If you want a great introduction to American barbecue culture then look no further than the humble brisket.
Treated with love and care, for the best part of a day, this great value and often overlooked cut is transformed into incredibly smoky, juicy, beefy thing of beauty.
Served with a cracking barbecue sauce and sides such as sweet and tangy southern-style coleslaw, traditional corn pudding and smokey southern-style beans, it is a great barbecue centrepiece.
And with clement weather and plenty of time on your hands, there is no better time to master this barbecue classic.
We have put together two takes on this, one for the purists with the appropriate barbecue rig and one for those with a more basic set up.
The larger the cut of brisket the better, if it is too small it tends to dry out. When ordering from us opt for the Flat Brisket as it has a greater fat covering and less trim.
Ingredients
Serves 4
The Cure
- 2kg beef brisket
- 2x tsp brown sugar
- 2x tsp salt
- 1x tsp black pepper
- 1x tsp chilli powder
- 1x tsp smoked paprika
- 1x tsp garlic powder
- 1x tsp onion powder
- 1x tsp cumin
- 1x tsp ground coriander
The Sauce
- 150ml Tomato ketchup
- 1x tbsp Worcester sauce
- 50g brown sugar
- 50ml apple cider vinegar
- 1x garlic clove, minced
- 1x tsp smoked paprika
- 1x tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
- Salt & pepper
Method
The Cure
1. Rinse the brisket and pat dry.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and then rub into the brisket, ensuring a good covering of the entire cut. Wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge overnight or first thing the morning before cooking.
The Grill
If you are planning on using a barbecue for the entire cook it needs to be one with a lid. You will also need a bag of smoking wood chips (hickory or oak).
1. Load the charcoal for low indirect cooking (see tutorial here), place the brisket, fat side up, in a foil tray in the centre of the barbecue away from the coals. Place a couple of handfuls of the wood chips on top of the coals and close the lid. You want to maintain a temperature of about 110°C.
2. Every hour add a handful of coals and for the first 4 hours place a handful of wood chips over the coals. Adjust accordingly to maintain a consistent 110°C heat. Baste the brisket regularly with the fat in the bottom of the tray.
3. Once the brisket reaches 85-90°C (after about 8 hours) remove from the barbecue and wrap in foil to rest.
Alternatively…
1. Heat the oven to 110°C, place the brisket in a roasting tin, cover in foil and roast for 7-8 hours, until it reaches 85-90°C.
2. Fire up the barbecue, add some wood chips if to hand, and finish for 20 minutes over the coals, turning regularly.
The Sauce
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Serve with large white rolls and a selection of texan-style sides.