My first time to cook Texas-style beef brisket. But the moment I started slicing the meat, I already knew it was going to be superb. And it was. We went to meat heaven.
It all started with Young Sheldon. You know, the spin-off from The Big Bang Theory. In Episode 7 of Season 1, Meemaw refuses to give George her brisket recipe which, apparently, was to die for. That piqued my interest.
Just to give you a preview, the total cooking time for this slow cooker beef brisket BBQ is almost eight hours. And it’s not only the slow cooker where the beef brisket cooks. That’s just the first part.
To prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pot, I place a barrier between the ceramic and the meat. I like onion slices for the barrier. They not only prevent scorching; they add moisture and a subtle sweetness too. Not to mention the lovely aroma.
We make our own BBQ sauce by grinding spices and mixing them with seasonings (ingredients are all listed below). The sauce doesn’t have to be cooked but because there’s sugar in it, it is important to mix everything thoroughly to make sure that the sugar is fully dissolved before the sauce is poured over the meat.
After the slow cooking, the meat is left to cool. The cooking liquid is reduced, brushed on the meat and then ito goes into the oven to give the surface a light crust that mimics the texture of traditional beef brisket BBQ.
Any remaiming sauce can be brushed on the beef brisket after it comes out of the oven or served on the side.
Ingredients
- 1.2 to 1.5 kilograms beef brisket in one piece
- 1 large onion peeled and thinly sliced
For the smoky barbecue sauce
- 3 tablespoons rock salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoons smoky paprika
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger powder
- ½ cup spicy grainy mustard we used homemade
- ½ cup tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 cup ginger ale
- ¾ to 1 tablespoon liquid smoke the amount depending on the actual weight of the brisket
Instructions
- Spread the onion slices to completely cover the bottom of the slow cooker bowl.
- Rinse the brisket, pat dry with paper towels and lay on top of the onion slices.
- Place the rock salt, thyme, oregano and basil in a spice grinder or food processor. Process until powdered.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together the processed salt and herbs with the rest of the ingredients for the sauce until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Pour the sauce over the meat.
- Set the slow cooker on LOW and cook the brisket for 7 and ½ hours.
- Remove the bowl from the cooker and let the brisket cool slowly to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Line a baking tray with foil and spray with oil. Alternatively, line the tray with non-stick baking paper or a silicone mat.
- Lift the brisket and lay on the prepared baking tray.
- Strain the sauce into a sauce pan. Boil, uncovered, until reduced to the consistency of syrup. DO NOT wait until too thick; it thickens as it cools.
- Brush the reduced sauce on every exposed surface of the brisket.
- Bake the beef brisket at 400F for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is lightly caramelized.
- Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, slice and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.
