Joey's Cheeseburger Recipe
Hand-pulled brisket finished in our house BBQ glaze.
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Ingredients
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Brisket and BBQ Glaze
Burger Build
Finishing & Seasoning
Method
Brisket and BBQ Glaze
Season brisket
Pat the brisket dry with paper towels. Combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika and rub evenly over all sides of the brisket.
Braise or slow-cook
Place the seasoned brisket in a heavy ovenproof pot or slow cooker. Add beef broth and apple cider vinegar. If using an oven, cover and braise at 300°F (150°C) for 3 to 4 hours, or until the brisket is fork-tender. If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5–6 hours.
Rest and pull
Remove the brisket from the pot and let it rest 15 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. Using two forks or meat claws, hand-pull the brisket into bite-size shreds. Return pulled brisket to the pot or slow cooker insert and keep warm.
Make house BBQ glaze
While the brisket rests, combine brown sugar, ketchup, apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard and hot sauce (if using) in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer 6–8 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup reserved cooking liquid to adjust consistency—glaze should coat but not be syrupy.
Finish brisket in glaze
Pour the BBQ glaze over the pulled brisket and gently toss to coat. Warm the glazed brisket over low heat for 5–10 minutes so flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Burger Build
Toast buns: Spread softened butter on cut sides of each bun. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and toast buns cut-side down until golden, 1–2 minutes. Keep toasted buns warm.
Assemble cheeseburgers: On the bottom bun, place a generous mound (about 3¼ oz / 90 g) of the glazed pulled brisket. Top brisket with a slice of sharp cheddar; if you prefer melted cheese, return assembled bottom halves to the skillet for 30–45 seconds with a lid to melt the cheese. Add a few pickle slices and some thinly sliced red onion. Spread mayonnaise on the top bun if using, then close the burger.
Serve: Serve immediately while the brisket is hot. Provide extra BBQ glaze at the table if desired.
Finishing & Seasoning
Adjust seasoning to taste: Offer salt and black pepper at the table for guests to season their burgers if needed.