What else is more delicious than a good brisket in a barbecue joint? What about making it at home for a friendly cookout? The truth is, this dish is a must in the summer days and for those that enjoy barbecuing year-round.
In this article, we will let you know what to serve with brisket. You will also see all the tips and tricks to make your meal more delicious!
What Is Brisket?
Brisket is a cut of beef or veal that comes from the breast or lower chest area. This is one of nine primal cuts of beef. Because this cut contains a ton of connective tissue, brisket is tough and requires a precise cooking method to soften.
For the most part, brisket can be cooked by baking, braising, slow cooking, or roasting. Because it is a tough cut, basting and marinating are often necessary. In some cases, you can also smoke brisket slowly over charcoal or wood.
Brisket also happens to be a traditional Jewish dish. It is often part of important holidays, like Rosh Hashanah and Passover. In the United Kingdom, brisket is part of casserole dishes or traditional pot roasts. Other cuisines that use the brisket cut include German, Korean, Thai, New Zealand, and Vietnamese.
Normally, brisket is part of barbecue joints, but it can be part of cookouts and American restaurants. When smoked, it can have a strong flavor. While it is slow-cooked, it is more tender and subtle.
Nutrition Facts
One cup of cooked beef brisket (134 g) has the following nutritional content (*):
- 387 calories
- 68.5 g water
- 35.6 g protein
- 25.9 g fat
- 0 g carbohydrate
- 0 g fiber
- 0 g sugar
- 9.38 mg calcium
- 3.36 mg iron
- 28.1 mg magnesium
- 287 mg phosphorus
- 344 mg potassium
- 519 mg sodium
- 31 µg selenium
- 123 mg cholesterol
Brisket is a tasty choice of meat, particularly if you have time to slow-cook it. However, it is not always the best choice when it comes to sodium and fat. You can choose to slow cook it or bake it to save some calories too.
Best Side Dishes for Brisket that You Must Try
Below are some sides for brisket that you can eat at any time!
#1. Garlic and Chive Roasted Potatoes
Potatoes and brisket are always a good pairing and complement each other. You can add more spices if you want to change things up.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter
- 10 to 12 Russet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Follow these steps to prepare your garlic and chive roasted potatoes:
- Wash and clean your potatoes and cut them into quarters.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the garlic, rosemary, and dill.
- Place your potatoes on a lined baking sheet. Pour the butter mixture over, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast your potatoes for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden on top.
- Remove from the oven, add the chives, and toss the potatoes.
- Serve warm with brisket on the side.
#2. Coleslaw
Just like brisket, coleslaw is a very tasty side dish that is often served in barbecue and cookouts. You can make this dish ahead of time and save it for a couple of days.
Ingredients:
- One bag of coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage and carrots
- 1 red onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Follow these steps to prepare your coleslaw:
- Place your coleslaw mix in a large bowl.
- Chop your onion and parsley and add them to the bowl.
- Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl.
- Slowly add the vinaigrette to the coleslaw. Toss well.
- Cover the coleslaw and place it in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Serve your coleslaw cold with brisket on the side.
#3. Boston Baked Beans
Many people think of brisket, and they also think of baked beans. This is an easy recipe to make, and you can reuse the baked beans for brunch too.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups navy beans, soaked overnight
- 1 cup bacon, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons molasses or maple syrup
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅓ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Follow these steps to prepare your baked beans
- Add your soaked beans with the same water to a large saucepan. Simmer them for 1 to 2 hours or until they turn tender. Drain them and place them in a baking dish.
- Add the bacon and onion to the dish, and mix well.
- In the meantime, preheat your oven to 325-330 °F.
- Warm up the molasses, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, and pepper in a pan.
- Once your mixture has boiled, slowly add it to your baking dish. Continue tossing.
- Bake covered for 2 hours or more until the beans are soft.
- Serve warm with your brisket.
#4. Creamy Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is another classic dish that goes well with any meat. To make things more flavorful, add more herbs, spices, or veggies to this dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 box elbow pasta
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Follow these steps to prepare your creamy mac and cheese:
- Preheat your oven to about 325 to 330 °F.
- Cook your pasta according to box instructions. Drain it and place it back in the saucepan.
- In another saucepan, melt the butter. Slowly add the flour and whisk.
- Pour half the milk and half the cream. Continue whisking.
- Add the pasta to mix, and toss everything.
- Stir in the remaining milk and cream. Toss again.
- Season with garlic powder, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cheese and cook everything under low heat. Once the cheese is softer and more melted, turn the heat off and transfer the mac and cheese to a baking dish.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden.
- Serve warm with brisket on the side.
#5. Roasted Vegetables
Brisket can be a heavy main dish, especially when it is smoked. That is why roasted vegetables can complement your meat without making you too full.
Ingredients:
- Bunch of broccoli florets
- 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups mushrooms, quartered
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 yellow squash, sliced
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Follow these steps to prepare your roasted vegetables:
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- Wash and cut your vegetables and set them aside.
- Coat a baking sheet using a bit of olive oil. Safe the rest for the vegetables.
- Place all vegetables spread out on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle them with the rest of the olive oil, garlic, lime juice, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until they look tender.
- Serve warm with brisket on the side.
#6. Fried Pickles
When in a barbecue joint, why not serve a delicious side of fried pickles? These pickles will leave people wanting more, so you will have to share the recipe with them or not!
Ingredients:
- Vegetable oil for frying
- ½ cup flour
- 2 cups dill pickles, drained and sliced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon horseradish
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Follow these steps to prepare your fried pickles:
- Begin by making the sauce. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, cover it, and set it aside.
- Add the flour, Italian seasoning, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Whisk everything.
- Heat your frying oil in a deep pan.
- Pat your sliced pickles dry. Add them to the batter, and toss to coat them entirely.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the pickles from the bowl with the batter, and begin frying them if oil is hot.
- Fry each one for about 2 minutes or until golden.
- Serve your fried pickles immediately with sauce on the side.
#7. Corn Salad with Avocado
For a fresh side dish that is filling and delicious, this corn salad with avocado will not disappoint. It is not only easy to make but very tangy and sweet, complementing the meat perfectly.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cans of sweet corn, drained
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 avocados
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Follow these steps to prepare your corn salad with avocado:
- Wash and chop your vegetables, setting them aside in a large bowl.
- Drain and add the corn to the bowl.
- Peel and pit your avocados. Cut them into quarters and place them in the bowl.
- Add the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and olive oil to the bowl. Toss well.
- Season with salt and pepper, and toss once more.
- Serve your corn salad with avocado fresh or cold if you need to save it for later.
How Can I Pick The Perfect Brisket Sides?
Brisket is not an easy dish to make, as it takes time and dedication. However, hard work pays off when it comes to this cut of meat. Serving the perfect side dish will finish the job and elevate your meal.
When you are smoking brisket, your side dish should be subtle and fresh because the meat has a ton of flavor. Try making the coleslaw for sweet and tangy flavors all around. You can also make the corn salad with avocado to add more citrus to the party.
If you are slow-cooking your brisket, then you might want to serve it with something a bit more filling. You could try the creamy mac and cheese, which is a classic that everyone loves. Another option is the Boston baked beans that are surprisingly subtle yet delicious.
For all other types of brisket preparation, many dishes could work well. Try the garlic and chive roasted potatoes, which are easy to make and require little time. The roasted vegetables or fried pickles will also go well with your meat.
Conclusion
Now that you know what goes with brisket, why wait any longer to prepare this decadent piece of meat? Try any of these side dishes on their own or together, and surprise everyone at home. You can even make some of these ahead of time to save you some trouble.
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*image by PantherMediaSeller/depositphotos
