Clay Bs Red River Valley Brisket Recipes

AUTHENTIC TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BBQ BRISKET

Steps:

• Trim. Trim off most of the fat cap but leave about 1/4" (6.3 mm). Until you get the hang of trimming fat, you might cut off some of the meat in the process. No harm, no foul. Some cooks attempt to remove some of the fat layer between the flat and the point by slicing them apart from both sides, but not slicing all the way through so they remain attached. Go for it, if you like. Either way, when you're done trimming fat, clean the meaty side of any silverskin, a shiny, thin, tough membrane. Set aside some fat for making burnt ends, described below. I always freeze some of the fat and grind it for my burgers if I think the meat needs more fat. I also render some fat over low heat in a pan, and freeze that too. I use beef fat to paint my steaks just before searing.
• Separate. You can remove the point at this stage, especially if you want to turn it into those luscious chunks of beef candy called burnt ends. Purists cry heresy, but separating the point and flat gives you a flat that is pretty uniform in thickness so it will cook more evenly. Plus, you can apply flavorful rub to all sides of the flat, and you will get an all-around smoke ring. You can cook the point and flat side by side.
• Inject (optional). I almost always inject briskets with beef broth. This meat takes so long to cook that the extra moisture helps keep it from dehydrating, and the salt helps the meat hold onto moisture and enhances flavor. Use broth only. No need to add spices, juices or other flavorings. All we want here is moisture. We don't want the fluid to mask the flavor of the meat. If you have a hypodermic syringe for injecting meat, now's the time to use it. Pump in about 1 ounce (28 g) of beef broth per pound of raw meat by inserting the needle parallel to the grain in several locations about 1" (2.5 cm) apart and backing it out as you press the plunger. Do it in the sink, and be careful so you don't get squirted in the eye.
• Season. If you have not injected salt, salt the meat about 12 to 24 hours in advance so it can work its way in, 2 to 4 hours minimum. If you have injected a salt solution, do not salt the meat.Notice the direction of the grain of the flat and remember this so you can carve the cooked brisket perpendicular to the grain. The grain will be hard to find under the bark when it is done, so some people mark it with a slice in the surface or cut off a slice to show them the way to cut later. After salting, sprinkle the Big Bad Beef Rub liberally on all areas of the meat and rub it in. Keep the meat chilled until just before you cook it. Chilled meat attracts more smoke. I strongly recommend you use a remote digital thermometer and insert the probe with the tip centered in the thickest part of the meat furthest from the heat.
• Fire up. Pre-heat your smoker, or if you are using a grill, set it up for indirect cooking. Click here to see how to set up a gas grill, here to set up a charcoal grill, or here to set up a bullet smoker like the Weber Smokey Mountain. Get the cooker temp stabilized at about 235°F (113°C). We want to cook at about 225°F (107°C), but the temp will drop a bit once you open the lid and load in the cold meat.
• Cook. Put the meat on the cooker. On a smoker with a water pan, put the meat right above the water. Place the oven temp probe on the grate next to the meat. Add about 2 cups (4 ounces (113 g)) of wood right after the meat goes on. When the smoke stops, add 4 ounces more during the first 2 hours, which usually means adding some every 30 minutes or so. Keep an eye on the water in the pan. Don't let it dry out. After 3 hours, turn the meat over if the color is different from top to bottom. Otherwise, leave the meat alone. No need to mop, baste, or spritz. It just lowers the temp of the meat and softens the bark.
• Wrap (optional). The meat's internal temperature will move steadily upward to somewhere around 150 to 170°F (55 to 77°C), and then it will enter the stall. Once in the stall, the temp will seem to take forever to rise. The stall can last 5 hours and the temp may not rise more than 5°F! When the meat hits the stall and temp stops rising, take it off and wrap it tightly in a double layer of heavy-duty foil. We have learned that the more airspace around the meat, the more juice leaks out of the meat. Crimp it tight and put the wrapped meat back on the smoker or move it to an indoor oven at 225°F (107°C). This step, called the Texas Crutch, slightly braises and steams the meat, but most importantly, it prevents the surface evaporation that cools down the meat and causes the stall. If you wrap the meat at 150°F (65°C), it will power right through the stall and cut your cooking time significantly.
• Burnt ends (optional). Burnt ends are amazingly flavorful bite-size crispy meat cubes. Originally they were simply edges and ends that were overcooked and trimmed off and munched by the kitchen staff. If there were any leftover, they were given away for free. Then, in 1970, in his marvelous book American Fried, Calvin Trillin wrote the following about Arthur Bryant's restaurant in Kansas City "The main course at Bryant's, as far as I'm concerned, is something that is given away for free -- the burned edges of the brisket. The counterman just pushes them over to the side as he slices the beef, and anyone who wants them helps himself. I dream of those burned edges. Sometimes, when I'm in some awful overpriced restaurant in some strange town -- all of my restaurant-finding techniques having failed, so that I'm left to choke down something that costs seven dollars and tastes like a medium-rare sponge -- a blank look comes over my face: I have just realized that at that very moment someone in Kansas City is being given those burned edges free."
• Temp it. When the meat temp hits 195°F (95°C), start poking it. Poke it with a thermometer probe. It should slide in and out with little resistance if it is done. Poke it with a finger or pick it up and jiggle it. If it goes wubba wubba and wiggles like jelly, it is done. This usually happens somewhere between 195 and 205°F (90 and 96°C), usually at around 203°F (95°C).
