Beef Brisket Nachos

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 6 Servings

When it gets hurt-your-face-cold outside, I turn to old-fashioned, stick-to-your-ribs recipes that require hours of slow simmering in the oven — the kind that fill your home with amazing smells. The granddaddy of them all? A slow-cooked roast brisket. I’m talking eight hours in the oven, which gives you meat so tender that it falls apart in the process of transferring it from the pan to your plate.

Ingredients

6 ounces cooked brisket
1 (16-ounce) bag lightly salted thick, restaurant-style tortilla chips, preferably corn
16 ounces shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend (about 4 cups)
1 medium red onion
1 (16-ounce) jar kosher dill pickles
2 (about 15-ounce) cans black or pinto beans
1 teaspoon ground cumin or taco seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 medium lime
1 bunch fresh cilantro
Guacamole
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (12-ounce) jar salsa, or make your own
Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil.
Arrange 1 (16-ounce) bag tortilla chips on the baking sheets in an even layer. Sprinkle 8 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend (about 2 cups) evenly over the chips.
Drain 1 (16-ounce) jar pickles and finely chop (about 1 1/2 cups). Pat the pickles dry with paper towels and sprinkle over the nachos.
Drain 2 (about 15-ounce) can black or pinto beans, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin or taco seasoning, a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, and a pinch of kosher salt. Toss to combine and sprinkle over the pickles.
Finely dice 1 medium red onion (about 1 1/2 cups) and sprinkle over the beans. Trim the fat from 6 ounces cooked brisket, then shred or chop the meat into small, bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle over the onions and beans. Sprinkle the remaining 8 ounces cheese (about 2 cups) evenly over the top.
Bake until the cheese melts and starts to turn golden-brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut 1/4 medium lime into 2 wedges, and finely chop the leaves and tender stems of 1 bunch fresh cilantro until you have about 1/4 cup.
Sprinkle the cilantro over the nachos and squeeze a wedge of lime over each baking sheet. If you’d like, you can spoon guacamole, salsa, and sour cream directly onto the nachos, or just add spoonfuls to each bite as desired. Serve with hot sauce if desired.