BRISKET BARBECUE
Makes 8 servings
Seasoning Mix:
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic
2 teaspoons ground dried guajillo chili peppers (see note)
2 teaspoons ground dried arbol chile peppers (see note)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
teaspoon ground corandor
1 (4 to 4 -pound) beef brisket
2 cups tomato sauce
3 to 4 cups beef stock, in all
5 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 cups chopped onions
4 bay leaves 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cups chopped celery
cup honey, in all
Day 1- Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the seasoning mix evenly over the brisket and rub it in well. Set aside the remaining seasoning mix. Cover and refrigerate the meat overnight.
Day 2- Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 425.Place the brisket in a large roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Turn the meat over, add 1/2 cup of the stock, and cook until the meat is fairly tender, checking
now and then to be sure it doesn't burn, about 1 hour. If the meat starts to stick hard to the pan, add another 1/2 cup of the stock.
Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the heat to 350. Remove the meat and place the pan on top of the stove over high heat. Stir in the onions, bell peppers, celery, remaining seasoning mix, tomato sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, and brown sugar. Scrape the bottom of the pan and cook for 6
minutes. Stir in 3 cups of the stock and 1/4 cup of the honey, scrape the pan bottom, and bring to a simmer. Return the brisket to the pan and roast, turning the meat once or twice, until tender, about 1 to 11/2 hours.
Remove the pan from the oven and place on top of the stove over high heat. Remove the meat and cut it against the grain into thin slices. Return the slices to the gravy in the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick and dark red-brown, about 45
minutes to 1 hour. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup honey and remove from the heat.
NOTE: If you can't find ready-ground peppers, buy whole dried ones and grind them yourself. Use whatever chiles are available, but don't use commercial chili powder which contains other seasonings
Copyright by Chef Paul Prudhomme
