Texas Beef Brisket

• Serves 8

• Preparation time:

• Cooking time:

Ingredients

Rub:
2 cloves garlic, minced
Good pinch freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (or more to taste)
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons salt

1.25 kg piece beef brisket (ask for the thin end, trimmed of most fat)

Barbecue Sauce:
2 teaspoons peanut or other mild flavoured oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 green capsicum, cored, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted
140ml beer (whatever you have on hand will do)
1/4 cup of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar (substitute wine or rice vinegar)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (check the ingredients to keep the dish gluten free – gf Worcestershire sauce is readily available now)

Tacos or soft rolls and coleslaw or rainbow slaw to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 120C.

In a small mixing bowl, mix together half the garlic, pepper, half the brown sugar, the Dijon mustard, chilli powder, half the smoked paprika and half the salt. Rub this mixture all over the brisket and place in a roasting tray in the oven for about 5 hours or until meat is so tender it can be pulled apart with a fork. Set the meat aside, covered, to cool until it’s able to be handled.

For the barbecue sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion, remaining garlic and green capsicum over a low heat for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.

Add the remaining paprika, salt and brown sugar, the cumin, beer, tomato sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Cook for 20 minutes over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, and then puree with a stick blender. Taste the sauce for balance and adjust as necessary.

With your hands or two forks, pull the brisket apart into shreds in a large stainless steel bowl – they can be as chunky or fine as you’d like, both will work. Pour on the barbecue sauce and fold through the meat.

Serve warm, piled into tacos with guacamole and salsa.

Notes