Community Table: Nick's Barbecue Brisket

I have never seen a man seem so perfectly in his element than my husband, Nick, grilling barbecue brisket.   Maybe grilling is the wrong word.  It is an all day barbecue, with a beer in hand.  Over the years I will admit that I have monopolized the kitchen. But on brisket day I surrender my kitchen haven and, unless specifically called upon, my nosy interjections, to Nick and his process.  If you are a regular reader of this blog, I have given you glimpses of this succulent meat, but not until now have I been able to give up the recipe.   It is only after 4, nay 5 attempts at perfection that I am allowed to document it.  Sometimes Nick's complaint is a less than perfect texture, but searching for the perfect balance of spices has also taken some time.  Nick resembles some sort of mad scientist or potion maker mixing and measuring condiments and spices.  Then it is a 6-8 hour process  of slow cooking this meat on the grill, frequently checking that the temperature doesn't get too high.  It's like Atlas holding up the sun and drinking beer with his other hand.

It all starts with a good cut of meat.  This one is from Brooklyn Kitchen.

Here you need to trim the layer of fat around your brisket until it is about 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch thick.

Nick's Slow Cooked Barbecue Brisket

• a 3 to 4 pound beef brisket
• canola oil
• apple juice

For the Dry Rub:

• 1/8 cup garlic salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon chicory coffee (like Cafe Du Monde brand)

For the Wet Rub:

• 1 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Worcester Sauce

For the Wrapping Mixture:

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter 

*The technique for this brisket is adapted from Adam Perry Lang's book Serious Barbecue.  Adam Perry Lang is owner and chef of Daisy May's BBQ.

1. Mix your seasonings in three separate bowls.  Add you wet rub to the meat and then the dry.  let sit for 1 hour.
2. Preheat your charcoal grill with a packet of hickory wood chips to 275 degrees.
3. Using your hands or a brush, evenly, but lightly coat the brisket with canola oil.  Insert a remote thermometer in the thickest part of the brisket. 
4. Put your brisket on the cooker with the fat side down.  After 2 hours, spray every hour with apple juice.   Cook until the internal temperature reaches about 165 degrees, should take 6 1/2 to 7 hours.
5. Lay out two sheets of aluminum foil (heavy duty is probably best), put you brisket on top, and pour your wrapping mixture over it.  Wrap it up securely and reinsert your thermometer.  Put back on the grill and cook until the internal temperature is 195 degrees.  Should take 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
6. Line a small cooler with an old, clean beach towel for insulation.
7. Remove your brisket form the grill and carefully unwrap over a baking dish or disposable pan, reserving the liquid.
8. Lay out 2 more sheets of aluminum foil and put your brisket on it.  Over a measuring cup, strain the reserved liquid from the baking dish through a fine mesh strainer.  Discard the solids.  Allow the fat to come to the top, pour off and then discard.  Pour the defatted liquid onto the brisket.  Wrap your aluminum foil around your brisket place in a disposable pan or baking dish and transfer to cooler.  Cover with towel, close the lid and let rest for 1 hour.  When the brisket has rested for 30 minutes, increase your cooking temperature to 300 degrees.
9. Place your meat back on the grill for 30 minutes.
10. Cut your meat on a cutting board.  Make sure you cut against the grain.  Lang says to let it rest 10 minutes, but so far we have not been able to show that kind of restraint.

Supper Club: Potluck Bar-B-Que

Who says you can't have a bar-be-que past labor day? May be even a month past labor day.  It seems that most of Nick's favorite foods begin with the word "barbequed."  This summer he bought a new charcoal grill and, with the help of our our friend, Joe, has been exploring smokey, grilled meat as an art form.  It is hard work, let me tell you.

Choosing the meat is the first chore.  I picked up a rack of grass-fed beef ribs from a CSA in Long Island City where the meat is provided by Lewis Waite Farms. http://www.lewiswaitefarm.com/csa.html

Nick and Joe picked up another rack of pork ribs from Topps Supermarket in Williamsburg along with a six pack of Stella.  They start with a homemade rub made by grinding mustard seed, brown sugar, peppercorns and salt in our molcajete. 

Then they slow smoked the meat starting at around noon for  about 4 hours at 200 degrees.  This is a long day of labor that entails checking the meat, talking about the meat, playing music and drinking beer.  That leaves me to come up with some complimentary sides.

Buttermilk Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Chives

This is a nice fall variation on our regular mashed potatoes.  Sweet potatoes can be a little intense for a mashed potato dish so I like to mix them with a white or gold potato.  In this case,  I used three small, red russian potatoes to one large sweet potato.  If you have never had or seen a red russian potato it looks like your standard red potato but has golden flesh like a yukon gold.

You want to cook the potatoes until they are soft, not just cooked through.  Then you will get a nice creamy consistency.  Add a pat of butter, salt, pepper, buttermilk and chives, then blend with a hand mixer.

Roasted Eggplant and Yellow Tomatoes

If there is any thing that tastes like the end of summer (although I know it is early fall) it is this dish).  The tomatoes and eggplant paired with basil are bright and fresh tasting.  They pair nicely with the richness of the meat and potatoes.

First I drizzle a little olive oil on the bottom of the a baking dish.  Then I start layering slices of eggplant and tomatoes, giving a little drizzle of olive oil again on top and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Then I top that with basil leaves and sprinkle with parmesan cheese (mozzarella would also work nicely).  Repeat three times lasagna style.  Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

Our friends Kevin and Kate made an incredible bagna cauda.  Bagna cauda is an Italian crudite with a dipping sauce made from garlic, olive oil and anchovy. 

Eggs and veggies for the bagna cauda.

Before the meat was brought out we had to admire the sides.  From top left, buttermilk mashed sweet potatoes,  spicy quinoa salad (made by Joe who is sitting on the left.),  the covered dish is the eggplant and tomatoes, and the bagna cauda is in the saucepan surrounded by goodies to dip in it.

The main course is bought to the table!  

Sometimes eating at home is better than eating out.