Another Brisket Recipe

Summary:

1. Smoke brisket at 225-250º until internal temperature stalls around 160-165º.
2. Wrap in butcher paper, then aluminum foil, and place on a full baking sheet in a 225º oven. 
3. When internal temperature reaches 203º, place the brisket in a cooler until ready to serve. 

Brisket

• 12 pound beef brisket whole packer (point and flat together) untrimmed, USDA Choice grade or higher
• 12 ounces  beef broth (approximately 1 ounce per pound of meat)
• 6 teaspoons Morton Coarse Kosher Salt (approximately ½ teaspoon per pound)
• ½ cup  Big Bad Beef Rub (alternatively, you can use our bottled commercial beef rub)

Texas Crutch

• ½ cup  beef broth

Method

1. Trim. Trim off most of the fat cap but leave about 1/4" (6.3 mm). Clean the meaty side of any silverskin, a shiny, thin, tough membrane. Set aside some fat for making burnt ends, described below.
2. [I don't do this step.] Separate. You can remove the point at this stage, especially if you want to turn it into those luscious chunks of beef candy called burnt ends. Purists cry heresy, but separating the point and flat gives you a flat that is pretty uniform in thickness so it will cook more evenly. Plus, you can apply flavorful rub to all sides of the flat, and you will get an all-around smoke ring. You can cook the point and flat side by side.
3. Inject (optional). I almost always inject briskets with beef broth. This meat takes so long to cook that the extra moisture helps keep it from dehydrating, and the salt helps the meat hold onto moisture and enhances flavor. Use broth only. No need to add spices, juices or other flavorings. All we want here is moisture. We don't want the fluid to mask the flavor of the meat. If you have a hypodermic syringe for injecting meat, now's the time to use it. Pump in about 1 ounce (28 g) of beef broth per pound of raw meat by inserting the needle parallel to the grain in several locations about 1" (2.5 cm) apart and backing it out as you press the plunger. Do it in the sink, and be careful so you don't get squirted in the eye.
4. Season. If you have not injected salt, salt the meat about 12 to 24 hours in advance so it can work its way in, 2 to 4 hours minimum. If you have injected a salt solution, do not salt the meat.
5. Notice the direction of the grain of the flat and remember this so you can carve the cooked brisket perpendicular to the grain. The grain will be hard to find under the bark when it is done, so some people mark it with a slice in the surface or cut off a slice to show them the way to cut later. After salting, sprinkle the Big Bad Beef Rub liberally on all areas of the meat and rub it in. Keep the meat chilled until just before you cook it. Chilled meat attracts more smoke. I strongly recommend you use a remote digital thermometer and insert the probe with the tip centered in the thickest part of the meat furthest from the heat.
6. Fire up. Pre-heat your smoker. Get the cooker temp stabilized at about 235°F (113°C). We want to cook at about 225°F (107°C), but the temp will drop a bit once you open the lid and load in the cold meat.
7. Cook. Put the meat on the cooker. On a smoker with a water pan, put the meat right above the water. Place the oven temp probe on the grate next to the meat. Add about 2 cups (4 ounces (113 g)) of wood right after the meat goes on. When the smoke stops, add 4 ounces more during the first 2 hours, which usually means adding some every 30 minutes or so. Keep an eye on the water in the pan. Don't let it dry out. After 3 hours, turn the meat over if the color is different from top to bottom. Otherwise, leave the meat alone. No need to mop, baste, or spritz. It just lowers the temp of the meat and softens the bark. 
8. Wrap The meat's internal temperature will move steadily upward to somewhere around 150 to 170°F (55 to 77°C), and then it will enter the stall. Once in the stall, the temp will seem to take forever to rise. The stall can last 5 hours and the temp may not rise more than 5°F! When the meat hits the stall and temp stops rising, take it off and wrap it tightly in a double layer of heavy-duty foil. We have learned that the more airspace around the meat, the more juice leaks out of the meat. Crimp it tight and put the wrapped meat back on the smoker or move it to an indoor oven at 225°F (107°C). This step, called the Texas Crutch, slightly braises and steams the meat, but most importantly, it prevents the surface evaporation that cools down the meat and causes the stall. If you wrap the meat at 150°F (65°C), it will power right through the stall and cut your cooking time significantly.
