Perfect beef brisket requires plenty of patience
When it comes to cooking, I prefer meals that are quick and
easy. So when I saw a beef brisket on sale at the grocery store it
was kind of a spur of the moment purchase. It helped that the
packaging included a recipe for cooking the brisket and the sauce.
It wasn’t until I got home that I read through the recipe and
realized the time commitment involved to cook the meat perfectly.
For a cut of meat such as brisket the key is to cook it for a long
time over indirect heat.
Perfect beef brisket requires plenty of patience
When it comes to cooking, I prefer meals that are quick and easy. So when I saw a beef brisket on sale at the grocery store it was kind of a spur of the moment purchase. It helped that the packaging included a recipe for cooking the brisket and the sauce. It wasn’t until I got home that I read through the recipe and realized the time commitment involved to cook the meat perfectly. For a cut of meat such as brisket the key is to cook it for a long time over indirect heat.
It gives a chance for the meat to get a nice, smoky flavor and also a chance for it to get tender.
So by noon Sunday, I had hickory wood chips soaking in preparation of putting the brisket on for a long chunk of the afternoon. Every half hour, I turned the meat and added more wood chips. Halfway through cooking, the meat is placed in a metal pan with beer to give it even more flavor. The recipe was somewhat vague about the temperatures and cooking time – giving a two- to four-hour window for it to be done. I kept the meat on for closer to four hours, and it probably could have been pulled off a bit sooner. Though it was slightly over cooked, it tasted delicious with a pink smoke line on the edges and a homemade barbecue sauce to top it.
Texas barbecue beef brisket
Recipe courtesy of ‘Something Extra’
2 tsp. paprika
1-1/2 tsp. each: salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 beef brisket (about 3 lb.)
Soaked wood chips
1 c. beer
Texas brisket sauce (see separate recipe)
Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 3 to 4 hours
Stir together seasonings in a small bowl. Rub onto the top and sides of brisket. Place soaked chips in a wood chip basket and place directly on coals or on gas grill over high heat. When chips begin to smoke, place brisket on grill over indirect heat. (Using indirect heat is important to not char the outside of the meat. Cook for 1 to 2 hours, turning once or twice and adding more wood chips as necessary to maintain smoke. Remove from grill and place in a 9-by-13-inch foil or metal pan. Add beer to pan and seal well with heavy duty foil. Return to grill and cook over very low heat or in 300°F oven for 2 hours. Slice as desired and serve with Texas brisket sauce.
Makes 6 servings.
Texas brisket sauce
Recipe courtesy of ‘Something Extra’
1 c. ketchup
2/3 c. cider vinegar
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. each: garlic powder, onion powder
and ground cumin
1/4 tsp. each: black pepper
and cayenne pepper
Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 30 minutes
Stir together all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Serve over sliced Texas BBQ Beef Brisket (see separate recipe.)
Makes about 1-1/2 cups.
Grilled corn on the cob with BBQ butter
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. ancho chili powder
2 tsp. Spanish paprika
1 tsp. toasted cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. cayenne powder
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Perfectly Grilled Corn, recipe follows
Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over high heat until almost smoking. Add the onion and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ancho powder, paprika, cumin and cayenne and cook for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook until the mixture becomes thickened and the water reduces. Let cool slightly.
Place the butter in a food processor, add the spice mixture and Worcestershire sauce and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, scrape the mixture into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Bring to room temperature before serving and spread the butter over the corn while hot.
Perfectly Grilled Corn
4 ears corn
Kosher salt
Heat the grill to medium.
Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. Fold husks back into place and tie the ends together with kitchen string. Place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.
Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove the husks and eat on the cob or remove the kernels.
How to remove corn kernels from cob: To remove kernels from cobs of either raw or cooked corn, stand cob upright on its stem end in a large pan, holding tip with fingers. Cut down the sides of cob with sharp paring knife, releasing kernels without cutting into cob. Run dull edge of knife down the cob to release any remaining corn and liquid.
