Oven-Roasted Beef Brisket, Texas Style

I got rid of my smoker several years back. I found I was only using it a couple of times a year and I was simply not a fan of devoting twelve hours to tending a fire and checking water levels. While I miss the wood smoke flavor in some of the dishes, I found I could come really close to smoker-cooked food by just using my oven. If you've tried my recipe for Oven-Roasted Baby-Back Ribs, you know that they don't give much up in the flavor department:  http://terrygruggen.blogspot.com/2011/03/oven-roasted-baby-back-ribs.html

The same holds true for this recipe from Tom Perini. His combination of a fabulous dry rub with a slow braise yields an incredibly delicious brisket. And it doesn't take twelve hours of tending a smoker. Just four hours in the oven gives you one spectacular beef brisket to serve your guests.

When it's done, just slice it up and serve it with some of the delicious juice spooned over the top. My favorite way to serve it is on some fresh wheat buns, again spooning the juice over the meat. You could certainly add your favorite BBQ sauce, but I find that the rub and the cooking juices have more than enough flavor to satisfy my taste buds. Add a little corn on the cob and some really cold beer....and you have the makings of one great meal. This recipe serves ten.

Dry Rub Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 bay leaf, crushed

Beef Brisket Ingredients

4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed

4 cups beef stock

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Combine dry rub ingredients. Season brisket on both sides with the rub.
3. Place brisket on the bottom of a roasting pan. Roast uncovered for one hour.
4. Add enough beef stock to yield 1/2" of liquid in the bottom of the pan.
5. Lower oven temperature to 300º, cover pan tightly and continue cooking for 3 more hours.
6. When done cooking, slice and serve.

Pairing: If you must have wine, choose a fruity Zinfandel. However, I strongly recommend you pick an ice cold pilsner beer!