Real Barbecue Brisket Recipes

BARBECUED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients; cook and stir over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until brown sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a disposable foil pan., In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown brisket on both sides. Place in foil pan, turning to coat with sauce. Cover pan tightly with foil., Place pan on grill rack over indirect medium heat. Grill, covered, 2 to 2-1/4 hours or until meat is tender., Remove from heat. Remove brisket from pan; tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, skim fat from sauce in pan. Cut brisket diagonally across the grain into thin slices; serve with sauce.

TEXAS-STYLE BARBECUED BRISKET

Steps:

• 1. Rinse the brisket under cold running water and blot it dry with paper towels.
• 2. Combine the salt, chili powder, sugar, pepper, and cumin in a bowl and toss with your fingers to mix. Rub the spice mixture on the brisket on all sides. If you have time, wrap the brisket in plastic and let it cure, in the refrigerator, for 4 to 8 hours (or even overnight), but don't worry if you don't have time for this-it will be plenty flavorful, even if you cook it right away.
• 3. Set up a charcoal grill for indirect grilling and preheat it to low. No drip pan is necessary for this recipe.
• 4. When ready to cook, toss 1 1/2 cups of the wood chips on the coals (3/4 cup per side). Place the brisket, fat side up, in an aluminum foil pan (or make a pan with a double sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil). Place the pan in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat. Cover the grill.
• 5. Smoke cook the brisket until tender enough to shred with your fingers; 6 hours will likely do it, but it may take as long as 8 (the cooking time will depend on the size of the brisket and heat of the grill). Baste the brisket from time to time with the fat and juices that accumulate in the pan. You'll need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side every hour and toss more wood chips on the fresh coals; add about 3/4 cup chips per side every time you replenish the coals during the first 3 hours.
• 6. Remove the brisket pan from the grill and let rest for 15 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and thinly slice it across the grain, using a sharp knife, electric knife, or cleaver. Transfer the sliced meat to a platter, pour the pan juices on top, and serve at once.
• Barbecue Sauce, the Texas Way
• The best Texas-style barbecue sauce combines the sweetness of Kansas City-style tomato sauces with the mouth-puckering tartness of a North Carolina vinegar sauce. I've come up with my own version-mix together equal parts of the Basic Barbecue Sauce and the North Carolina Vinegar Sauce . Serve this with barbecued brisket. For a really good sauce, add some meat drippings or a little chopped brisket.

OVEN BARBECUED BEEF BRISKET I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees).
• Sprinkle both sides of brisket with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place in a large covered roasting pan.
• Cook covered with no water at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) allowing 1 hour per pound.
• Before last hour of cooking, remove brisket and slice. Return slices to pan and add barbecue sauce mixed with water. Cover meat with sauce, cover, and cook 1 hour longer.

BBQ BRISKET

Steps:

• Mix together the paprika, salt and pepper, sugar, and cayenne. Rub the spice mixture all over the brisket and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the brisket in a large casserole or Dutch oven and pour the sauce over the top, hocks and all. Cover and cook until brisket is fork tender and can easily be shredded, about 3 hours. Transfer the brisket to a platter. Skim and discard the fat from the top of the sauce. Shred or thinly slice the brisket. Serve.
• Copyright (c) 2004 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and crushed pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the ham hocks, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until deep red in color and has thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Adjust seasoning salt with pepper. Sauce will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
• Copyright (c) 2004 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.
• Yield: about 8 cups
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 32 minutes
• Inactive Prep Time: 25 minutes

REAL TEXAS BRISKET (SMOKED) (SOUTHWEST)

Steps:

• Trim brisket leaving 1/2" layer of fat on top. Determine the direction of the grain of the meet and cut off a slice across the grain. This way when the meet is done, and covered with a dark brown crust, you'll be able to see which direction you should slice.
• Brush with 1/4 cup of lemon juice (bottle juice is fine).
• In a bowl, combine lemon pepper, oregano, celery salt, garlic salt, and seasoned salt.
• Rub brisket with 1/2 of this mixture, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• Remove brisket and let it come to room temp before cooking. Putting a cold piece of meat in a smoker is a sure fire recipe for disaster--the meet will be very bitter.
• Prepare your smoker according to the manufacturer's direction. Heat the smoker to 225°F at the cooking level.
• Place the brisket in the smoker, fat side up.
• Keep the temperature as close to 200°F as you can for the first 2-3 hours by adjusting the air intake, and adding small pieces of wood every 30 minutes. Do not adjust the out vent, it should always remain full open. You know your cooking properly when there is very little smoke coming out of the smoker, and the hot air coming out of the top vent is clear for the first foot, then it turns to a grayish white smoke. If smoke is billowing out of every opening, the smoke is cold and the air flow is too low--your brisket will taste like tar. You can let the temperature creep up to 225°F , but not much over that.
• In a small bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, and remaining lemon juice and rub mixture.
• Mop on the sauce every hour as you turn the meat. Be sure to turn the meat over and also rotate to ensure even cooking. This should be the only time you open the cooking area.
• Smoke 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours per pound, until the internal temperature is 190°F . If you go much past that, your brisket will not slice up, and you'll have pulled beef.
• Remove and wrap in aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for about 1 hour.
• Cut the point (the pyramid shaped portion) off following a natural fat layer between the point and the flat.
• Trim off excess fat.
• Slice the brisket across the grain, using the starter slice you should have done at the beginning as a guide. Slices should be 1/4" thick. If a portion of brisket is falling apart rather than slicing, don't despair. Save the shredded portions and the burnt ends. They will make the best BBQ beef sandwiches later, when chopped and mixed with BBQ sauce.

CUTS-LIKE-BUTTER BBQ BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Place brisket, fat side up, in a large roasting pan. Pour marinade over brisket. Bake, covered, for 4 hours. Combine remaining ingredients; sprinkle over brisket. Bake, covered, until tender, 2-4 hours longer (a thermometer inserted in brisket should read about 200°)., Preheat broiler; uncover brisket. Broil 3-4 in. from heat until fat is bubbly and slightly charred, 4-5 minutes. Cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices. If desired, skim fat from cooking juices and serve with brisket.

THE ONE AND ONLY BARBECUED BRISKET

Steps:

• The day before serving pat the dry rub into every pore on the brisket and place in a large bag, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap, to marinate overnight.
• Early in the morning take brisket out of refrigerator and bring to room temperature while you start your fire and heat to 210ºF.
• Place brisket on opposite side from the firebox with the fat side up, so juices will help baste the meat.
• Maintain pit temperature between 180º and 220º and smoke 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours per pound.
• Every hour or so, if you have to use mop sauce you may do so.
• (The fat is going to keep the meat moist.) Remove brisket and let sit for 20 minutes.
• Cut the fatty top section away from the top section and the second section.
• Slice both brisket sections across the grain.
• Serve the barbeque sauce on the side, not on the meat.