9. Burnt ends (optional). Burnt ends are amazingly flavorful bite-size crispy meat cubes. Originally they were simply edges and ends that were overcooked and trimmed off and munched by the kitchen staff. If there were any leftover, they were given away for free. Then, in 1970, in his marvelous book American Fried, Calvin Trillin wrote the following about Arthur Bryant's restaurant in Kansas City "The main course at Bryant's, as far as I'm concerned, is something that is given away for free — the burned edges of the brisket. The counterman just pushes them over to the side as he slices the beef, and anyone who wants them helps himself. I dream of those burned edges. Sometimes, when I'm in some awful overpriced restaurant in some strange town — all of my restaurant-finding techniques having failed, so that I'm left to choke down something that costs seven dollars and tastes like a medium-rare sponge — a blank look comes over my face: I have just realized that at that very moment someone in Kansas City is being given those burned edges free."
10. Temp it. When the meat temp hits 195°F (95°C), start poking it. Poke it with a thermometer probe. It should slide in and out with little resistance if it is done. Poke it with a finger or pick it up and jiggle it. If it goes wubba wubba and wiggles like jelly, it is done. This usually happens somewhere between 195 and 205°F (90 and 96°C), usually at around 203°F (95°C).
11. Cheating. Here's my technique, strictly illegal in BBQ competitions, but very welcome in my family. In a frying pan, render about 1/4 pound of the beef fat that you trimmed from the brisket. Or cheat and use bacon fat or duck fat. You can do this over hot coals. Cut the brisket point into 1/2" to 3/4" (12 to 19 mm) cubes. Set aside any pieces that are too fatty or just eat them. Put the cubes in the pan and gently fry the cubes until they are crunchy on the outside, turning them a few times. Drain the fat and add about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of your favorite BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the drippings from the foil used for the Texas Crutch. Put the pan back on the cooker in a hot spot and close the lid. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Let the cubes absorb most of the liquid and start to sizzle, but don't let them burn. When they're done, keep them warm in the faux cambro with the flat.
12. Faux Cambro. Cambros are insulated boxes used to keep food warm for extended periods of time. To create a home made version, get a plastic beer cooler, line it with a towel, blanket, or crumpled newspaper, and put the meat, still in foil, into the cooler on top of the lining. If the foil is leaking fluids put the meat in a large pan first. Leave the thermometer probe in the meat. Close the lid and let the hot meat sit in the cooler for 1 to 4 hours until you are ready to eat. If you can, wait til it drops to 150°F (65°C) to slice it. If you have a tight cooler, it should hold the meat well above a safe serving temp of 140°F (60°C) for several hours. Click here for our cooler reviews.
13. Slice (How do I slice brisket?). Don't slice until the last possible minute. Brisket dries out very very quickly once it is cut. If you wish, you can firm up the crust a bit by unwrapping the meat and putting it over a hot grill or under a broiler for a few minutes on each side. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn. Sauce should not be needed if the brisket is juicy, but if you want sauce, just don't use a sweet one. Heat up my Texas Barbecue Mop Sauce or heat up the jus in the foil and bring it to the table. Beware: Taste the jus first. It might be salty. You can dilute it warm water or unsalted beef broth. Important: Turn the meat fat side up so the juices will run onto the meat as you slice.

