I know Father’s Day was technically last week, but we are celebrating this weekend instead with a tasty BBQ on Sunday. So we’re firing up the smoker and doing all the work on Saturday, so we can roll in to my folks place with a bunch of already prepared food and we can spend the time with the family instead of cooking. Here’s a quick run-down of our menu, followed by recipes for the stuff we came up with: Smoked BBQ Beef Brisket (dry rubbed and smoked with apple wood), Brioche Buns (She Simmers), Smoked BBQ Beans, Bread & Butter Pickles, Mango Slaw, and Asparagus and Potato Salad with Riesling-Tarragon Vinaigrette (Food & Wine)
Smoked BBQ Beef Brisket
Ingredients:
5(ish) lb Beef Brisket
Bobby Flay 16 spice rub
Father’s Day Smoked Brisket Mop
Served with Father’s Day Smoked Brisket BBQ sauce
Directions: We had some Bobby Flay 16 spice rub mixed up so we rubbed a brisket liberally with it, tossed it in an aluminum pan and put it in a smoker. The reason for the aluminum pan is so we can catch any juices to create a BBQ sauce. The BBQ sauce is like a gravy created from the juices of the meat that is being smoked, the spices rubbed on, and the mop that is added. Instead of adding a bunch of liquid smoke, we like to utilize the real smoke that we are using to smoke our meat.
Kitty is adding some of the mop to the brisket
Father’s Day Smoked Brisket Mop
Ingredients:
2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup broth
1/4 cup hot pepper vinegar
2 tbsp Creole Mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 medium jalapeno
2 cloves garlic
1 inch hunk of ginger
Directions:
Put all the ingredients in a pot on medium until it reduces by 2/3. Once the Brisket has been in the smoker for a couple of hours and has a bit of color on the outside, mop liberally. Repeat every couple of hours until the brisket is done.
Father’s Day Smoked Brisket BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
5 lbs tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
2 large onions
1 tbsp mustard seed oil
5 cloves garlic confit
2 tbsp garlic confit oil
1/2 cup Blackstrap molasses
liquid from brisket pan
Directions: Liquify tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Heat mustard oil and saute onions and peppers until soft. Add garlic confit oil and garlic and saute until fragrant, add tomatoes. Cover and simmer over low heat until tomatoes are reduced and sauce is thick, stirring often to ensure the sauce is not burning and sticking. Once reduced add molasses and liquid from brisket pan. Heat until the flavor melds together and you have a delicious sauce on your hands.
Smoked BBQ Beans
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
5 cloves garlic
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
4 cups dried beans (We like to mix it up and put different kinds)
1/2 lb bacon, chopped into 1″ pieces
1/2 cup water
1/2 tbsp salt
Directions: Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse well. Cook bacon in a deep skillet or cast iron dutch oven until crispy, then transfer to paper towel. Saute onions in bacon grease until translucent. Add jalapeno, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook for a few minutes until vegetables are soft. Stir in ketchup, mustard, molasses, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and heat until warm. Add rinsed beans, water, bacon and salt.
At this point we put the lid on it and cooked it over coals outside. It could also be placed in a hot oven until thick and delicious, you’re gonna have to use you’re judgement on this one. You can do it!!
Bread and Butter Pickles
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup raw cane sugar
2 tbsp hot pepper vinegar
1 tbsp yellow mustard seed
1 tbsp brown mustard seed
1 tbsp coriander seed
2 tsp dill seed
2 tsp celery seed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs pickling cucumbers, washed and sliced into 1/2″ rounds
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced into half moons
1/4 cup salt
2 tsp crushed red pepper
Directions:
Heat vinegars, sugar, and spices until sugar is dissolved. While sugar is dissolving sprinkle cucumbers with salt in a colander allowing liquid to drain. Pat the cucumbers dry and mix with onions and garlic. Pour hot vinegar mix over cucumbers and onions. Refrigerate until chilled.
1 head napa cabbage, thinly sliced leaving the last 1″ or 2″ at the core
1 mango (firm, but not green), julienned
1 bunch green onions (white/light green), julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
2 tablespoons salted cashews, chopped and toasted
Slaw Dressing
1/2 cup mayonaisse
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons mint, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon agave nectar
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix dressing ingredients together and allow flavors to meld while preparing the vegetables. Mix slaw ingredients and toss with dressing and sprinkle with toasted coconut and cashews. Serve immediately.