BEEF BRISKET WITH ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

By gaster16

Ingredients

• Ancho Chile Sauce:
• 4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 5-5-1/2 lb. brisket with 1/4 to 1/2" layer of fat on 1 side
• 4 cups hickory chips, soaked in water for 1 hour
• 4 disposable mini aluminum loaf pans (for wood chips if using gas grill)
• 2 11-3/4x8-1/2x1-3/4" disposable aluminum pans (for brisket)
• Heavy duty aluminum foil
• 1 dried Ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, coarsely torn
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Preparation

Step 1

Brisket:

Mix first 7 ingredients in small bowl. Rub spice blend over brisket. Wrap brisket in plastic, refrigerate at least 2 hurs and up to 24 hours.

Remove top rack from barbecue. Prepare barbecue (low heat). If using 2 burner grill, light 1 burner. It using 3 burner grill, do not light center burner. Drain 2 cups wood chips. Stack 2 mini loaf pans (one inside the other) fill with 1 cup wood chips. Stack remaining loaf pans, fill with 1 cup wood chips. Place pans over flame (if using 3 burner grill place both pans on 1 lit side). Return rack to barbecue. Heat barbecue to 300 degrees. If temperature rises too high on 3 burner grill, turn off burner without chips.

Unwrap brisket and arrange fat side up in 11-3/4"x8-1/2x1-3/4" aluminum pan, place pan over unit part of barbecue. Cover barbecue. Cook brisket until instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees, adjusting gas levels to maintain temperature inside barbecue grill at 250 degrees about 3-1/2 hours. Baste brisket occasionally with pan juices and add more drained wood chips as needed.

Remove pan with brisket. Discard pan and juices. Wrap brisket tightly in 2 wide sheets of heavy duty foil. Place in clean aluminum pan. Return to grill over until side, maintaining temperature inside grill at 250 degrees until instant thermometer registers 190 degrees about 1-1/2 hours longer. Transfer brisket in pan to trimmed baking sheet. Let rest at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.

Carefully unwrap brisket, saving any juices in foil. Transfer juices to small pitcher. Place brisket on work surface, Thinly slice brisket across grain, transfer to platter. Brush brisket with some juices. Serve with any remaining juices and ancho chile sauce.

Sauce:

Place chile in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover, let soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid.

Heat oil in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add wine and softened chile, simmer 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons reserved chile soaking liquid, ketchup, and all remaining ingredients. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Puree sauce in blender, adding more reserved soaking liquid by tablespoons if too thick. Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.