- We’ll always remember your succulent Texas-style beef brisket.
- You gave us the best eastern Carolina pulled pork BBQ.
- You provided our Thanksgiving turkey when the whole family was here one year.
- You brought us together for outdoor Sunday football around the TV and the fire pit.
- You slow cooked the Pacific salmon to smoky perfection.
- You entertained Bill for hours on end.
- You gave us many happy times with good food.
- Most of all, you made our back yard hospitable.
We moved in our house 15 years ago and went to a yard sale down the street on our first Saturday here. Bill bought a smoker for $20 from the Smith’s who were downsizing. The smoker was neither fancy nor pretty, not like the newfangled ones. Worse yet, there were no instructions!
Ole Pal
Last Sunday, the old smoker gave up the ghost. It goes to show you, some things in life aren’t costly or flashy, they just do the job until they can’t do it any more. Bill learned how to get the most out of the old thing with the right wood, regulated heat, spicy rubs, a little research, and a lot of patience.
Bill is looking for the next yard sale. The rest of us are waiting for the next meal.
Bill’s Texas-Style Beef Brisket
The succulent taste comes from the rub and the combination of mesquite and cherry wood chips. Smoking meats, poultry and fish takes practice, but we always had plenty of folks willing to taste test.
6-8 pound beef brisket, rinsed with water and blotted dry with paper towels
For the dry rub, combine:
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Mix together spices and rub on meat. Refrigerate overnight. Soak wood chips overnight (You can use mesquite, cherry, oak, or hickory chips. Buy them at Home Depot or Lowes or get from wood in your own back yard.)
Prepare smoker with wood (sometimes combined with charcoal) and cook brisket for 6-8 hours, the longer the better. Slice thinly when done. Serve with your favorite Texas-style BBQ sauce, corn, rolls, slaw, and beans.
Get Yourself a Good Book
Bill recommends The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen. Unless you have a mentor or some good instructions with a brand-new smoker, you will have to do research. But, even then, practice, practice, practice. It’s worth it!
Barbara Garneau Kelley 