Summer Barbecue Recipes: Brisket

I was born and raised in Michigan but I moved to Texas three years ago. Up north we would barbecue (or cook-out as we refer to it up there) on occasional weekends and on holidays. When you live in the south it is a daily way of making supper.

When we got down to the south we were only used to the basics being cooked on the barbecue. You know, the ole stand-by's like chicken, ribs, burgers and steak. In Texas you can cook almost anything on the barbecue. My favorite happens to be brisket. I had never even heard of this cut of meat until we had a company picnic at work.

One of my co-workers was the cook for the entire company of approximately 350 employees. He made the most tender, juicy and flavorful brisket I have tasted since I have been in the south. I was sure it had been marinating for hours before going on the barbecue but he assured me this was not the case. He let me in on his little secret, charcoal.

Most people think that you need to fill the barbecue with charcoal and have it really hot. He told me to do just the opposite. Use a small amount of charcoal to get a nice low, even heat and cook the meat slowly to keep it tender and juicy. I was even more shocked when he told me the sauce recipe. Simply use Sweet Baby Ray's Original Barbecue Sauce. They have an entire line of sauces including Hickory N' Brown Sugar, Honey, Sweet Vidalia Onion and, of course, Hot N' Spicy for those of you that like your barbecue with a little kick.

http://www.sweetbabyrays.com/Recipes.aspx