BBQ, Texas Beef Brisket

By lknowles

Texans like their barbecue spice, in the tradition of the southwest, which is chili pepper country. For this recipe, you'll need to order USDA "choice" grade, packer-trimmed brisket: That's a brisket with none of the fat cut off. Before being cooked, the meat is seasoned with a dry rub; during cooking, it is brushed regularly with a beer-based mop. You'll need to use a smoker for the brisket (a converted barbecue won't maintain the very low heat required), and to get the most authentic Texas flavor, seek out the natural lump charcoal specified in the recipe; it's available at barbecue stores, some natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

Ingredients

• ----- Dry Rub -----
• 1/2 Cup Paprika
• 3 Tbsp Pepper, Fresh Ground
• 3 Tbsp Salt, Coarse Ground
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• ----- Meat -----
• 1 Brisket (8 Lb)
• ----- Mop -----
• 12 Fl Beer
• 1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire
• 2 Tbsp Jalapeno Chili, Minced
• ----- For Smoking -----
• 5 Lbs Lump Charcoal
• 4 Cups Wood Chips (oak Or Hickory), Soaked In Water For At Least 30 Minutes
• ----- Other -----
• 1 Cup Barbecue Sauce (Bull's-Eye)
• 1 Tbsp Chili Powder

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

FOR THE DRY RUB: Mix dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl to blend. Reserve 1 Tbl of the dry rub for the mop, spread the rest evenly over the brisket, cover it with plastic and put it in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
FOR THE MOP: Mix the mop ingredients and the reserved dry rub together in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat for 5 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup of the mop into a bowl and reserve for the sauce. Cover and chill the remaining mop until ready to use.
COOKING THE BRISKET: Following manufacturer's instructions and using natural lump charcoal, start the fire in the smoker. When charcoal is ash gray, drain 1/2 cup of the wood chips and scatter over the charcoal. Bring smoker temperature to 200° to 225°F, regulating temperature with vents. Place brisket, fat side up, on rack in the smoker. Cover and cook until tender when pierced with a fork and meat thermometer registers 185°F (about 10 hours). Turn brisket over for the last thirty minutes. Every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, add enough charcoal to maintain single layer and to maintain the 200° to 225°F temperature; add 1/2 cup drained wood chips. Brush brisket with chilled mop each time the smoker is opened. Transfer the brisket to a platter and let it stand for 15 minutes.
TO SERVE: Combine barbecue sauce and chili powder in a small heavy saucepan. Add any accumulated juices from the brisket and bring to a boil thinning with the reserved mop. Thinly slice brisket across the grain and serve, passing the sauce separately.

Per Serving: 784 Cal (40% from Fat, 49% from Protein, 11% from Carb); 94 g Protein; 34 g Tot Fat; 11 g Sat Fat; 14 g Mono Fat; 20 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 39 mg Calcium; 10 mg Iron; 2205 mg Sodium; 287 mg Cholesterol