we prefer. They tend to be softer than the no-boil kind, which can be tough.
MEAT: Chop the leftover smoked beef brisket finely to ensure tender bites. You don’t have to worry about sawing through the lasagna with a knife.
CHEESE: use any type of cheese you like. For this recipe, we used:
- Homemade Ricotta Cheese (Get the recipe HERE)
- Shredded Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Sliced Smoked Mozzarella Cheese – We added some slices of smoked mozzarella to the top of the lasagna. Adding smoked mozzarella gives the lasagna a little more smoky flavor, but it is optional. We smoked our own (recipe to come), but you should be able to find this at the deli section of your grocery store.
EGG: Ricotta cheese can ooze and run. The egg helps bind the ricotta together. Omit the egg if you want; it’s about personal preference.
BARBECUE SAUCE: We make a secret barbecue sauce recipe, so use your favorite. Barbecue sauce has a robust and intense flavor compared to traditional tomato sauce, so use it sparingly. You don’t want to overpower the dish.
Tips for Making This Recipe:
- Don’t Overseason! This dish is well seasoned on its own! There should be more than enough flavor between the cheeses, spices from the brisket rub, and the barbecue sauce. Season to taste, but don’t over-season the lasagna.
- Do Not Salt the Pasta Water: You don’t want the lasagna to be too salty for the same reasons above. So skip adding the salt to pasta water if instructed in the package directions.
- Don’t Overcook the Noodles! Cook them to “al dente”; about two minutes less than the package instructions say. The noodles will continue to cook in the oven. You don’t want them overcooked and too soft.
- Extra Noodles: Cook a couple of extra noodles in case a couple of noodles tear or stick.
- Broil to Finish Baking: For extra goodness, turn on the broiler for the last 5 minutes to ensure the cheese is golden brown.
- Resting: the lasagna after baking will make serving and presentation better. Otherwise, the cheese will run all over the place.
Watch How to Make This Lasagna:
Freezing Instructions:
- Cool the cooked lasagna completely before putting the lasagna in the freezer. The sudden temperature will cause excess moisture.
- Freeze in the baking pan, but transfer smaller portions to another container. This will save freezer space and ensure less air gets into the dish, which causes freezer burn.
- Cover the container tightly with plastic wrap, and then cover the plastic wrap with aluminum foil.
- Label and freeze for two to three months.
Reheat Frozen Lasagna:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Remove the lasagna from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature until the oven is preheated.
- Remove the foil and plastic wrap, then recover with foil. Bake 60 to 75 minutes wrapped in foil, remove the foil and bake an extra 10 to 15 minutes.
Other Recipes That Use Leftover Smoked Brisket
- SMOKED BEEF BRISKET ENCHILADAS
- SMOKED BRISKET CHILI
- LEFTOVER BEEF BRISKET SANDWICHES
- SMOKED BEEF BRISKET SKILLET MAC AND CHEESE WITH HORSERADISH CHEDDAR
Have you ever created new interesting dishes using leftover brisket? Comment below. We’d love to hear about it!
Smoked Brisket Lasagna With BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles uncooked
- 1 pound smoked beef brisket chopped
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- Smoked mozzarella (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the lasagna noodles per package instructions, drain and rinse the noodles with cold water. DO NOT SALT THE PASTA WATER.
- Chop the brisket with a meat cleaver into bite-sized bits.
- Lightly beat the egg with a fork, then combine with the ricotta cheese.
- Spread about ¼ cup of the bbq sauce on the bottom of a 9×12 casserole dish. Place three of the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Layer the noodles with ⅓ of the cheeses and ¼ cup of the chopped meat. Drizzle with some of the sauce. Repeat two more times, and finish with noodles topped with the cheese meat and bbq sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until cheeses are melted and golden brown.
- Remove the lasagna from the oven and allow it to cool and rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with extra barbecue sauce on the side.
Notes
- Cool the cooked lasagna completely before putting the lasagna in the freezer. The sudden temperature will cause excess moisture.
- Freeze in the baking pan, but transfer smaller portions to another container. This will save freezer space and ensure less air gets into the dish, which causes freezer burn.
- Cover the container tightly with plastic wrap, and then cover the plastic wrap with aluminum foil.
- Label and freeze for two to three months.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Remove the lasagna from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature until the oven is preheated.
- Remove the foil and plastic wrap, then recover with foil. Bake 60 to 75 minutes wrapped in foil, remove the foil and bake an extra 10 to 15 minutes.
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