Name: Oven-Braised BBQ Beef Brisket
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 370 min
Total time: 430 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.5 kg beef brisket, in one piece; 1 tbsp oil (for drizzling before glazing); 1 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.75 tsp mustard powder; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 125 ml apple cider vinegar; 375 ml tomato ketchup; 110 g brown sugar (firmly packed); 2 tsp mustard powder; 2 tsp onion powder; 2 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste for heat); 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 6 soft rolls or flatbreads (optional, to serve)

Preparation

Stir together all the spice rub ingredients and rub them all over the brisket; if you have time, let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 150 °C (conventional, top and bottom heat). Mix the BBQ sauce ingredients in a large lidded roasting tin or Dutch oven and add the brisket.
Cover tightly with the lid or foil and braise the meat for about 5 to 6 hours, turning it once or twice, until it comes apart easily with a fork.
Lift the brisket onto a baking tray. Skim the fat off the braising liquid, pour the liquid into a saucepan and reduce over medium-high heat to a syrupy sauce; it thickens further as it cools.
Turn the oven up to 200 °C. Drizzle the brisket with the oil and bake for 15 minutes, until browned in places.
Brush the meat generously with the reduced sauce, bake for 5 minutes, brush again and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface is caramelised.
Rest briefly, covered, then slice thinly across the grain or pull apart with two forks and serve with the remaining sauce, in rolls if you like.

Drink with it

Mellow whisky · excellent match
Bourbon, over one large ice cube
Vanilla and caramel from the new oak echo the glazed crust; the ice takes the edge off the alcohol so the cayenne doesn't linger.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes
Red wine · excellent match
Zinfandel or Shiraz, bold and fruity
Ripe dark fruit stands up to the sweet tomato-and-vinegar sauce, while tannin and alcohol carry the richness of the brisket.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Dark beer · excellent match
Porter
Roasted malt and a light cocoa bitterness meet the caramelised, smoky crust, and the carbonation cuts through the fat.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue
Spiced rum · good match
Spiced rum over ice
Vanilla, cinnamon and molasses pick up the brown sugar in the sauce; the ice keeps the heat in check.
What is spiced rum? Pay attention to the legal designation

Preparation

Stir together all the spice rub ingredients and rub them all over the brisket; if you have time, let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 150 °C (conventional, top and bottom heat). Mix the BBQ sauce ingredients in a large lidded roasting tin or Dutch oven and add the brisket.
Cover tightly with the lid or foil and braise the meat for about 5 to 6 hours, turning it once or twice, until it comes apart easily with a fork.
Lift the brisket onto a baking tray. Skim the fat off the braising liquid, pour the liquid into a saucepan and reduce over medium-high heat to a syrupy sauce; it thickens further as it cools.
Turn the oven up to 200 °C. Drizzle the brisket with the oil and bake for 15 minutes, until browned in places.
Brush the meat generously with the reduced sauce, bake for 5 minutes, brush again and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface is caramelised.
Rest briefly, covered, then slice thinly across the grain or pull apart with two forks and serve with the remaining sauce, in rolls if you like.

Drink with it

Mellow whisky · excellent match
Bourbon, over one large ice cube
Vanilla and caramel from the new oak echo the glazed crust; the ice takes the edge off the alcohol so the cayenne doesn't linger.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes
Red wine · excellent match
Zinfandel or Shiraz, bold and fruity
Ripe dark fruit stands up to the sweet tomato-and-vinegar sauce, while tannin and alcohol carry the richness of the brisket.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Dark beer · excellent match
Porter
Roasted malt and a light cocoa bitterness meet the caramelised, smoky crust, and the carbonation cuts through the fat.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue
Spiced rum · good match
Spiced rum over ice
Vanilla, cinnamon and molasses pick up the brown sugar in the sauce; the ice keeps the heat in check.
What is spiced rum? Pay attention to the legal designation

Oven-Braised BBQ Beef Brisket

Preparation

Drink with it

Bourbon, over one large ice cube

Zinfandel or Shiraz, bold and fruity

Porter

Spiced rum over ice

This pairs well too.

Shepherd's Pie with Minced Lamb

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

Spare Ribs from the Oven or Smoker

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Oven-Braised BBQ Beef Brisket

Preparation

Drink with it

Bourbon, over one large ice cube

Zinfandel or Shiraz, bold and fruity

Porter

Spiced rum over ice

This pairs well too.

Shepherd's Pie with Minced Lamb

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

Spare Ribs from the Oven or Smoker

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce