Slow-smoked beef brisket - country living

8 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 4 1/2-to 5-lb fresh beef brisket
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Ground dried red chili OR
¼ teaspoon Ground red pepper
4 cups Hickory or mesquite wood chips
About 20 lbs charcoal briquettes
½ cup Ketchup
¼ cup Water
¼ cup Cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)
Fresh chilies (opt.)

Directions

1. Trim and discard excess fat from brisket. In cup, combine garlic powder, salt, paprika, pepper, and ground chili. Coat brisket well with dry seasonings and Dlace on large plate or baking dish; cover and refrigerate 1 hour to marinate, 2. Meanwhile, in small container, soak wood chips in water to cover at least 30 minutes. Using a chimney starter or an electric starter for charcoals, ignite 40 briquettes. (If possible, avoid using briquettes ignited with chemical fluids, since they can impart an unpleasant flavor.)

3. In small bowl, combine ketchup, water, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside ketchup mixture.

4. When coals are ready in chimney starter, pour onto one side of coal rack in covered grill. With electric starter, move coals to one side. (If using smoker, pour coals in center and spread to create an even layer.) Place a 12- by 6-inch baking or aluminum-foil pan half filled with hot tap water next to hot coals in grill. (If your smoker has its own water pan, just fill it with water.) Using tongs, move hot coals to each long side of water pan, making sure coals touch one another. Drain wood chips well and scatter one-third over hot coals.

Place grill rack 6 to 8 inches above coals.

5. Place brisket on grill rack over water pan and, if possible, place oven thermometer on grill next to brisket. Cover grill and partially close grill vents. Smoke-cook brisket 14 to 15 hours, brushing with ketchup mixutre, or wet mop, and turning brisket every hour. At the same time, replenish grill with wood chips and 12 more briquettes; add water to pan as needed. The temperature of the grill should be maintained at 200' to 225'F; open or close vents to adjust temperature. If temperature falls too low, ignite more briquettes and add to grill.

6. While brisket is cooking, prepare Barbecue Sauce. When the meat is fork-tender, remove brisket from grill to serving plate. Garnish with fresh chilies, if desired. Slice brisket across the grain and serve with Barbecue Sauce.

Barbecue Sauce: In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 T vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 1 medium-size onion, chopped, and saute until soft.

Add 1 clove garlic, chopped, 1 8-oz can tomato sauce, ⅔ C ketchup, ⅓ C firmly packed light-brown sugar, ¼ C Worcestershire sauce, 1 t hot red-pepper sauce, and ½ t salt. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Cover and simmer over low heat 30 minutes. Makes about 2½ cups.

Nutrition information per serving with Barbecue Sauce protein: 38 grams; fat: 8 grams; carbohy- drate: 16 grams; fiber: ⅘ gram@ sodium! 9-52 milligrams; cholesterol: 92 milligrams; calories: 289.

Country Living/June/94 Scanned & fixed by DP & GG

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