Texas Style Brisket Recipes

TEXAS-STYLE BRISKET

Steps:

• Prepare a smoker for cooking at 250 to 275 degrees F.
• Trim the fat cap on the brisket to 1/4 inch, then trim out the top and bottom fat. Trim the lean flat edges so the meat is at least 1 1/2-inches thick.
• Stir together the salt and pepper in a bowl until well blended to make the rub.
• Shake an even layer of the rub on all surfaces of the brisket that will be exposed to the smoke. Do not pack the rub into folds or cracks, since that will turn the rub into a soggy paste.
• Place the brisket in the smoker with the fatty point closest to the firebox. Smoke for 2 hours, rotating the brisket occasionally for even coloring and to prevent the edges from drying out. Spritz the brisket liberally with apple juice and continue smoking the brisket, spritzing every 30 minutes, until the meat has a dark mahogany color and the internal temperature reaches 203 to 205 degrees F, another 10 to 12 hours. Wrap the brisket tightly in unwaxed butcher paper and let rest 45 minutes to 1 hour before slicing and chopping. Serve with Original BBQ Sauce if using.
• Combine the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire, molasses, brown sugar, hot sauce and lemon juice together in a large pot and whisk until blended. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, then add the chili powder, granulated garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper and cayenne. Continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from burning.

TEXAS-STYLE BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• In a large bowl or shallow dish, combine the Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, bay leaves, garlic, celery salt, pepper and, if desired, liquid smoke. Cut brisket in half; add to bowl and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight., Transfer beef to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker; add broth and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until tender., For sauce, in a small saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the remaining ingredients; heat through., Remove brisket from the slow cooker; discard bay leaves. Place 1 cup cooking juices in a measuring cup; skim fat. Add to the barbecue sauce. Discard remaining juices., Return brisket to the slow cooker; top with sauce mixture. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Thinly slice beef across the grain; serve with sauce. Freeze option: Place individual portions of sliced brisket in freezer containers; top with barbecue sauce. Cool and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered saucepan, gently stirring and adding a little water if necessary.

TEXAS-STYLE BRISKET

Steps:

• Trim fat on brisket to 1/2-inch thickness. Rub brisket with pepper and salt; place in a large disposable foil pan, fat side up. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight. Meanwhile, soak wood chips in water., To prepare grill for slow indirect cooking, adjust grill vents so top vent is half open and bottom vent is open only a quarter of the way. Make 2 arrangements of 45 unlit coals on opposite sides of the grill, leaving the center of the grill open. Light 20 additional coals until ash-covered; distribute over unlit coals. Sprinkle 2 cups soaked wood chips over lit coals., Replace grill rack. Close grill and allow temperature in grill to reach 275°, about 15 minutes., Place foil pan with brisket in center of grill rack; cover grill and cook 3 hours (do not open grill). Check temperature of grill periodically to maintain a temperature of 275° throughout cooking. Heat level may be adjusted by opening vents to raise temperature and closing vents partway to decrease temperature., Add another 10 unlit coals and 1 cup wood chips to each side of the grill. Cook brisket, covered, 3-4 hours longer or until fork-tender (a thermometer inserted in brisket should read about 190°); add coals and wood chips as needed to maintain a grill temperature of 275°., Remove brisket from grill. Cover tightly with foil; let stand 30-60 minutes. Cut brisket across the grain into slices.

TEXAS OVEN-ROASTED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make a dry rub by combining chili powder, salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper, sugar, dry mustard, and bay leaf. Season the raw brisket on both sides with the rub. Place in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour.
• Add beef stock and enough water to yield about 1/2 inch of liquid in the roasting pan. Lower oven to 300 degrees F, cover pan tightly and continue cooking for 3 hours, or until fork-tender.
• Trim the fat and slice meat thinly across the grain. Top with juice from the pan.

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.

