Short ribs cooked for hours in a smoker result in tender meat which literally falls off the bones. Serve with ears of corn, Southwest Bean Salad, and pitchers of cold beer. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Water Pan’
These slow-cooked ribs served with a tangy barbecue sauce are finger-lickin’ good. Serve with Old- Fashioned Coleslaw. (more…)
Another less-expensive cut of beef, tenderized by long, slow cooking. We prefer to rinse off the salt cure before smoking. However if you prefer saltier meat with the flavor of corned beef, leave it on.
1 (5- to 6-lb.) beef brisket
1 cup Salt Cure for Meat
Watercress sprigs or parsley sprigs
Double recipe All-American Barbecue Sauce
Pat brisket dry with paper towels. If using salt cure, rub cure generously over surface of beef. Place salt-cure coated beef in a large heavy food-storage bag. Press out air; seal bag. Squeeze bag vigorously, pressing cure into meat. Set bag in a large bowl; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours, pressing cure into meat 2 or 3 times. If let sit overnight, beef will be very salty and will begin forming juices, making a brine.
Meanwhile, prepare All-American Barbecue Sauce; set aside. Thoroughly rinse cured beef under warm running water; pat dry with paper towels. Set on a wire rack 30 to 60 minutes to dry. Soak hickory chips or chunks in water to cover, at least 30 minutes, using 1/4 to 1/2 pound chips for a lightly smoked flavor and 3/4 to 1 pound chips for a smokier flavor.
Build a charcoal fire in fire-pan of water-smoker or preheat as manufacturer directs. When coals are low-glowing and covered with a gray ash, spread out in fire-pan. Squeeze water from 1 or 2 handfuls of wood chips; sprinkle on coals. Place water-pan over hot coals; fill with water.
Position a wire rack over water pan. Place cured or uncured brisket on rack above water pan; brush lightly with barbecue sauce. Cover smoker; adjust vents as manufacturer directs.
Smoke about 4 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted in meat, not touching bone, registers 130F to 135F (55C) for rare, 150F to 15SF (65C to 70C) for medium and 160F to 165F (70C to 75C) for well-done. Add more briquettes and soaked wood every 45 minutes to maintain heat and smoke; add more water to water-pan, if necessary to keep it at least 1/2 full.
Baste 5 or 6 times with sauce during smoking. Remove cooked meat to a carving board. Cover with foil; let stand about 10 minutes. After standing, internal temperature of beef should register 140F (60C) for rare, 160F (70C) for medium and 170F (75C) for well-done.
To carve, cut across grain into thin diagonal slices; arrange meat slices on a warm platter. Garnish with watercress or parsley. In a small saucepan, bring remaining barbecue sauce to a boil; pour into a serving dish. Serve separately. Makes 10 to 12 servings.