• Cheating. Here's my technique, strictly illegal in BBQ competitions, but very welcome in my family. In a frying pan, render about 1/4 pound of the beef fat that you trimmed from the brisket. Or cheat and use bacon fat or duck fat. You can do this over hot coals. Cut the brisket point into 1/2" to 3/4" (12 to 19 mm) cubes. Set aside any pieces that are too fatty or just eat them. Put the cubes in the pan and gently fry the cubes until they are crunchy on the outside, turning them a few times. Drain the fat and add about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of your favorite BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the drippings from the foil used for the Texas Crutch. Put the pan back on the cooker in a hot spot and close the lid. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Let the cubes absorb most of the liquid and start to sizzle, but don't let them burn. When they're done, keep them warm in the faux cambro with the flat.
• Faux Cambro. Cambros are insulated boxes used to keep food warm for extended periods of time. To create a home made version, get a plastic beer cooler, line it with a towel, blanket, or crumpled newspaper, and put the meat, still in foil, into the cooler on top of the lining. If the foil is leaking fluids put the meat in a large pan first. Leave the thermometer probe in the meat. Close the lid and let the hot meat sit in the cooler for 1 to 4 hours until you are ready to eat. If you can, wait til it drops to 150°F (65°C) to slice it. If you have a tight cooler, it should hold the meat well above a safe serving temp of 140°F (60°C) for several hours. Click here for our cooler reviews.
• Slice (How do I slice brisket?). Don't slice until the last possible minute. Brisket dries out very very quickly once it is cut. If you wish, you can firm up the crust a bit by unwrapping the meat and putting it over a hot grill or under a broiler for a few minutes on each side. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn. Sauce should not be needed if the brisket is juicy, but if you want sauce, just don't use a sweet one. Heat up my Texas Barbecue Mop Sauce or heat up the jus in the foil and bring it to the table. Beware: Taste the jus first. It might be salty. You can dilute it warm water or unsalted beef broth. Important: Turn the meat fat side up so the juices will run onto the meat as you slice.
• Slicing is a bit of a challenge because there are two muscles (the point and the flat) and the grain flows in different directions. In this photo you can see the grain in the meat. The point muscle sits on top of the flat muscle. The point is thin on one end (A) and thick on the other (B). The thickness of the slab varies significantly, from 1" (2 cm) at the left and right edge to 4" (10 cm) or more at the crown of the point.Here are three methods for carving. (I) the easy method, (II) the Sorkin method, and (III) the competition method.
• (I) The easy methodLop off about 1" (2 cm) from the thick end and about 2" (5 cm) from the thin end, which is the tip of the flat. These ends are likely overcooked and dry. Chop them and smother them in sauce for chopped brisket. Then find the fat layer between the point and flat and slide your blade between the two muscles. Separate them, and trim off most of the excess fat. Find the grain of the flat and slice across the grain. You can also slice against the grain of the point. Offer your guests "lean" or "fatty." Most will choose the lean, which will leave the better, fattier, point cut for you (turn it into burnt ends!).
• (II) The Sorkin slicing methodI learned this method from Barry Sorkin of Chicago's Smoque BBQ. He makes my favorite brisket in the world. In the photos below, Sorkin demonstrates how he slices a whole packer brisket.
• Start by removing the drier thin part of the flat, and set it aside for chopping, not slicing.
• Then slice the thick center part of the flat across the grain until you encounter the point muscle on top of the flat. In the photo above, he is within one or two slices from hitting the point. These center cut slices are the ones that most competitors use because they produce a visually pleasing presentation of nearly identical slabs of meat.
• Sorkin then goes into the layer of fat between the point and flat at the thick butt end, and he removes much of the fat. It can be 1/2" thick or more in there, and that makes the slices inedible.
• The remaining hunk has both muscles, the point sitting on top of the flat, with the grain going in different directions. He slices this hunk in half.
• Here, the section on the right is a butt end with one cut edge. The left section, from the center the brisket, has two cut edges.
• Slice the center section as shown, from the outer edge in.
• Slice the remaining butt end of the point in the same direction as you cut the flat, continuing to cut parallel to the cut end.
• Sorkin then fans the slices on a bun. Notice the line separating flat and point.
• Thin parts of the flat are chopped and some of the fat from between the point and flat is mixed in for moisture. The results are crunchy, heavily seasoned, and juicy. These bits can also be splashed with sauce and served on a bun.
• (III) Competition brisket slicing methodSome competitors prefer this method of slicing. Run a knife between the flat and the point and separate the two muscles. Trim off excess fat. Slice each muscle separately across the grain about 1/4" (6.3 mm) thick. The meat should hold together, not fall apart or crumble. It should only pull apart with a gentle tug. If the first slice falls apart, cut thicker slices. Here is a picture of a competition brisket entry by Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) President Emeritus Candy Weaver. Notice the nice even slices of flat with the smoke ring on top surrounded by chunks of burnt ends. Learn more about how to cook competition brisket here.
• Serve. If the brisket is perfectly cooked, it should be moist and juicy. You can serve it simply sliced on a plate or as a sandwich made with Texas Toast. If you wish, drizzle some Texas Barbecue Mop Sauce mixed with some of the drippings from the Texas crutch on top of the meat. Taste the drippings first because they can be salty (if so, you can dilute them with water or unsalted beef broth). Here's one of my faves: At Joe's KC in Kansas City the serve a sandwich called the "Z-Man". It's thin sliced brisket with a sweet KC sauce topped with melted provolone cheese, a couple of thick crunchy onion rings, more sauce, all on a toasted kaiser roll, and slaw on the side. You want pickle chips on it, go ahead.

