Nachos like you’ve never had before! BBQ brisket thrown into gooey, cheesy nachos? Oh baby, that is like Christmas morning in food form!! There’s a secret to these nachos, in fact there are two! Do you know them?

A photo of bbq brisket nachos with melted cheese all over the top and sliced jalapenos, diced red onion and fresh chopped cilantro.

We went to a local Traeger class all about summer foods and ended up talking about brisket nachos. You don’t recover from that. We could not get those dang nachos off of our minds so I had no choice but to create the ultimate BBQ Brisket Nachos recipe!

I will let you in on one of the secrets right off the bat! The key is stirring the beans, brisket and bbq sauce together. It not only ensures that everything is evenly coated in sauce (might I recommend our homemade BBQ sauce?!) but it actually helps everything stick together so you don’t have ingredients falling off of chips and each bite gets a little bit of everything. And isn’t that what you want in a nacho?!

 

In order to have BBQ brisket nachos, you need brisket! Duh! So start by making our smoked brisket recipe. Unless you’re feeding a huge crowd, you’re going to have some leftovers. Take those leftovers and put them right into these nachos!

Making BBQ Brisket Nachos

Once you have your smoked brisket ready, chop it up (you only need 3 cups), then mix it with the pinto beans and BBQ sauce.

Pull out a sheet pan and load it up with a layer of your favorite tortilla chips and 4 cups of shredded colby jack cheese. We use Tillamook of course! Then top it with half of the brisket/bean mixture. Scroll to the end of the post here to see our second secret!

Repeat everything I just said in a second layer of nachos, and pop it into the oven on broil until all the cheese is melted.

Then you can top it with all your favorite toppings. Here are a few ideas:

We like to dig into it family style straight from the sheet pan!

Tip: You can make these nachos with either our Classic BBQ Sauce or our Mustard BBQ Sauce. 

A photo of bbq brisket nachos with melted cheese all over the top and sliced jalapenos, diced red onion and fresh chopped cilantro.

What to Eat with Brisket Nachos?

This is one of those dishes that you don’t need anything else on the side, but I’ve never said no to more food! Elote Mexican Street Corn would be a perfect side dish with it and some mango bacon guacamole. Of course you need some dulce de leche churro donuts for dessert!

Can Nachos Be Made In the Microwave?

The short answer is yes. You can throw a plate of nachos in the microwave and zap them for a minute or so and you will have nachos. The biggest thing you’ll be missing is that delicious toasted chip flavor that makes nachos so dang good!

A photo of someone pulling out one cheesy nacho chip from a pile of brisket nachos.

Are Nachos the Same As Tortilla Chips?

No, nachos and tortilla chips are not the same thing. Tortilla chips are used to make nachos. Nachos are tortilla chips that have been loaded up with cheese and whatever other toppings you want to add.

Can You Eat Nachos When Pregnant?

Yes. Just be sure that you are using pasteurized cheese.

Will Brisket Shred?

Brisket doesn’t really shred like a pulled pork or a shredded chicken, but if it is cooked properly, it will just fall apart. Check out our smoked brisket recipe post for all the details on how to properly cook brisket.

A photo of bbq brisket nachos with melted cheese all over the top and sliced jalapenos, diced red onion and fresh chopped cilantro.

Can Brisket Be Cooked In a Slow Cooker?

Yes and it’s delicious! You won’t get that beautiful smoke ring or all that delicious smoky flavor though. But if you don’t have a smoker or you want to utilize the ease of a slow cooker, 8 to 10 hours on low will do the trick. Then pull the brisket out to a sheet pan roast it in the oven for about 15 minutes on 400 to crisp up the outside.

Are Brisket And Flank Steak The Same?

No. Both cuts of beef come from the underside of the cow, but the brisket comes from the breast area and the flank is closer to the belly area. Brisket is a better cut of beef for long, slow cooking methods (like smoking), and flank steak does best with high-heat, quick cooking. We use flank steak in our carne asada tacos!

A photo of bbq brisket nachos with melted cheese all over the top and sliced jalapenos, diced red onion and fresh chopped cilantro.

Can Brisket Be Used For Pot Roast?

Yes, it can definitely be used for a pot roast. It may take a little longer to cook because it is so lean. It should be browned off first and be sure to score the fat pad so that it renders properly. 8 to 10 hours on low should do the trick!

Two More Brisket Nachos Secrets

Ok, now it is time for the second secret to making these nachos. Use lightly seasoned restaurant style chips. Oh my goodness, that extra flavor takes these brisket nachos over the top!!

Bonus tip: Sometimes I pile cheese on a plate and microwave it and then pour it over the nachos. So good!! Try it!

A photo of someone pulling out one cheesy nacho chip from a pile of brisket nachos.

Now you are ready for football season and feeding all your gameday crowd! Thank the heavens for that Traeger class that got us fixated on brisket nachos! We can’t wait for you to dig into these!

Looking for more APPETIZERS to share for the big game? Try these:

BBQ Brisket Nachos

3.50 from 2 votes
Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 1 day 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes

Description

BBQ Brisket thrown into gooey, cheesy nachos? Oh baby, that is like Christmas morning in food form!! There's a secret to these nachos, in fact there's two! Do you know them?

Ingredients 

  • 3 Cups Brisket, chopped
  • 1/2-1 Cup BBQ Sauce
  • 1 Can Pinto Beans, Drained
  • 1 Bag Tortilla Chips, Lightly Seasoned Restaurant Style
  • 4 Cups Colby Jack Cheese , (we use Tillamook) Shredded
  • 1/2 Red Onion, diced
  • 1 Jalapeno, sliced
  • 1/4 Cup Cilantro, Chopped

Instructions

  • Place the brisket, beans and bbq sauce in a bowl and stir to combine.
  • Pile one layer of chips on a cookie sheet and top with cheese. Add the brisket and repeat with another layer.
  • Heat an oven to broil and place the cookie sheet in the oven until the cheese is melted.
  • Top with cilantro, red onion, jalapeno and an extra drizzle of bbq sauce.

Notes

Left overs should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 622kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 37gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 817mgPotassium: 512mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 749IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 532mgIron: 3mg
Author: Sweet Basil
Course: 200+ Easy Appetizers Recipes
Cuisine: American

A photo of bbq brisket nachos with melted cheese all over the top and sliced jalapenos, diced red onion and fresh chopped cilantro.

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