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Smoked brisket egg rolls stuffed with a cream cheese filling and served with a homemade Asian BBQ dipping sauce. The ultimate use for leftover brisket!
If you’ve ever smoked a whole brisket and found yourself standing over the leftovers thinking “there has to be more I can do with this”, this recipe is your answer. These smoked brisket egg rolls are crispy on the outside, packed with smoky, tender brisket point and a savory cream cheese filling on the inside, and served with a homemade Asian-style BBQ dipping sauce that you’re going to want to put on everything.
Fair warning: these are dangerous. As in, “gone before they hit the table” dangerous. If you’re making them as a game day appetizer or a party snack, make a double batch. You’ve been warned.
What Are Brisket Egg Rolls?
Smoked brisket egg rolls are the Asian-barbecue fusion that you didn’t know you needed. Based on the brisket rangoon recipe from Chud’s BBQ, this egg roll version combines chopped smoked brisket point and a sweet and savory cream cheese filling into one Chinese takeout-inspired favorite.
Meaty, creamy, crunchy, and packed with flavor – these BBQ egg rolls hit all the right notes. So much so that I caught my wife standing over the kitchen counter chowing down on her third one when she thought no one was looking.
How to Make Brisket Egg Rolls
Step 1: Reheat and Chop the Brisket
If using leftover brisket, reheat using your preferred method – I prefer to reheat brisket using my sous vide stick.
Then roughly chop into small chunks – you want some texture, and you want those little barky bits mixed in well, but you don’t want large pieces that will poke through the delicate egg roll wrappers.
Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Filling
In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese with the other filling ingredients like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and thinly sliced green onions.
Mix until everything is fully incorporated.
Step 3: Make the Dipping Sauce
These brisket egg rolls are delicious on their own, but our Asian BBQ sauce really pushes this appetizer into craving territory. In a bowl, whisk together the dipping sauce ingredients, and then give it a taste and adjust to your liking.
The chili sauce should be the star – sweet, tangy, and just a little spicy – with the BBQ sauce adding body and that familiar smokiness. The sauce is so good, you may even find yourself using it for other smoked appetizers like brisket stuffed poblano peppers or smoked meatballs.
Step 4: Roll the Egg Rolls
Lay an egg roll wrapper flat on your work surface in a diamond orientation (corner pointing toward you).
Spread a generous spoonful of the cream cheese filling across the bottom third of the egg roll wrapper, and top with a spoonful of the chopped brisket. Do your best to not overfill – Overfilling is the number one enemy of a good egg roll.
Then, dip your finger or a pastry brush in a small cup of water, and moisten the entire outer edge of the egg roll wrapper.
*Chef’s Tip – Most people only apply a bit of water to one corner to hold it in place after folding, but I find that adding a few drops all the way around the edge helps to hold all of the edges in place and to keep your egg roll from popping open in the fryer.
After the water, fold the bottom corner up over the filling, fold in the two side corners, then roll it up tightly toward the top corner. Ensure that the egg roll is sealed shut, and repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Step 5: Fry the Egg Rolls
Heat 3-4 inches of frying oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F.
Carefully add 4-5 egg rolls at a time – don’t overcrowd the pan. A large batch of cold filling will drop your oil temperature fast, and you’ll end up with greasy, soggy egg rolls instead of crispy ones.
Fry for 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until the wrappers are deep golden brown and crispy all over.
Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
Tips for Making Egg Rolls
- Keep your work surface dry – You will be using a pastry brush or your finger to moisten the outer edges of the egg roll wrapper, and you may drip excess water. Every few egg rolls that you roll, use a clean towel to dry the work surface so the excess water doesn’t cause your wrappers to become gummy or tear.
- Fill one egg roll as a tester – Add filling and roll one egg roll first, and then test it in the fryer to make sure that the filling stays inside and the egg roll doesn’t come undone. It’s much easier to get your technique right, instead of rolling all of them the wrong way and figuring out that they bust in the oil.
- Don’t stack the egg rolls – After frying, leave your egg rolls in a single layer. The weight from stacking them causes them to flatten and lose their shape.
- Don’t overcrowd the fryer – Frying too many egg rolls at once will cause your oil temperature to drop dramatically, and you’ll end up with soggier egg rolls. Adjust the temp of the burner as needed, and allow time in between batches for the oil to come back up to 350°F.
Other Brisket Appetizers
Brisket Egg Rolls
Ingredients
- 3-3½ cups chopped brisket, see notes
- 16-18 egg roll wrappers
- vegetable or canola oil for frying, enough for 3-4 inches of depth in your pot
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 2 8 oz blocks cream cheese, softened
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp, or crunchy garlic chili oil (like Mr. Bing or Chef Troy's)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce, optional
For the Asian BBQ Dipping Sauce:
- 1 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- ¼ cup barbecue sauce, like Traeger Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce
- 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce, like Bachan's Japanese BBQ Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce, optional
Instructions
- Make the dipping sauce: In a bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients until fully combined – including Thai sweet chili sauce, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and optional fish sauce. Set aside. The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to one week.
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, thinly sliced green onions, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and chili crisp (or crunchy garlic chili oil), and optional fish sauce. Mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Heat the oil: Heat neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola) in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Use a thermometer – maintaining oil temperature is the key to crispy egg rolls.
- Roll the egg rolls: While the oil is heating, wrap the egg rolls. Lay one egg roll wrapper flat in a diamond orientation with a corner pointing toward you. Spread about 2½ tablespoons of cream cheese filling towards the bottom third of the egg roll wrapper (closest to you), leaving about 1/2" of space on the outer edge. Top with about 3 tablespoons of chopped brisket – don't overfill or the wrapper won't seal. Dip your finger or a pastry brush in a small cup of water, and moisten the entire outer edge of the egg roll wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, tuck in the two side corners, then roll up toward the top corner. Dab the top corner with a bit more water, if needed to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
- Fry the egg rolls: Working in batches of 4–5 egg rolls (never overcrowd the pan), carefully lower the egg rolls into the hot oil. Fry for 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and crispy all over. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Serve: Serve immediately with the Asian BBQ dipping sauce on the side. These are best hot and fresh.
Notes
- Leftover chopped brisket – This is an ideal recipe for leftover smoked brisket. Reheat using your preferred method – I prefer to reheat brisket using my sous vide stick. Then roughly chop into very small chunks – you want some texture, and you want those little barky bits mixed in well, but you don’t want large pieces that will poke through the delicate egg roll wrappers.
- Don’t overcrowd the oil – Adding too many egg rolls at once will drop the oil temperature and result in greasy, soggy wrappers. Four to five at a time, and let the oil come back up to 350°F between batches.
- Keep your work surface dry – You will be using a pastry brush or your finger to moisten the outer edges of the egg roll wrapper, and you may drip excess water. Every few egg rolls that you roll, use a clean towel to dry the work surface so the excess water doesn’t cause your wrappers to become gummy or tear.
- Fill one egg roll as a tester – Add filling and roll one egg roll first, and then test it in the fryer to make sure that the filling stays inside and the egg roll doesn’t come undone. It’s much easier to get your technique right, instead of rolling all of them the wrong way and figuring out that they bust in the oil.
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