• 1 1/2-pound mesquite wood chips
• 1 5-to 6-pound beef brisket

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 12-ounce can beer
• 1/2 cup catsup
• 2 tablespoons ground red New Mexican chile
• 4 chiltepins, crushed

• 1/4 cup ground red New Mexican chile
• 2 teaspoons ground cayenne
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar

Soak the wood chips in water for 2 hours, remove and drain. Prepare a slow charcoal fire in a covered grill and arrange 1/2 of the wood chips on the coals. To make the sauce, sautĒ the onion and garlic in a little of the oil until they are soft. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Combine the dry ingredients for the rub. Brush the brisket with the vinegar and thoroughly coat the meat with the rub. Place the brisket on the grill, fat side up, over a drip pan. Close the lid and smoke for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, adding more wood chips as needed. Generously brush the brisket with the sauce a couple of times during the last 1 1/2 hours of cooking. To serve: Heat the remaining sauce, adding additional catsup if necessary. Cut the brisket across the grain and serve with the sauce on the side.

Note: Texas barbecues are legendary, taking hours or even days to cook, and beef brisket is king. The meat is first covered with a spicy rub, either wet or dry, that coats the meat and helps hold in the juices. It is then cooked slowly and basted with a rich sauce during the last hours of cooking. Ideally, the brisket should be smoked over aromatic woods (pecan, apple, etc.) rather than charcoal, but this method will work fine.

Serves: 6 to 8
Heat Scale: Medium

Origin: Copyright © 1996,Chile Pepper Magazine, All Rights Reserved.
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