meat

BBQ Brisket

by June Hersh,The Kosher Carnivore,

(St. Martin's Press)

Brisket is everyone’s favorite holiday dish evoking memories of grandma, glazed carrots and Lipton onion soup. Well, I like to take brisket to another level and bring out its natural juiciness by bathing it in a spicy barbecue sauce. This is a perfect dish for a game day Sunday for a large crowd, as the brisket can be pulled apart and served up sloppy Joe style on soft rolls. I’ve taken the shredded meat and used it to stuff dumplings, or tossed it with pasta for a barbecue brisket ragu. It starts off the night before with a gentle rub and then slow cooks all day long. It’s the perfect antidote to typical braised brisket without losing any of the wonderful texture and flavor that we look to brisket for. I’m a 2nd cut fan, in love with the fatty cap that helps lubricate the meat while it slowly cooks, but you can certainly buy first cut if lean is your thing. You sacrifice a little moistness, but it’s your call.

Ingredients:

(1) 8-9 pound brisket

For the Rub:

3 teaspoons liquid smoke

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup finely chopped garlic

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper or hot paprika

For the Sauce:

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup honey

3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

6 tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Directions:

Combine all the rub ingredients and coat the brisket in the rub. Place in a large roasting pan, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Before cooking, remove the meat from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.

Prepare the BBQ sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. The sauce can be made ahead, and any leftover will hold in the fridge for several weeks.

Preheat the oven to 250 and place the brisket, tightly sealed with foil, in the oven for about 5 hours or until just beginning to be fork tender. There will be considerable liquid in the pan, pour it off. That’s how we get rid of that unnecessary fat! Bathe the brisket in the BBQ sauce,leaving a little to use another time or for dipping.

Continue baking the brisket at 250 degrees at least 1 hour or longer for the meat to be very tender. Remove from the oven and slice against the grain or pull apart with two large forks.

Notes:

Yield: Serves: 10-12 (more if not slicing, but shredding the meat)

Recipes: Meat, Brisket, BBQ, Kosher