Texas Mesquite Brisket Food

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.

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 BBQ BRAISED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• For the rub: Mix the paprika, 1 tablespoon each of salt and black pepper, the brown sugar, and the cayenne. Rub spice mixture all over brisket, wrap tightly, and refrigerate overnight.
• Soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling. Prepare an outdoor grill with a medium to medium-low fire for indirect grilling.
• For the sauce: Mix the tomato puree, beer, celery, onion, 1/2 cup of the vinegar, the brown sugar, mustard, bacon, garlic, chiles, bay leaves, chili powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and black pepper to taste in a large disposable aluminum pan. Put brisket in the sauce.
• Throw a handful of drained wood chips on the hot coals, put the pan over the cooler side of the grill, and cover so the vent holes are directly over the brisket. Baste meat every 30 minutes, turning occasionally and adding water to the pan as necessary to keep meat partially submerged, until the meat is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 200 degrees F, about 3 3/4 hours. Replenish the charcoal as needed to maintain a medium to medium-low fire.
• Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Skim the fat from the braising sauce and stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cider vinegar and salt to taste. Reheat if necessary. Thinly slice brisket across the grain and arrange on a serving platter. Spoon some sauce over the meat and pass the rest at the table.

SMOKEHOUSE BRISKET SANDWICH

Steps:

• Cook onions in hot oil until caramelized. Add jalapeño. Add brisket and BBQ sauce, stirring, until incorporated and warm. Gather onions, jalapeños and brisket into a mound, then place Gouda on top and cover until cheese melts. Toast hoagie roll on hot griddle until crisp. Place all of the filling on hoagie roll.
• For the Smokehouse brisket rub: Combine the mesquite powder, brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, au jus powder, granulated sugar, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, mustard powder, onion powder and black pepper in a large bowl until thoroughly incorporated.
• For the brisket: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Trim excess fat from the brisket, leaving a good layer for flavor. Spread a thick layer of rub over entire brisket in a heavy-duty baking pan, and work rub into the layer of fat. Add liquid smoke and 1/2 cup water, then cover tightly with aluminum foil. Braise in oven until tender, about 4 hours.
• To a large heavy-duty cooking pot over low heat, add, in order and whisking vigorously until incorporated, the coffee, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, vinegar, honey, hot sauce, ketchup, liquid smoke, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, chili powder, mustard flour and black pepper. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring every 5 minutes, for 30 minutes.

TEXAS MESQUITE BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Open brisket and rinse.
• Sprinkle with Season All (both sides) and place in aluminum pan, fat side up.
• Place the sliced onion over the top of the brisket.
• Cover with aluminum foil; bake for 9 hours in oven. (See NOTE)
• Meanwhile, using mesquite wood in grill, start fire in grill and let fire die down to 200-250 degrees. (My husband will soak 1 large piece of wood in water to get more smoke).
• Take brisket from oven and place in smoker for 2 hours. May need to drain some of the juices off.
• Remove brisket from grill; take a tablespoon and scrape fat from brisket. If brisket is done, it should come off very easily.
• Remove brisket from pan and place on cutting board. With electric knife, slice brisket against the grain and place in another pan.
• Mix 1/2 cup of brisket juice with BBQ sauce and pour over sliced brisket. Cover with foil. You can place in oven on warm until time to serve.
• Mix another 1/2 cup of juice with 1 cup of BBQ and place in gravy boat to serve.
• NOTE (1): Sometimes we don't have time to fire up the grill. When that happens, we typically cook the brisket 10 hours in the oven; drain some of the juice and mix 2-1 (juice to BBQ sauce) and pour over brisket; cover with foil and return to oven for 1 hour.
• NOTE (2): Remove brisket from oven; take a tablespoon and scrape fat from brisket. Remove brisket from pan and place on cutting board. With electric knife, slice brisket against the grain and place in another pan.
• NOTE (3): Mix 1/2 cup of brisket juice with BBQ sauce and pour over sliced brisket. Cover with foil. You can place in oven on warm until time to serve. Mix another 1/2 cup of juice with 1 cup of BBQ and place in gravy boat to serve.

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.
• 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 140 to 145 degrees F, 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) BBQ Sauce: 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.
• Essence: Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.