Good Eating: Slow-Cooked BBQ'd Brisket of Beef

Are you ready for some football?

To feed hungry players, or anyone with a Texas-sized appetite on game day, NFL executive chef David Poran, shows you how to make a Texas favorite, Slow-Cooked BBQ'd Brisket of Beef.

Traditional-Style Tailgate Brisket

Ingredients:
1 fresh beef brisket, trimmed, about 8-10 lbs.
1 recipe BBQ rub*
8 cups of mesquite wood chips, soaked in water for 2 hours and drained.

Method:
Preheat a charcoal grill with hot coals and let coals turn white.
Cut brisket in half against the grain and rub all over with BBQ rub.
Place coals on one side of the grill on the lowest rack setting.
Place a handful of soaked wood chips on the coals.
Set the brisket as far away from the heat as possible. This cut of meat requires many hours of slow cooking and will burn if placed directly over the coals.
Cook, covered, over this indirect heat for 6-8 hours, turning occasionally and adjusting the heat level by propping the grill cover open when needed. The grill's internal temperature shouldn't rise past 300 degrees F. Add wood chips as the old ones burn away.
The meat is done when the brisket is poked with a fork and the fork enters and leaves the meat with out any resistance. The meat should be falling-apart tender. If it is not meltingly tender, cook it longer. Some Texans cook their brisket at 200 degrees for 12 hours. (We have tailgating to do, so we sped it up a bit.)
Carefully remove from the grill onto a cutting board and cut AGAINST the very visible grain of the meat. Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce, cornbread, biscuits, and a frosty beverage.

Home Kitchen Brisket

Ingredients:
1 fresh beef brisket trimmed, about 8-10 lbs.
1 recipe BBQ rub*
1 large onion, cut into quarters
3 bay leaves
6 cups of water

Method:
Cut the brisket in half against the grain and rub with the BBQ rub.
Place the meat in an ovenproof pan large enough to hold the meat in a single layer.
Add the water, onion, and bay leaf to the pan.
Tightly cover the pan with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil to completely cover the plastic wrap. (Don't worry, the wrap does not melt. I promise!)
Place in a preheated 350-degree F. oven and cook for 3-4 hours.
The meat is ready when a fork passes in and out of the meat with no trace of resistance. The meat should be almost falling apart.
Carefully remove the meat from the pan and place on a cookie sheet or broiler pan.
Pre-heat the broiler on it's highest setting. Brush a thin film of cooking oil on the brisket, and place the brisket under the broiler. Brown the brisket well under the broiler, moving it occasionally, until it crisps evenly on it's top.
Carefully move the brisket onto a cutting board and slice the meat AGAINST the very visible grain of the meat. Serve with your favorite BBQ sauce, cornbread, biscuits, and a frosty beverage.

BBQ Rub

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. coarse or kosher salt.

Method:
Mix thoroughly. Will keep for weeks in an airtight container.

Sweet Raw Summer Corn, Heirloom Tomato and Basil Salad

Ingredients:
6 ears sweet corn. Shucked and kernels removed
1 large or 2 small heirloom or garden tomatoes, medium dice.
½ cup fresh basil leaves, rough chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. good red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and allow to stand for a half-hour. Serve room temp.