SMOKED, SPICE RUBBED, TEXAS-STYLE BRISKET ON TEXAS TOAST

Steps:

• Mix together all the spices in a bowl. Liberally rub the entire brisket with the spices, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Remove the brisket from the refrigerator 1 hour before beginning the smoking process to take the chill off, and remove the plastic wrap.
• Get your smoker running at 225 degrees F with hardwood charcoal and a few handfuls of soaked wood chips. This temperature should be maintained throughout the entire smoke. (If you are using a grill: Set up the grill for indirect heat, banking the coals on one side of the grill and scattering the wood chips on top. Maintain the temperature at 225 degrees throughout the smoking process, adding chips as necessary, until you wrap the brisket in foil.)
• Place the brisket fat-side up on your smoker grate and close it up for the long smoke.
• Open your barbecue smoker every hour or 2 and spray the brisket liberally with apple juice to help keep the meat from drying out. Also keep apple juice in the water pan if you are using a water smoker.
• When the internal temperature reaches 165 to 170 degrees, after about 4 hours, wrap the brisket in aluminum foil and continue to cook for another 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. This little trick is a big help in getting the meat tender, especially for beginners. Figure that a brisket smoked at around 200 degrees will take about 1 1/2 hours per pound. The brisket is done when the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F. Remove and let rest 20 minutes before slicing. Remove the foil from the brisket over a large pan or disposable pan and reserve the liquid. Cut off the brisket points and reserve for another use (such as Honey-Rum Pinto Beans with Burnt Ends). After the points are removed, look to see which way the grain runs and slice thinly across the grain. Smear some barbecue sauce on Grilled Texas Toast, top with brisket and Pickled Red Onions.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high. Heat the oil in a small saute pan and cook the garlic for 1 minute. Let cool slightly. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Grill the bread until lightly golden brown on both sides. Remove from the grill and spread 1 side of each slice with some of the garlic butter.
• Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan and cook until the sugar and salt dissolves, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Add the onions and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

EASY WINE-MARINATED BRISKET

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine wine, soy sauce, grated onion, celery, and garlic in a heavy-duty zip-top freezer bag large enough to accommodate the brisket. Add the brisket to the bag, squeeze out the air, seal, and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 325 F.
• Remove brisket and place fat-side up in a roasting pan or Dutch oven. Spread sliced onions around brisket and cover with the marinade. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover tightly with heavy foil or a lid. Bake for 3 hours, until tender. Check midway through roasting time and add water, if needed, to keep brisket from drying out.
• When done, remove the brisket from the oven and let rest 15 minutes. Carve slices against the grain and place on a serving platter. Cover slices with pan juices and cooked onions to serve.

