One of my best friends from college, and certainly one of the top five people to inspire my love of cooking, Jon Jesselson visited me for one night in Dallas over the holiday break. He was flying from Colorado to Miami, and having few opportunities to see each other these days – he planned an 18 hour layover in Dallas, Texas. We would have time for just one meal… and of course – it had to be special.
Let me start by giving you some background on Jon. He is Jewish from NYC and eats strictly Kosher meat. Despite this limitation, he never ceases to amaze me with creative cuisine. I’ve seen him braise a kosher brisket in Coca Cola and pour truffle oil on just about anything you can imagine. Along with our other friend, William, we ate well in college and it was the act of cooking, eating, and entertaining our friends that really brought us together. Sunday nights at 225 S. 41st were reserved for festive dinner parties consisting of anything from gourmet grilled cheese and tomato soup or homemade pizzas to fancier meals with grilled whole halibut, polenta, and roasted brussels sprouts. I am getting a bit off track… the point is that Jon and I’s relationship, while vast and varied, was certainly enriched by a mutual respect for good food. So when Jon told me he would be in Dallas, I knew exactly what I would prepare for him: a smoked kosher beef brisket, Texas style of course. I had always told Jon about the great smoked meats of Texas BBQ culture; unfortunately though – his restricted diet had prevented us from sharing that experience. So, I wanted to prepare a meal that would be unique and he would not forget.
The recipe is surprisingly simple. The difficulty comes in preparation – a 24 hour marination of the meat, preparing a smoker and keeping it going for at least 6 hours. However, a well-smoked beef brisket is well worth the wait. This version is slightly spicy and very smokey. I hope you enjoy. And of course, feel free to tinker with the blend of spices and variations on this recipe.
Ingredients:
The Rub (This is plenty for a 2-3 lb brisket, just up the amounts for more)
1 tbsp of fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp of cayenne pepper
½ tsp of ground chili pepper
1 tsp of cumin
1 to 2 tsp of brown sugar
1 tsp of paprika (smoked, spicy, or sweet depending on your preference)
The Meat
Anywhere from a 2lb to 10lb piece of beef brisket will work. The bigger the piece, the more rub and cooking time needed. This piece is two lbs (note: it shrinks a lot as it smokes).
Instructions:
1. Wash the brisket in water and pat very dry with paper towels.
3. Wrap brisket tightly in plastic wrap.
4. Let it sit in a fridge and soak up spices for 12-24 hours (you can smoke it immediately, but a length marinade time is better).
5. Take the brisket out of the fridge about an hour before cooking, allowing it to return to room temperature.
6. While the brisket is warming, prepare the smoker. Use a great smelling wood chip.
7. Sear each side of the brisket on high heat on the grill or smoker until charred brown (7-10 minutes per side, depending on size)
8. Wrap the brisket tightly in a foil pouch such that the juices will stay trapped inside. Take your time and carefully crimp the edges of the foil to lock in juices as it cooks.
9. Set the brisket on the smoker so it is not directly above the heat. Try to keep temperature around 200 degrees or so.
10. Let it smoke. At least 3 or 4 hours, up to a lot more. We smoked it for roughly 6 hours.
11. Check the smoker frequently to keep coals lit, adding woodchips, etc.
12. Once finished smoking, carefully remove the brisket from the foil pouch and retain the juice to spoon over brisket later.
13. Let the brisket sit for a few minutes before cutting into it. For some reason, this helps lock in juices and retain flavorful goodness.
I forgot to take photos of these steps... It looked so good and I was so hungry! Sorry.
14. Ready to eat? Slice against the grain. This is mission critical.
15. Enjoy.
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