Leftover smoked brisket, funky aged kimchi, and a crispy fried egg turn fried rice into something greater than the sum of its parts.

There are some recipes that I plan carefully, test repeatedly, and fine-tune over weeks and months until every gram is exactly where it belongs. And then there are recipes born from standing in front of your refrigerator, looking at leftovers, and thinking: Yeah... I think that'll be good.

This is definitely the latter type of recipe. (Though I should say that once you've learned The Rules fo Fried Rice, you've got what it takes to turn basically anything into fried rice.)

I’ve recently been working on a collaboration with my friend Andrew Rubenstein from Hey! Bagel (easily one of the best bagel shops in Seattle) to come up with a limited-time-only bialy. In the process of testing recipes, I found myself sitting on a large leftover hunk of smoked brisket from Outsider Barbecue. Outsider makes my favorite smoked meats in the city, and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.

Now, smoked brisket is magical enough on its own. But leftover smoked brisket—especially when it's the the fattier point meat, with all its rendered collagen, smoky bark, and rich beef fat—is basically preloaded flavor concentrate. It begs to be chopped up and folded into something else.

My first thought: fried rice.

My second thought: kimchi fried rice.

Kimchi loves fatty cured meats. Think: Kimchi and spam. Kimchi with bacon. Kimchi with braised pork belly. It's not a big leap to arrive at kimchi and smoky Texas-style barbecue.

The funky lactic sourness of aged kimchi cuts through the richness of the beef. A little gochujang adds body and sweetness (I squeeze my kimchi and dissolve the gochujang into the kimchi juice for even dispersal). Soy sauce brings salinity and depth. Sesame oil rounds the whole thing out with its toasted aroma. Once it's topped with a crispy-edged fried egg, the dish goes from “excellent leftovers” into “I might make brisket specifically so I can make this tomorrow.”

Chinese fried rice, where individual grains are the goal, with kimchi fried rice, all of that rich meat, fermented chile paste, and tangy kimchi juice coats the rice in a glossy layer that makes this less about distinct grains and more about deep, unified flavor. Just before plating, I like to let the rice sit in my wok over the burner for a few moments without stirring so that the bottom develops a crispy, caramelized crust.

I love a carefully engineered recipe as much as anyone. But every once in a while, it’s nice to let the refrigerator make your dinner plans.

Kimchi and Smoked Brisket Fried Rice

What I love about this recipe:

Turns leftover barbecue into something arguably better than the original meal

Uses both kimchi solids and kimchi juice for layered flavor

Brisket fat + sesame oil = yum

The crispy fried egg on top

Yield: Serves 2 to 4Active Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 20 minutesNotes: For the best results, use Chinese-style medium-grain rice, jasmine rice, or sushi rice. Rice should either be cooked fresh, spread on a tray, and allowed to cool for five minutes, or, alternatively, transferred to a loosely covered container and refrigerated for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. You can use bacon, spam, or any other cured fatty pork product in place of the brisket.

Ingredients

For the fried rice:

1 cup (225g) kimchi, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup (60ml) kimchi juice (squeezed from the kimchi over a fine mesh strainer)

1 tablespoon (15g) gochujang

2 teaspoons (10ml) soy sauce

2 teaspoons (10ml) toasted sesame oil, plus more for cooking

8 ounces (225g) smoked brisket, diced (or substitute bacon, pastrami, ham, Spam, or other smoked/cured meat)

1 tablespoon (15ml) brisket fat, bacon fat, or neutral oil

2 cups cooked rice (12 ounces; 350g; see notes)

3 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

2 to 4 eggs

Neutral oil, for frying

Pinch MSG (optional, but recommended)

Extra scallion greens

Method

1) Prepare the kimchi and build the sauce: Place the chopped kimchi in a strainer set over a bowl and press firmly to extract as much juice as possible. Reserve both the squeezed kimchi and the juice separately. In a small bowl, combine the reserved kimchi juice, gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame oil, whisking until smooth.

2) Crisp the brisket: With a paper towel, rub a thin film of oil into a wok or large skillet and place over high heat until lightly smoking. Add the brisket fat or oil, swirl to coat, then immediately add the chopped brisket and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until some of the fat renders and the edges begin to crisp, about 1 minutes Add the chopped kimchi and continue stir-frying until the brisket is browned and the kimchi is starting to caramelize on the edges, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the brisket and kimchi to a bowl. Wipe out the wok (or wash if there is anything stuck to it).

3) Prepare the rice: Drizzle the rice with 2 teaspoons (10ml) sesame oil and use your fingers to gently separate the grains. Heat a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil, swirl to coat, then immediately add the rice. Toss and stir until hot and lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Return the brisket and kimchi to the wok along with the scallion whites. Toss well. Pour in the kimchi-gochujang sauce and stir-fry until evenly coated and glossy, about 1 minute. Let it sit undisturbed for 30 to 60 seconds so some rice develops crispy browned edges, then toss again. Taste and season with salt, MSG, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Turn the fried rice out onto a plate.

5) Fry the eggs and serve: Heat a teaspoon of neutral oil in a small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add a couple eggs and cook until the whites are crisp and bubble and the yolks remain runny. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a pinch of MSG if using. Slide the eggs on top of the fried rice. Garnish with scallion greens, and serve.