Brisket Hash

Beef is not only what’s for dinner, it’s also what’s for breakfast. And what a hearty breakfast this is. Loaded with country potatoes, cheese, herbs and spices plus gorgeous chunks of beef brisket. Topped with a couple of eggs – served your favorite way – and a savory brown shallot gravy!

It was not uncommon to have beef for breakfast at the ranch. Often it was in the form of a pan-seared steak served with eggs and biscuits hot from the oven. A hearty breakfast was key to get through a day of working cattle.

This is a layering of unbelievable flavors and tastes. Country-style potatoes are tossed in olive oil and butter then in both garlic and chili powders. Then they’re sautéed with thyme until the potatoes are tender and lightly golden brown. Toss in a handful of shaved nutty Fontina and Parmesan cheese and chunks of that succulent beef brisket. Finally, slide the eggs on top and add a spoon or two of that rich gravy made with beef stock and shallots!

There are several steps in this dish but you can take some shortcuts. For the potatoes grab a bag of Simply Potatoes diced potatoes, found in the dairy case in most food markets. We frequently use both their diced potatoes and hash browns and always have great results.

And for the brisket, you can use leftover brisket you might have cooked and stashed in your fridge or head over to your favorite barbecue spot and have them slice some up for you. I did the latter. Luckily we live in an area surrounded by great barbecue restaurants. Many known for their hickory or mesquite smoked brisket with everything meticulously prepared on site including custom rubs and recipes.

For the gravy, shallots are sautéed in butter adding their subtle, savory note to a rich beef stock creating a luscious brown sauce.

Thickened with flour and finished with a touch of cream, it’s perfect for ladling over the brisket hash. If you want to do a bit of meal prep you can also make the gravy ahead of time. When you’re ready to serve simply reheat adding a little cream or beef stock if it needs to be thinned.

You might not be working cattle, but that’s no reason to skip an unbelievable breakfast. This is one delicious way to start the day!

Brisket Hash with Shallot Gravy

For the shallot gravy:

2 tablespoons butter

1 small shallot, sliced very thin – about 3 tablespoons

2 tablespoons flour

¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup water

1 tablespoon concentrated beef stock, such as Better Than Bouillon

½ cup cream

To make the shallot gravy:

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook until very tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Whisk the flour into the butter and shallots until smooth. Add ¼ teaspoon of the kosher salt – reserving the remainder only if needed – and black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the water and the concentrated beef stock. Continue whisking and cooking over medium heat until the gravy has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in the cream. Check for seasonings and add the additional kosher salt if needed.

To make the brisket hash:

1 package diced potatoes, about 20-ounces or 4 cups

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons butter, melted

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme, or about 1 teaspoon dried

8 ounces cooked sliced beef brisket

½ cup shaved blend of Fontina and Parmesan

4 to 8 eggs, cooked over easy or to your preference – 1 to 2 eggs per person

To make the hash:

Place the diced potatoes in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the melted butter. Add the kosher salt, black pepper, chili powder and garlic powder, stirring until well blended. Pour the seasoning mixture over the diced potatoes, stirring to coat well.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and the thyme. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring once after about 8 minutes.

Add the brisket, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes just until the brisket is warmed through, then add the cheese.

Top with eggs and the shallot gravy.

Serves 4.