BRISKET ESSENTIALS: VERSATILE BBQ AND MOP SAUCE

Brisket Essentials: Versatile BBQ and Mop Sauce image

I have been using this BBQ sauce on brisket for over 20 years. The original recipe is not mine, but I have modified it over time. No photos on this one, because I had already made it, and did not want to make it again just for a photo op. I did, however, pick a few of my favorite brisket photos... just to whet your appetite....

Provided by Andy Anderson !

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 23

Ingredients

PLAN/PURCHASE
THE DRY SPICES
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 - 2 Tbsp ancho chili powder
2 tsp ground paprika, sweet or hot, or smoky, your choice (i prefer smoky)
1 tsp white pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dry mustard, i prefer coleman's
THE WET INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp sweet butter, unsalted
1 Tbsp grapeseed oil, or other non-flavored variety
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 c green or red bell pepper, chopped
3 clove garlic, minced
1 c beef stock, not broth
1 c beer, your choice
2 Tbsp apple-cider vinegar
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp hot sauce, i prefer frank's
OPTIONAL ITEMS
1 - 2 Tbsp vodka, plain variety

Steps:

1. PREP/PREPARE
2. You will need a saucepan big enough to hold all of the ingredients, and a glass jar to store it.
3. I will last about 3 - 4 weeks, if kept refrigerated.
4. Chunky or Smooth? You can see from my main photograph that I left the sauce chunky. However, you can smooth it out (I do that sometimes), by either straining out the veggies, or putting the partly cooled sauce in a blender.
5. To Mop or not to Mop... That is the Question Mopping, the process of taking a thin sauce and applying it to the brisket on a regular basis, is a hotly debated subject among pit-masters. The two methods used are using a spray bottle to spray the sauce, on, or using a mop tool (it actually looks like a cute little kitchen mop). Mops were originally used in open-pit barbecues where the meat had a greater chance of drying out. I do not mop my briskets, unless one of my clients requests it. I prefer to smoke them with a dry rub and serve the sauce at the table. If you are looking for a good dry rub, here you go: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/main-course-beef/awesome-beef-brisket-dry-rub.html?r=13 https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/rub/brisket-essentials-overnight-low-and-slow-rub.html?r=14 With that said, a "proper" mopping of a brisket can add additional layers of flavor, as the sugars in the sauce begin to caramelize.
6. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
7. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, and reserve.
8. Add the butter and oil to a saucepan over medium heat.
9. When the foaming subsides, give the saucepan a swirl and add the onions.
10. When the onions soften, about 3 - 4 minutes (but not brown), add the bell pepper, and garlic, then cook for an additional 1 - 2 minutes.
11. Add the dry spices, and stir to combine, about 1 minute.
12. Add the beer, and stock, and stir until the ingredients are combined, 1 - 2 minutes.
13. Scrap the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to pick up any yummy fonds that have developed.
14. Add the remaining ingredients, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until it begins to thicken a bit.
15. This is not a thick BBQ sauce. If you want it thicker, take about a tablespoon of cornstarch and mix with a tablespoon of water (a slurry), and add it to the sauce while it is simmering. I prefer it thin, but that is just me.
16. PLATE/PRESENT
17. Use as a mop while you are smoking your brisket and serve some on the side while eating. Enjoy.
18. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.