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Loaded brisket tater tots

Loaded Brisket Tater Tots

These Loaded Brisket Tater Tots are savory comfort food at its finest. Tender, flavorful brisket, grated parmesan baked on top, a drizzle of barbecue sauce, pickled jalapeños and green onion as a flavorful garnish, all on top of a bead of fluffy, crispy tater tots. Serve me up!
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Active Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dinner
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients
  

For the brisket:

  • 1 pound brisket cut beef
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoons table salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce

For the tots:

  • 1/4 white onion
  • Cooking oil
  • 1 32 ounce bag of frozen tater tots
  • 1/2 + cup of queso
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Pickled jalapeños
  • 1 sprig of green onion

Instructions
 

  • Mix all of the ingredients for the brisket together, except for the barbecue sauce.
  • Cut your beef into 1-2 inch cubes, pour the seasoning mixture of them, and mix until the beef if evenly coated.
  • Pour 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the pot and then add the steamer rack insert. Close the lid and set it to seal. Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes with a 10 minute natural release before venting the lid. You will complete steps 5 and 6 while the brisket is cooking.
    * If you are not using an instant pot, you will still coat the beef with the seasoning, but may use other methods to cook it.
  • Once the brisket is cooked, put it onto a cutting board. Pour 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce onto it and then shred it.
  • Preheat the oven to 425F. Once heated, place the 32 ounces of tater tots in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake them for 28-32 minutes before removing from the oven. You will want to time putting them in to where they are done just a few minutes before the brisket, so that they stay hot. Do not turn the oven off at this time.
  • While the brisket is cooking and the oven is preheating, you will caramelize your onions. Start by adding 1 teaspoon of cooking oil onto a medium sized pan and put it on medium heat on the stove. Slice 1/4 of a white onion and put it onto the pan. Let the onion caramelize for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. If they are starting to sear at all, reduce the heat to medium low.
  • Once the tater tots are done cooking, you will add a layer of 1/2 a cup of queso (or more if you would like) on top of them. Once added, use a spatula to scrape up the tots from the bottom of the pan and slightly condense them in the center of the tray. This makes them better to eat and distributes the queso more.
  • Next, add the caramelized onions on top of the queso covered tots. Now add a layer of the shredded brisket. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of grated parmesan on top. Next, zig-zag some lines of barbecue sauce on top. Finally, add some pickled jalapeños.
  • With the oven still on 425F, add the tater tots back in for 8-10 minutes.
  • Take the tots out of the oven and sprinkle them with about 1 sprig of cut up green onion.
    Enjoy!