Brisket Pot Pie With Cheddar And Monterey Jack Recipe

I combined slow-braised brisket with Cheddar and Monterey Jack in a Brisket Pot Pie that quietly rethinks the Pot Pie by layering unexpected components.

I never planned to turn leftover smoked meat into a pie but when I mixed chopped cooked brisket with shredded cheddar the idea stuck. It’s rich but not overbearing, the meat gives a deep savory note and the cheese makes pockets of gooey joy you keep checking on.

This takes a familiar Pot Pie idea and pushes it toward Beef Pies territory while still feeling like true Comfort Food, only less twee than most. I kept sneaking forks of the filling, surprised at how something so simple made me rethink what a pie could be.

Ingredients

• Brisket: rich in protein and iron, adds smoky savory depth
• Onion gives sweetness and sharpness when cooked, adds fiber and flavor
• Carrots bring natural sweetness, beta carotine, color and crunchy texture
• Potato adds soothing starch to thicken the gravy, it’s comfort food
• Cheddar is sharp, salty and melts into kinda gooey pockets
• Monterey Jack is mild, creamy, helps balance sharper cheeses, easy
• Beef broth gives savory umami, deepens flavor, controls salt level
• Puff pastry or crust provides buttery flaky shell, lots of calories
• Peas add bright color, sweet pop, fiber and little protein

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 to 3 cups cooked brisket, chopped or shredded (about 1 lb)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and small diced (optional)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
• 1 double pie crust or 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed if frozen
• 1 large egg plus 1 tablespoon water, beaten for egg wash
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). If you’re using a double pie crust rather than puff pastry, you’ll bake a little longer, about 35 to 40 minutes, so keep an eye on it.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots and celery and cook until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and the small diced potato if using, cook 2 more minutes.

3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup all purpose flour over the veggies and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes so the raw flour taste cooks out. This helps thicken the filling later.

4. Slowly whisk in 2 cups beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, then stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

5. Stir in 2 to 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked brisket and 1 cup frozen peas. Let the mixture heat through and the meat soak up the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.

6. Off the heat fold in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack so the cheeses melt into the filling. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Let the filling cool for 8 to 10 minutes so it won’t make the crust soggy.

7. Roll out your pie crust or puff pastry and fit one crust into a 9 inch pie dish, pressing to the edges. Spoon the brisket and cheese filling into the crust, mound slightly in the center. If using puff pastry sheets you can cut to fit and overlap slightly.

8. Cover with the top crust or the second puff pastry sheet, trim and crimp the edges to seal. Cut a few vents in the top to let steam escape. Mix 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the top crust with the egg wash for a glossy golden finish.

9. Bake at 400 F (200 C) until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbly at the edges: about 20 to 25 minutes for puff pastry, or 35 to 40 minutes for a double pie crust. If the edges brown too fast, tent them with foil.

10. Let the pie rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the filling sets. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons fresh parsley over the top for color and serve warm.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 400 F / 200 C)
2. Large skillet or sauté pan for cooking the veggies and sauce
3. 9 inch pie dish (or a rimmed baking sheet if you prefer using puff pastry)
4. Rolling pin to fit the crust or puff pastry to the dish
5. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for chopping brisket and veggies
6. Measuring cups and spoons for the broth, flour, cream and seasonings
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and scraping the pan
8. Whisk to blend the flour into the broth and to beat the egg wash
9. Pastry brush plus a small bowl for the egg wash, and a pair of kitchen tongs or spoon to fill the crust

FAQ

Brisket Pot Pie With Cheddar And Monterey Jack Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Brisket: swap with chopped roast beef or leftover pot roast, shredded rotisserie chicken for a lighter pie, or pulled pork if you want a sweeter, smokier bite.
• Beef broth: use low sodium beef stock, dissolve beef bouillon in water, or use chicken broth plus about 1 tsp Worcestershire for depth if you don’t have beef stock.
• Cheddar + Monterey Jack: try Colby Jack, or a mix of sharp cheddar and mozzarella for meltiness, Gruyere for a nuttier flavor, or Pepper Jack if you like heat.
• Double pie crust/puff pastry: use store bought biscuit dough for a rustic top, a single pie crust brushed and folded for extra layers, or pile mashed potatoes on top for a pot pie-cottage pie hybrid.