WINE-BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Generously season brisket with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear brisket until browned, 4 to 5 minutes a side; transfer to a plate. Drain fat from pot and discard. Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, shallots, garlic, and potato starch and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add broth, mustard, zest, and thyme; bring to a boil. Add meat and any accumulated juices. Cover and transfer to oven; cook 2 hours, 15 minutes.
• Flip meat over; add vegetables. Cover and continue to cook until everything is very tender, about 45 minutes. (If you're saving it for the next day, let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Reheat, covered, in a 350 degrees oven until warmed through, about 40 minutes.)
• Transfer vegetables to a platter and meat to a cutting board; season with salt. Skim fat from liquid in pot. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Slice brisket against the grain and serve, with vegetables and sauce.

CLAY B'S RED RIVER VALLEY BRISKET

Steps:

• Make the barbecue sauce: in a heavy nonreactive saucepan, add the ketchup, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, onion, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic salt, black pepper, ginger, cayenne, and 1 cup water; slowly bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Decrease heat to medium and let the sauce simmer gently until thick and full-flavored, about 30 minutes, adding a little more water if it gets too thick.
• Taste for seasoning, adding more brown sugar, garlic salt, and/or even vinegar, as necessary, to taste.
• Strain the sauce before serving, if desired; transfer the sauce to clean jars and refrigerate until serving.
• Make the rub: combine the rub ingredients in a bowl; use your fingers to mix the rub; set aside roughly 1/3 of the rub.
• Trim the outer layer of fat on the brisket so that about ¼ inch remains; if there is a pocket of fat between the flat and the cap, cut it out and discard it.
• Cut the meat into 3 equal-size pieces; sprinkle 2/3 of the rub all over both sides of the pieces of brisket, dividing it evenly among them and patting it into the meat with your fingers.
• Wrap meat in plastic wrap and let cure 12 hours in the refrigerator.
• Pour the cider into a spray bottle; set aside.
• Set up grill for indirect grilling and preheat to low; **if using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then decrease heat to low; **if using a charcoal grill, place a large dip pan in the center, preheat grill to low, then toss 1 cup of wood chips on coals; **if using a smoker, fire it up according to manufacturers directions.
• When ready to cook, place the brisket in the center of the hot grate, fat side up, over the drip pan and away from heat; cover the grill.
• Cook brisket until handsomely browned, about 3 hours.
• Spray the meat every hour with apple cider.
• Turn over the meat and cook 1 more hour.
• **If using a charcoal grill, every hour you will need to add 12 fresh coals and ½ cup of wood chips to each side.
• Spray each piece of meat one more time with apple cider; sprinkle the reserved rub all over the pieces of meat, dividing it evenly among them, then wrap each piece in heavy foil.
• Return the wrapped meat to the grate, cover the grill, and continue cooking the brisket until very tender, 3-4 hours; **if using a charcoal grill, you will need to add 12 fresh coals to each side every hour, no more chips are necessary.
• Partially unwrap one of the briskets to test for doneness-should be very dark and tender and have an internal temperature of 190°.
• Transfer brisket to a cutting board; let rest for 20 minutes.
• You can serve brisket right away-slice it thinly across the grain; or you can refrigerate it overnight and reheat it in a 350° oven for about 1 hour.
• Can be served in a bun with barbecue sauce.

BRISKET BOWLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the brisket: Bring the beef to room temp and pat dry. Sprinkle the brisket with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high to high heat. Add the meat and brown on both sides, then remove. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and then add the garlic, celery, carrots, chiles, onions and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and stir 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, and stir. Then, add the stock, tamari, mirin and vinegar. Add the brisket and cover. Braise in the oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Remove the brisket from the sauce. Puree the sauce to smooth in a food processor or with an immersion blender, if desired. Slice the brisket and add back to the sauce. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat, stirring gently.
• For the rice: The night you serve, heat the stock and butter to a boil. Add the rice and stir. Season with salt and cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, medium low. In a food processor, pulse the spinach and cilantro into a fine chop. After the rice has cooked 15 minutes, stir in the cilantro, spinach and the lime zest. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 3 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Cut the zested lime into wedges.
• Fill the bowls with the green rice and make a well in the center of the bowl. Fill with the beef, and top with the juice from a wedge of a lime, scallions, drizzle of sesame oil, sesame seeds and a few drops of hot sauce.