Texans would like to be known as the barbeque experts.
However, there is much disagreement about the proper
way to barbeque even among the Texans. There is one
school of thought that says wet sauces are bad for bar-
becue. This theory is based on the fact that any sauce
with tomato or sugar will burn. Barbecue cooked dry-
over a very low heat and in a covered barbecue pit-will
produce a marvelous "real" Texas barbecue.
Directions
This is what the experts say about cooking a brisket:
Choose about a 9-pound beef brisket
Be sure to choose
one with a little fat on it
The flavor won't be as good if it
is too lean.
Make the basic dry rub (see recipe previous page)-
and rub thoroughly all over the meat
Don't ever pierce the
meat with a fork
Turn with a tongs.
Prepare a fire for smoke/indirect cooking as described
at the beginning of this chapter, using mesquite, hicko-
ry, or oak
If you have to you can use wood chips
soaked in water with charcoal
Now let your fire burn
down real low.
Your fire shouldn't be too hot
But you can't let it go
out either
You may have to nurse it along, adding small
logs or charcoal from time to time
Remember to keep
the fire off the meat
Keep water nearby to quench any
flame-ups.
When your fire is burning just right, put the brisket on
and cover it up
A 9-pound brisket should cook about
18 hours for that real Texas barbeque flavor
Be sure to
keep a close watch
Turn the meat once in awhile with
the tongs and add wood to the fire or water to the pan.
VARIATIONS: You can do the same thing with pork ribs,
chicken, or steak
Use the dry rub seasonings (see
recipes previous page)
Cook ribs about 3 hours, chicken
about 2, steak just 20 minutes.
