h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As one of the Texans who loves brisket barbecued in a restaurant's brick pit , I'll reluctantly agree this qualifies as "barbecue". But at least you've heard of pit smoked brisket, I've had discussion here on H2G2 with folks to whom the concept is unintelligible.

Your recipe does sound good, my wife & I do similar recipes, using things like the "Old Smoky" with charcoal, and the "Redi Smok" with an electric heater, a pan for mesquite or other wood chips, and another pan for liquid (beer, wine, water).

An interesting discussion & pictures here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue

Howdy Steve,

I just got a CharGriller with external firebox for my birthday. I plan on 'researching' Smoked Brisket to the connoisseur's level.

Since I'm not a Texan, I could use some tips and tricks, recipes, etc so I can do it up right. Or if you're in the mood to collaborate, I'd be happy to work with you.

At this point, I'm looking at a nine-day weekend, and plan to play with my new toy.

So, visit my PS if you like...Thanks for your comments.

xantief

Xantief -

The Wikipedia link in my first post has a section for Texas barbecue, here is a key part:

"Since creating proper barbecue requires considerable expense of money and time, in that one needs a specialized smoker and has to start smoking many hours before the meat is ready, most Texans simply visit a local restaurant known as a barbecue joint. Such establishments typically serve the meat in a no-frills manner, on a plastic tray and butcher paper with white bread or crackers, or, to-go, in a brown paper sack. Traditional side dishes include potato salad, coleslaw (mustard or vinegar), pinto beans, which are often spicy."

Since my wife now must maintain a low fat diet, we have given up cooking brisket, and I just go to a barbecue joint - there are only a couple of hundred in Houston that I like

But when we used to do it at home, this is the closest we got (from the Redi-Smok cookbook):

QUOTE

Smoked Beef Brisket (Boneless)

10 pounds, 7 hour proposition. Marinate in sauce below for approx. 12 hours.

1 Tbls garlic salt
1 Tbls pepper
1 Tsp onion salt
1/2 cup vinegar
1/3 cup catsup
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

Place brisket on foil, do not wrap. Cup the foil up around the edges. After marinating, smoke approx. 7 hours in foil. Pour 1/2 cup red wine in drip pan.

END QUOTE

So its really a 19 hour proposition counting marinade time. I think we added wood chips to the little pan just above the electric heater, mesquite is available at most stores.

I getting hungry just thinking about it ...

Steve,

That does sound good.

I tried it once without the marinade, and it took ten hours of smoking before it broke in half. I didn't know that marinating was part of the Texas technique.

One little trick that my family uses, is to freeze the marinated meat before cooking. Kinda backwards, I know....

If there are BBQ joints in Houston that are spliced to microbreweries, I'll have to make a pilgrimage.

x

I think the closest you'll get is a barbeque joint with draft beer, like Shiner Bock, Ziegenbock, etc., and with Robert Earl Keen singing his song "Barbeque" on the juke box. You can hear an excerpt here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000EX5/qid=1123884711/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-5250044-4620838?v=glance&s=music

Goode Company Barbeque is the perennial winner of the best BBQ joint in Houston, here is a review and some pictures:

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Writeup.aspx?ReviewID=2695&RefID=2705