Brisket

[Chicken Dinner]

Can any of you dufes recommend a good commercial rub for brisket. I smoked a brisket over the weekend and finally think I'm getting the hang of consistently producing a consistently well cooked meat. I'm still working on a rub I really like though. I'm definitely looking for something commercial that probably has a combination of heat/sweet.

[Big Muddy]

#1---Lawhorn's---http://www.lawhorns.net

#2---HeadCountry---https://www.headcountry.com....(I'm not a real fan of Head Country, but I know the Okie contingent is gonna recommend it, anyway, so I'll save them the trouble.) ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

This is about as good a recipe as you'll find for a rib rub. I used it this past weekend for a big 7 pound brisket I smoked on Friday for a family reunion on Saturday and there wasn't a single slice of it left. Pretty easy to make and pretty easy to adjust the heat, depending on how much cayenne pepper you want to use. I also use a smoked paprika instead of a spanish paprika. You used to could buy this rub but I can't find it anywhere any more.

BKB

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/oklahoma-joes-smoked-brisket-flat-recipe.html

[Arty]

Head country

[Niner]

OK! Here's y'all's chance to convince me to try doing a brisket.

Am I wrong, or is it just "roast beef"? I tried some supposedly award-winning brisket in Houston that tasted about like Arby's roast beef sammich meat.

I'm serious here.....I'm interested in trying it.... But what should I be expecting at the end of the cook???

[Big Muddy]

Niner, I NEVER smoke/cook brisket for that very reason....I do like it for corned beef, but that's about the only way I'll eat it.

And, they are expensive, as h3ll !!!

That's the reason the Good Lord put ribeyes and sirloins on a cow. ;)

[Chicken Dinner]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. A good brisket is a thing of beauty. It's fork tender and smoky deliciousness. In addition to sliced, it's great on a sandwich with a little bbq sauce or the "burnt" ends are great chopped and mixed in with some baked beans. If it tastes like Arby's, you're doing something wrong. I will say that doing it well is a lot harder than ribs or a butt. I love me some corned beef, but will usually buy a corned round instead of a brisket. I've got a neighbor that cures brisket and cold smokes his own pastrami. Now, that is killer!

[Niner]

If it tastes like Arby's, you're doing something wrong.

All I know is what those "award-winning" Texicans were serving up. But then, the rest of the stuff I had there pretty much sucked too. :biggrin

I'd like to find some actual GOOD brisket sometime.....but I got NO idea where I'd find some.
Maybe on one of our Houston trips I'll be brave enough to try it again.

:stirthepot:stirthepot

[LW]

The simple brisket secret. Rub it in coffee right out of the can and cook low and slow. Sounds bad, taste amazing.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I use a coffee rub on steaks from time to time but haven't tried it on brisket yet. I keep meaning to but keep forgetting! I also forgot to say I also paint a little french's mustard on the brisket once in a while to hold the rub better. Mustard breaks the tissues that hold the meat together and makes it VERY tender without imparting much flavor to it.

BKB

[LW]

Can go wrong with mustard. Use it on my babyback ribs.

[Niner]

Have ya ever tried a peanut butter rub on that brisket????
:lmao :lmao :poke :poke :stirthepot

[Chicken Dinner]

I always thought mustard was just to give it a better "bark". I use it on my butts, but not on ribs or brisket. The coffee idea is intriguing. Barry, do you just straight coffee on your steaks like LW or as an ingredient in the rub. Do you coat it on thick or just a light dusting?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Mine is a steak rub and I might change it up a bit for a brisket but I'll have to try it first and see. For steaks I use a third a third and a third of coffee, hot paprika, and brown sugar. I then add a little kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. I paint the steaks with EVOO and probably sprinkle a tsp on each side and let them rest until the meat is room temperature before I put them on the grill. Since this recipe has brown sugar, I put them on a very hot grill in a cast iron pan so you get some carmelization on them. Turn 'em once and let them rest about five minutes and they're larrupin'.

BKB

[Niner]

I have a buddy that says he uses an old cast iron skillet to (as he calls it) "blacken" his ribeyes at a very high temp.

You're the second person I've ran across that does this....must be somethin' to it.

Hmmmmmmmm............

[Chicken Dinner]

Bill, I sometimes use a cast iron fajita or pancake skillet for my steaks on the grill as well. Try softening some butter and mixing in fresh ground sea or kosher salt, black pepper and herbs de Provence. Spread a layer on both sides if a rib eye and throw it on a cast iron pan that's preheated on the grill. Only turn once and let it rest for 5 minutes tented with aluminum foil in the pan.

[Thumper]

Have ya ever tried a peanut butter rub on that brisket????
:lmao :lmao :poke :poke :stirthepot

BITE ME Niner! ;)

Seriously though, I find it hard to believe a good brisket would be hard to find in Houston (or ANYWHERE in Texas). That place you went to must just plain suck. Texas is BEEF country, but when it comes to BBQ (or anything similar) I'm a pork guy myself. I've had some great beef ribs as well as brisket ... but it just ain't "southern"! Lynn and I will be spending the weekend with my sis and bil in New Orleans this weekend. They're not foodies at all, but he wines and dines his clients, so I'm sure he can tell me where you can get good brisket. Also, we'll be spending about a week with them around Thanksgiving ... if you and Di happen to be at MDA that time of year, let's try to get together if you feel up to it.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Thumper, there ain't no rules when it comes to what is barbecue and what ain't. Barbecue is simply the art of turning inexpensive cuts of meat into tasty ones. I'm with Eddie though, the price of brisket is ridongculous. I paid north of six bucks a pound for this last one I did and hell, they had ribeyes on sale for just eight bucks a pound. I'll be damned if I'll pay six bucks a pound on a regular basis for a doggone dewlap when I can eat higher up where the rich folks do for a couple bucks more.

BKB

[Niner]

That MIGHT work out Thumpster. I'm going back in August (I think) for my next round of checkups.....then, if they keep me on the same schedule I think I should be due for the round after that sometime in November.

Unless I'm totally wrong....which happens from time to time. :biggrin

Either way, see if they have a BBQ place that they can recommend that is not too far from the medical center. The place that we tried "The Goode Company" (on Kirby Dr.) was NOT good. We also tried Pappa's, and they had some reallly good BBQ'd chicken wings....but the last time we were in there the service was so bad (downright rude employees from the mgr on down) that we crossed it off the list.

Actually.....now that I think about it....one of the vendors at the MDA cafeteria serves up brisket from time to time. I have had their smoked whole chicken (ok, I only got 1/2 of one) and that was really good. SO that might be something I'll think about trying. They DO sell out pretty quickly, so they must have something on the ball!!!