When shopping for brisket, go for the highest grade you can find, and hand pick the slab with the most fat striation visible. Pay no attention to the fat cap. You will trim most of that away. But marbling is important. Go for USDA Choice, USDA Prime, or Certified Angus Beef. If it is not labeled, chances are it is USDA Select. Avoid it. 

For images and more on slicing, see the original post: https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/smoked-brisket-texas-style/

Traeger Smoked Chicken

Brine:

• 2 quarts (1.89 l) water divided
• 1/3 cup (97 g) salt
• 1 lemon quartered
• 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary
• 2 tablespoons (24 g) brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic smashed
• 1 tablespoon (10 g) black peppercorns

Chicken:

• 4 pound (2 kg) whole chicken
• 1 lemon halved
• 4 cloves garlic smashed
• 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter

Rub: (I just used Weber rub)

• 1 tablespoon (7 g) paprika
• 2 teaspoons (12 g) salt
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon (0.1 g) dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) chili powder
• 1 teaspoon (2 g) onion powder

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 cups water and remaining brine ingredients. Simmer until the salt has fully dissolved. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Once cooled, combine the brine with the remaining cold water in a large enough container to hold the water and chicken (that will fit in your refrigerator).
3. Submerge the chicken, breast side down, in the brine. Refrigerate for 12-20 hours (not longer than this!).
4. Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse it thoroughly to remove excess salt. Pat dry with a paper towel. Stuff the chicken with the lemon, garlic and herbs. Mix the butter and seasonings together and spread all over the chicken. Tie the legs together.
5. When ready to cook, start the grill on smoke with the lid open for 5 minutes for the fire to establish. Close the lid, turn up the heat to 225° F(107°C) and preheat the grill with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
6. Place the chicken, breast side up, directly on the grate. Insert a meat probe in the thickest part of the breast. Cook at 225° F(107°C) for about 3 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 140° F(60°C). Increase the temperature to 325° F(163°C)and continue cooking the chicken for another 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165° F(74°C).
7. Remove the chicken from the grill and rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Original posting: https://afoodloverskitchen.com/the-best-traeger-smoked-chicken/

Super Easy Chicken Tinga

For the chicken: 

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small chunk onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

• 4 roma tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion , cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce ,+ 1 chipotle chili
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions:

1. Add chicken, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaf to a pot. Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat for around 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through; 165 degrees F. Scoop off foam that may rise to the top while cooking. Remove chicken to a plate to rest, and reserve 1 cup of broth from the pot (discard the rest).
2. Return the emptied pot to the stove over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add whole tomatoes, cooking for 2 minutes. Add onion chunks and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and onion to a blender, along with ½ cup reserved broth, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, 2 garlic cloves, adobo sauce and chipotle chile, oregano, and cumin and blend until smooth. Pour mixture back into the pot over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt additional adobo sauce, more seasonings, or reserved chicken broth, as desired, to taste.
4. Shred chicken and add to sauce, tossing to coat.

Other notes:

• To Use Rotisserie Chicken: Skip the first steps of cooking the chicken. Make the sauce, adding ½ cup chicken broth. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken at the end.
• Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare the chicken tinga and store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Heat when you are ready to use. These leftovers are delicious! See recipe notes for Slow Cooker or Instant Pot instructions.
• Freezing Instructions: Let the chicken cool completely then place in a freezer safe container or bag and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Alternately, make the sauce and pour into a ziplock bag with raw chicken. Freeze, and when ready to use, thaw completely and add to slow cooker, following the slow cooker instructions below. I love to make a big batch of this recipe and freeze half of it to use for chicken tinga tacos on a busy weeknight!
• Slow Cooker: Make sauce as instructed in recipe. Place chicken in a slow cooker, and pour sauce on top. Cook on LOW for 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2. Shred chicken and toss in sauce, then serve.
• Instant Pot: Make sauce as instructed in recipe. Pour sauce in the instant pot, then add fresh chicken breasts. Place lid on Instant Pot and cook on manual for 9 minutes, with a 5 minute natural pressure release. Remove chicken to shred, then place back in Instant Pot and toss with sauce.

Original Posting: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/chicken-tinga/

Fondant Potatoes

 

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. butter, cut into cubes
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp. Chopped rosemary, for serving

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Peel potatoes and slice them into 2 inch thick slices. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat vegetable oil until hot. Add potatoes flat side down into oil and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. When golden, flip potatoes and add butter, garlic and rosemary. Let other side of potatoes get golden, 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock to the skillet and place in the oven. Bake until tender, 25-30 minutes.
4. Top with rosemary and serve.

From the BBC:

• 6 medium Maris Piper potatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 200g unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 large garlic cloves, bashed
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 200ml chicken or vegetable stock

1. Slice the ends off the potatoes so they lay flat on either side.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-low heat. When hot, add the potatoes cut-side down. Fry for 5-7 mins, or until deep golden brown, then flip and fry on the other side. Add the butter to the pan to melt.
3. Scatter the garlic and herbs around the potatoes and season well. Carefully pour the stock around the veg, being aware of any hot butter that may splash out. Cover and simmer gently for 25-30 mins, or until the potatoes are tender, then serve.

Lemon Posset

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream 
• ⅔ cup (4 2/3 ounces) granulated sugar 
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 6 tablespoons juice (2 lemons)
• 1 ½ cups blueberries or raspberries

Preparation

This dessert requires portioning into individual servings. Reducing the cream mixture to exactly 2 cups creates the best consistency. Transfer the liquid to a 2-cup heatproof liquid measuring cup once or twice during boiling to monitor the amount. Do not leave the cream unattended, as it can boil over easily.

