Texas Chili Brisket Food

DEVON'S AWARD-WINNING CHILI

Steps:

• Pat the brisket cubes dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a very large heavy-bottomed pot and quickly brown the meat, in batches, on all sides. Transfer the brisket to a separate bowl and set aside. Saute the onion and garlic in the same oil over medium heat until limp, but not brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and cumin and saute for 1 minute. Add the green peppers, bay leaf, tomatoes with their juice, the reserved meat, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt, to taste. Add the coffee, cover the pot and simmer for 1 more hour.
• Add the kidney beans and basil, and warm through. Transfer the chili to a large serving bowl and serve with sour cream, grated Cheddar, diced tomato, tortilla chips and guacamole.

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.

EMERIL'S TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Set the brisket on a large sheet of plastic wrap. In a medium bowl combine the dark brown sugar, chili power, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, dry mustard, and cumin thoroughly. Rub the mixture onto the brisket and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap. Place on a baking sheet and let marinate refrigerated at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove the meat from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
• Soak mesquite wood chips in a large bowl of water for 1 to 2 hours. Remove, drain and set aside.
• Remove the meat from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
• Prepare a smoker with charcoal and the wood chips according to the manufacturer's instructions to 180 to 200 degrees F. Place the water pan in the smoker and add water to the fill line, about 2/3 full. Place the unwrapped brisket on the lower rack off the direct heat, close the lid, and cook, regularly stoking the fire and adding additional chips, until an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 185 to 195 degrees F., or until the meat is tender, about 4 to 5 hours. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for 20 minutes before carving the meat against the grain.
• (Alternately, prepare a stove-top smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place the unwrapped brisket on the rack over low heat. Close the lid and smoke for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Remove the meat from the smoker and wrap in a large sheet of heavy aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and roast until tender and an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 185 to 195 degrees F., or until the meat is tender, about 2 to 3 hours. Remove the meat from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes before carving the meat against the grain.)
• Serve with Barbecue Sauce on the side for dipping.
• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, cane syrup, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, Essence, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the flavors marry, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

RUDY'S TEXAS CHILI

Steps:

• Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the dark, light and California chili powders, cumin, oregano and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato sauce, green chiles, beef and chicken broths, chipotles, lime juice, molasses and hot sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the diced tomatoes and dried California and New Mexico chiles and let simmer for 15 minutes.
• With an immersion blender, puree the sauce until smooth. Simmer for 1 hour, adding cheap beer if the sauce thickens too much. Stir in the beef and heat through. Taste for seasoning.

TEXAS CHILI BRISKET

Steps:

• Place meat on double layer of heavy-duty foil. Mix dry seasonings; rub onto meat. Fold foil to make packet. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat grill for indirect cooking: Light one side of grill, leaving other side unlit. Close lid; heat grill to 325ºF. Open foil packet; pour half the barbecue sauce over meat. Reseal packet. Place on grate over unlit area; cover. Grill meat 3 hours, turning after 1-1/2 hours and monitoring for consistent grill temperature.
• Open packet. Pour meat drippings into bowl; reserve for later use. Discard foil. Return meat to grill over unlit area; grill 20 to 30 min. or until done.
• Cut meat across the grain into thin slices; place on platter. Pour reserved drippings over meat. Serve with remaining barbecue sauce.

GUY'S TEXAS CHILI

Steps:

• Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles and tear them into large pieces. Toast the chiles in a large skillet over medium-high heat until they start to change color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and add hot water to just cover the chiles. Cover and let steam for 15 minutes. Place the chiles and liquid in a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine the olive oil, onion, garlic, bell pepper, Fresno chile and Anaheim chiles and cook until the onion is translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Add both kinds of beef and cook until browned and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add the flour, chili powder, cumin, black pepper and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Deglaze the pot by adding the beer and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the stock, blended chiles and salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.
• Partially cover the pot and simmer until the beef is tender and the chili has thickened, about 2 hours. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cilantro, cover and keep warm until serving. Serve with toppings.

TRUE TEXAS CHILI

Steps:

• 1. Place the chiles in a straight-sided large skillet over medium-low heat and gently toast the chiles until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Don't let them burn or they'll turn bitter. Place the chiles in a bowl and cover them with very hot water and soak until soft, 15 to 45 minutes, turning once or twice.
• 2. Drain the chiles; split them and remove stems and seeds (a brief rinse helps remove seeds, but don't wash away the flesh). Place the chiles in the bowl of a blender and add the cumin, black pepper, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/4 cup water. Purée the mixture, adding more water as needed (and occasionally scraping down the sides of the blender jar), until a smooth, slightly fluid paste forms (you want to eliminate all but the tiniest bits of skin.) Set the chile paste aside.
• 3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of the lard. When it begins to smoke, swirl skillet to coat and add half of the beef. Lightly brown on at least two sides, about 3 minutes per side, reducing the heat if the meat threatens to burn. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with 2 more tablespoons of lard and the remaining beef. Reserve.
• 4. Let the skillet cool slightly, and place it over medium-low heat. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of lard in the skillet; add the onion and garlic and cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock, the remaining 2 cups water and gradually whisk in the masa harina to avoid lumps. Stir in the reserved chile paste, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a spatula to loosen any browned bits. Add the reserved beef (and any juices in the bowl) and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain the barest possible simmer (just a few bubbles breaking the surface) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender but still somewhat firm and 1 1/2 to 2 cups of thickened but still liquid sauce surrounds the cubes of meat, about 2 hours.
• 5. Stir in the brown sugar and vinegar thoroughly and add more salt to taste; gently simmer 10 minutes more. At this point, it may look like there is excess sauce. Turn off the heat and let the chili stand for at least 30 minutes, during which time the meat will absorb about half of the remaining sauce in the skillet, leaving the meat bathed in a thick, somewhat fluid sauce. Stir in additional broth or water if the mixture seems too dry. If the mixture seems a bit loose and wet, allow it to simmer a bit more (sometimes we like to partially crush the cubes of beef with the back of a spoon to let them absorb more sauce). Adjust the balance of flavors with a bit of additional salt, sugar, or vinegar, if you like.
• 6. Reheat gently and serve in individual bowls with a dollop of sour cream on top and a lime wedge on the side.

TEXAS BEEF BRISKET CHILI

Steps:

• For chili:.
• Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Sauté bacon in heavy large oven-proof pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.
• Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over brisket in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.
• Bring chili to simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Add squash; stir to coat. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
• Garnishes:.
• Set out garnishes in separate dishes. Rewarm chili over low heat. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.