Texas Style Brisket Food

TEXAS-STYLE BBQ BEEF BRISKET SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Place meat in slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray, cutting into 2 pieces if necessary to fit; top with yellow onions and barbecue sauce. Cover with lid. Cook on LOW 10 to 12 hours (or on HIGH 5 to 6 hours).
• Remove meat from slow cooker; cut across the grain into thin slices. Return to slow cooker; stir until evenly coated with sauce. Combine coleslaw blend, dressing and green onions.
• Fill rolls with meat mixture and coleslaw just before serving.

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.

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.

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 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-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.

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.

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 BRISKET

Steps:

• Mix first five ingredients for dry rub in small bowl. Save 1 Tablespoon to another bowl and reserve for mop.
• Spread dry rub all over brisket.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• Mop:.
• Mix first six ingredients plus reserved dry rub in heavy medium saucepan.
• Stir over low heat five minutes.
• Pour 1/2 cup mop into bowl, cove and chill for use in sauce later.
• Cover and chill remaining mop.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• Place Brisket, fat side up, in dutch oven or other heavy baking pan large enough to accomodate the brisket.
• Roast brisket in pan for 3-4 hours basting with mop every 20 minutes, until tender.
• Transfer brisket to platter, let stand 15 minutes.
• Combine barbeque sauce, and chili powder in heavy saucepan, add any accumulated juices from brisket and bring to a boil. Thin sauce with some of the reserved 1/2 cup mop if needed.
• Thinly slice brisket across grain, serve passing sauce separately.

TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat smoker and add wood chips (follow your instruction manual).
• Rinse and dry the brisket.
• Apply Texas-style brisket rub.
• Place brisket in the smoker for 8 to 10 hours. Keep the smoker temperature at about 225 F to 250 F (108 C to 120 C).
• To increase tenderness, take the brisket out of the smoker once it reaches 170 F, wrap it in aluminum foil and place back in the smoker or in an oven at 180 F to 200 F for the last two hours or until the internal temperature reaches 190 F.
• Serve and enjoy.

AUTHENTIC TEXAS-STYLE BRISKET DRY RUB RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dried parsley, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, hot chili powder, oregano, and if desired, the brown sugar until thoroughly mixed.
• Pat the brisket dry on all sides using paper towels.
• With a spoon, sprinkle the rub liberally onto the meat. Simultaneously press it in and rub it with your fingertips until it adheres to the entire surface.
• Turn the meat and repeat on all sides. Let the brisket sit for up to 24 hours, refrigerated, or cook immediately according to your recipe.

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.

LEFTOVER BRISKET KOLACHES

Steps:

• Microwave the milk for 20-30 seconds until it reaches 110ºF to 115ºF.
• Add to a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl before stirring in the sugar and yeast. Rest for 10 minutes until foamy.
• Stir in the salt, beaten eggs, and melted butter.
• Add half the flour (2 cups) and mix with the dough hook attachment until evenly combined. Add the remaining flour and mix for another 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
• Form a ball of dough and place in a large, clean bowl coated with a small amount of oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and rest for an hour in your microwave or oven until it has doubled in size.
• After an hour, punch the dough down and divide into 12 pieces weighing about 75 grams each. Place the dough pieces on a half sheet pan.
• Working one piece at a time, press the dough flat and into a circle slightly larger than your palm. Add 1 oz of chopped brisket and 1 piece of cheddar in the center of the dough. Fold opposite sides over, pinching together, followed by the other opposite sides. Repeat with opposite corners to fully seal and place sealed side down on the sheet pan.
• Once all 12 kolaches have been filled, cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap and rest for 45 additional minutes to rise once more.
• After the kolaches finish their second proof, preheat your oven to 400ºF. Mix the egg and milk together to brush on top of the kolaches. Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.