1. Combine cream, sugar, and lemon zest in medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. If mixture begins to boil over, briefly remove from heat. Cook until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, 8 to 12 minutes.
2. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Let sit until mixture is cooled slightly and skin forms on top, about 20 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into bowl; discard zest. Divide mixture evenly among 6 individual ramekins or serving glasses.
3. Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours. Once chilled, possets can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Unwrap and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with berries and serve.

Another from Spruce Eats

Tuscan Liver Pate

From Inside the Rustic Kitchen

 Ingredients

• 10.5 oz (300g) chicken livers
•  1 heaped tsp caper
•  4 anchovy fillets
•  1 clove garlic minced
•  1 large handful parsley finely chopped
•  8 sage leaves finely chopped
•  1 tbsp olive oil
•  1 tbsp vin santo (or marsala or sherry)
• 3.5 oz (100g) butter

Instructions

• First, clean the livers by removing any green or yellow bits, wash and dry them well.
• Roughly chop the livers and add them to a frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, chopped parsley, sage, capers, anchovies and a minced garlic clove.
• Cook the mixture for 5 minutes on a medium heat then set aside to cool.
• Add the liver mixture to a food processor and add 1 tablespoon of vin santo with the motor running, continue to blitz the liver into a smooth paste.
• Add the smooth pate back into the frying pan with cubes of butter and cook, stirring the pate and butter together until completely mixed together. The pate will need to heat through so it melts in with the butter (around 3 minutes).
• Transfer the pate into a ramekin or serving dish and leave to cool before chilling in the fridge until firm. 

Tip: If you're planning on tipping the pate out of the dish or ramekin, make sure to line the dish with cling film first so you can remove it easily.

Cals per serving 93

Another from Food & Wine. And from the NYTimes: 

• ¾  pound chicken livers
• 1  medium yellow onion
• 1  clove garlic
• 2  tablespoons good-quality olive oil
• ¼  cup dry white wine
• ¼  cup chicken stock
• 1  tablespoon capers
•  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 8 to 10  thin slices of crusty Italian or French bread

1. Rinse the chicken livers under running water and pat dry with paper towel. Cut away any greenish discolored parts. Cut the onion in half and slice each half thinly. Mash the garlic with the flat blade of a knife and chop coarsely.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Add onion and garlic and cook gently until onion is softened. Add chicken livers. Turn heat up to medium and cook briskly until livers are thoroughly browned.
3. Add white wine and chicken stock. Lower heat and simmer approximately 20 minutes, until livers are cooked through. Mash the livers with a fork, or pass them through a food mill to puree them. The texture should be more grainy than smooth. Mix with capers, taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with the sliced bread, either plain or toasted.

Butterkuchen

According to Bloomberg, the pandemic has seen US butter consumption rise to its highest levels since 1943... The butter cake recipe, aka Butterkuchen or Zuckerkuchen, is a traditional German cake often served for afternoon coffee. Popular when covered with butter, almonds, and sugar. It can also be topped with streusel (see recipe below). 

Ingredients:

Yeast Dough

• 1 package (1 Tbsp) active dry yeast
• ¼ cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup milk (lukewarm)
• ½ cup oil
• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• about 4 to 4½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup milk or cream

Topping

• ⅔ cup sugar
• ¾ cup chopped almonds
• ⅓ cup cold butter

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix yeast, water, and 1 tsp sugar. Let stand for about 5 – 10 minutes. This should be a little foamy.
2. Mix in 1 cup milk, oil, egg, and ½ cup sugar. Beat in 2 cups flour and mix well. Let stand 10 minutes.
3. Add more flour until a soft dough results. Remove from bowl and knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour ONLY if necessary if it is too sticky.
4. Put dough into a greased bowl. Cover and put in a draft-free warm place for about 30 – 60 minutes, until it has doubled in size.
5. Grease a 35 cm x 24 cm pan. Roll out dough to fit the pan and place it into it.
6. Make small hollows in the surface of the dough with your fingers.
7. Brush dough with ½ cup milk or cream.
8. Cut butter into small pieces and place in hollows.
9. Sprinkle ⅔ cup sugar and nuts over the dough.
10. Cover and let stand in a warm draft-free place for about 30 minutes.
11. Preheat oven to 200° C. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
12. Let cool slightly and cut into squares.

Hint:
You can make a streusel topping by mixing together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup butter into a crumbly mixture. Spread on top of dough instead of sprinkling the sugar and nuts.

Here is Martha Stewart's take. And another take (in German). And yet another from Spruce Eats.