TEXAS BARBECUE BRISKET

Steps:

• To make the barbecue sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan, then cook onion and garlic for a few mins until soft. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the pan with a good pinch of salt and simmer for 20 mins. Use a hand blender or food processor to whizz to a smooth purée.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Make the rub by mixing all the ingredients together with a pinch of salt. Rub the mix all over the beef and set aside.
• In a large roasting tin, mix the beef stock and ½ the barbecue sauce. Add the brisket to the tin, cover tightly with foil, then cook for 4-5 hrs until the meat is really tender when you push a fork into it. The beef can be prepared the night before - just leave it to cool in the tin covered with foil, but don't refrigerate.
• To finish the beef, get a barbecue fired up and wait until the coals are completely ashen - you want a low, not fierce, heat. Lift the beef out of the roasting tin and place on the barbecue to char. If your barbecue has a lid, close it now. Cook for about 20 mins, turning it carefully with tongs, until lightly charred all over and heated through. Lift onto a board and serve sliced with the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.

SLOW-COOKED, TEXAS-STYLE BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Place the beef brisket in a large slow cooker with the fat side up. Pour the coffee over the meat. Cook the brisket on LOW for 24 hours.
• Meanwhile, stir together the ketchup, cola beverage, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, liquid smoke, and brown sugar in a bowl until well blended. Refrigerate until needed.
• After 24 hours, remove and discard any fat from the brisket. Use a fork to pull apart and shred the meat. Pour the sauce over the meat, stirring to coat evenly, and cook 1 hour longer.

YEAH, I-LIVED-IN-TEXAS, SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Soak wood chips in a bowl of water, 8 hours to overnight.
• Mix paprika, white sugar, cumin, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Rub the spice mixture over the entire brisket; refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Preheat smoker to between 220 degrees F (104 degrees C) and 230 degrees F (110 degrees C). Drain wood chips and place in the smoker.
• Smoke brisket in the preheated smoker until it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 12 1/2 hours. Wrap brisket tightly in butcher paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil and return to smoker.
• Continue smoking brisket until an internal temperature of 185 degrees F (85 degrees C) is reached, about 1 hour more.

TEXAS STYLE BEEF BRISKET - SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• MARINATE THE NIGHT BEFORE: In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, bay leaves, garlic, celery salt, black pepper and Liquid Smoke, if desired.
• Cut brisket in half and place in the bag.
• Seal bag and turn to thoroughly coat brisket with seasonings.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• GET BEEF COOKING: Transfer beef to 5 or 6 quart slow cooker; add broth.
• Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or until tender.
• MAKE SAUCE A FEW MINUTES BEFORE BEEF IS DONE: In a small sauce pan, saute onion in canola oil until tender.
• Add garlic and cook one minute longer.
• Stir in remaining ingredients; heat through.
• SAUCE UP THE BRISKET: Remove brisket from the slow cooker; discard bay leaves.
• Place one cup cooking juices in a measuring cup; skim fat.
• Add skimmed, measured juices to the barbeque sauce.
• Discard any juices remaining in the slow cooker.
• Return brisket to the slow cooker with BBQ sauce mixture.
• Cover and cook on high for 30 more minutes to allow flavors to blend.
• TO SERVE: Thinly slice across the grain and serve with sauce.

TEXAS-STYLE BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat grill to 325 degrees, building fire on opposite sides of grill if using charcoal, or on one side or opposite sides if using gas. Season brisket with rub.
• If using charcoal, every hour for first 5 hours add fresh coals and toss 1/2 cup wood chips on each mound of coals. If using gas, place wood chips in smoker box, and preheat until you see smoke (depending on model of gas grill, use all 5 cups at once or 1 cup every hour for first 5 hours).
• Place brisket, fat side up, in foil roasting pan just large enough to hold it. Place pan in center of grill, away from heat.
• Barbecue brisket until nicely browned, cooked through and very tender, for 5 to 7 hours. If brisket starts to brown too much, tent it loosely with foil.
• Transfer cooked brisket to cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes, reserving pan juices. With sharp knife, trim and discard any large lumps of fat. Slice brisket thinly across grain. Serve with slices of white bread, spooning pan juices over top.