Pro Tips

– Use a quick cornstarch slurry if the filling seems too thin at the end. Mix about 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons cold water, whisk it into the simmering filling and cook a minute till it thickens. It sets faster than adding more flour and you won’t overcook the veggies.

– Protect the bottom crust by sprinkling a thin layer of grated cheddar, fine breadcrumbs or crushed crackers into the unbaked shell before you spoon in the filling. They soak up extra moisture so the bottom stays crisp, trust me it helps.

– Make the brisket sing by shredding it fine and tossing a handful in a hot skillet to get some browned, crispy bits before folding it into the sauce. Also taste for salt first, brisket or any sauce you used might already be salty so go easy with extra seasoning.

– If you want extra puff and a neater rise when using puff pastry, chill the fully assembled pie in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before baking. For leftovers reheat in a 325 to 350 F oven, not the microwave, that’ll keep the crust from going soggy.

Brisket Pot Pie With Cheddar And Monterey Jack Recipe

Recipe by Noel Matthews

0.0 from 0 votes

I combined slow-braised brisket with Cheddar and Monterey Jack in a Brisket Pot Pie that quietly rethinks the Pot Pie by layering unexpected components.

Pin

Servings

6

servings

Calories

700

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 400 F / 200 C)
2. Large skillet or sauté pan for cooking the veggies and sauce
3. 9 inch pie dish (or a rimmed baking sheet if you prefer using puff pastry)
4. Rolling pin to fit the crust or puff pastry to the dish
5. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for chopping brisket and veggies
6. Measuring cups and spoons for the broth, flour, cream and seasonings
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring and scraping the pan
8. Whisk to blend the flour into the broth and to beat the egg wash
9. Pastry brush plus a small bowl for the egg wash, and a pair of kitchen tongs or spoon to fill the crust

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 cups cooked brisket, chopped or shredded (about 1 lb)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and small diced (optional)

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack

• 1 double pie crust or 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed if frozen

• 1 large egg plus 1 tablespoon water, beaten for egg wash

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). If you're using a double pie crust rather than puff pastry, you'll bake a little longer, about 35 to 40 minutes, so keep an eye on it.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots and celery and cook until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and the small diced potato if using, cook 2 more minutes.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup all purpose flour over the veggies and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes so the raw flour taste cooks out. This helps thicken the filling later.
• Slowly whisk in 2 cups beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, then stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Stir in 2 to 3 cups chopped or shredded cooked brisket and 1 cup frozen peas. Let the mixture heat through and the meat soak up the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.
• Off the heat fold in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack so the cheeses melt into the filling. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Let the filling cool for 8 to 10 minutes so it won't make the crust soggy.
• Roll out your pie crust or puff pastry and fit one crust into a 9 inch pie dish, pressing to the edges. Spoon the brisket and cheese filling into the crust, mound slightly in the center. If using puff pastry sheets you can cut to fit and overlap slightly.
• Cover with the top crust or the second puff pastry sheet, trim and crimp the edges to seal. Cut a few vents in the top to let steam escape. Mix 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the top crust with the egg wash for a glossy golden finish.
• Bake at 400 F (200 C) until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbly at the edges: about 20 to 25 minutes for puff pastry, or 35 to 40 minutes for a double pie crust. If the edges brown too fast, tent them with foil.
• Let the pie rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the filling sets. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons fresh parsley over the top for color and serve warm.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 300g
• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 700kcal
• Fat: 45g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Trans Fat: 1g
• Polyunsaturated: 3g
• Monounsaturated: 20g
• Cholesterol: 140mg
• Sodium: 800mg
• Potassium: 900mg
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 6g
• Protein: 35g
• Vitamin A: 3500IU
• Vitamin C: 8mg
• Calcium: 250mg
• Iron: 3.5mg