Sauce For Brisket - Any Suggestions?

If you foil the brisket,to hold in a cooler,save and defat the juices.

Cut with some lowfat beef stock or black coffee.

Mix with a little of whatever red sauce you have around,until it tastes good and just slightly sweet.

Serve warm.

One of the things that we do occassionally with leftover brisket is to make "poor man's smoked prime rib sandwiches". For this we use a crispy baguette and make some au jus for dipping. A little horseradish sauce on the side adds a little as well.

As far as our initial meal when the brisket is first done, we tend to like the taste of the meat itself, and therefore use no sauce but natural juices. That is a matter of personal preference. I would try what Tom suggested and just eperiment in general to find what meets your taste. Good luck.

I'm with Tom. Beef stock, coffee are good thining agents. The sauce out of the foil is good IF it doesn't get that burned taste from being overcooked.

You need something to complement the beef, not hide it in sauce (if it's done right).

Thanks all - Took the rec and mixed the juice in the foil with 16 oz. beef stock. Added 3 crushed cloves of garlic and a bay leaf. Simmered for 20 minutes and strained. Made up a batch of Smokin's pork sauce and offered both as side sauces. Each was a perfect compliment to the brisket.

BTW - speaking of the brisket. I've done 5 or 6 since I've had my 008 (Xmas 04). All were flats and all were pretty good though they were slightly dry on occasion. Can't get a packer without a 3-4 day lead order with my butcher and I usually don't have that luxury with my constantly changing schedule. This particular flat came straight from the cryovac and I damned near got into an arguement with the butcher when I said don't trim it.

As mentioned upthread, after an overnight rub started at 6:00 A.M. at 200F and later boosted to 225F. Hit 175F internal at 4:30 and I pulled, double foiled, and returned to the smoker. At 6:30 it hit 194F and I pulled, wrapped in a couple of towels and put in the Coleman. Removed at 7:50, unwrapped, carved, and served. Without a doubt, the best brisket I have ever made and among the best that I have ever tasted anywhere. Very tasty as always, good bark, perfect for slicing, and extremely moist. And, oddly enough, we actually sat down to eat at the target time.

In retrospect, I think the key with the flat was the double foiling at 175F and the holding time in the cooler (which I have not done before with a brisket). Maybe not necessary with a packer, but it sure seemed to make a world of difference with the flat.

Thanks again guys

Yep,a little aid doesn't hurt with some flats.

A packer does pretty well on its own in the moist cooking CS.

The resting time is a good thing.

If you have a good cold spot in your refrigerator,you can keep a cryovaced packer there for several weeks and cook when you can.

It will also freeze and thaw well,if you can't get to it in time.

If you know your butcher,often they will order,sell to you,and store it in their cold storage for several weeks.

Just a couple of thoughts.

Tom and Smokin,
How about as little more info on that coffee juice for brisket mentioned above?

Well,just our approach,but the collected juices from the packer can be salty and fatty.

Also,as Smokin' said,you don't want burned.

Black coffee just seems to work with beef,as apple juice does with pork.

Most cooks seem to have some leftovers from the morning coffee pot,and it is cheaper than good beef stock.

It isn't salty and has some flavor.

Even though a lot of fine cooks from the southwest eschew any sweet,just my personal opinion is that many folks will like a touch of sweet with heat and salt.

The red sauce can give you a little bit of tomato base ,sweet,and rounded flavors.

We like thin and taste it with a bite of brisket.

Just black coffee poured in there?

I can post or send you a great coffee BBQ sauce.

1cup ketchup
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup brewed espresso
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 jalapeños, halved and seeded
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons dry mustard powder, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder

Mix and cook about 10 minutes.

YUMMMMMMMMMMM

Do some of you just pour black coffee on the meat?