Texas smoked brisket

I just experienced my first authentic Texas pecanwood smoked briskit over Memorial Day weekend. It is a taste that just cannot be replicated any other way except with a smoker. We are enjoying brisket sandwiches all this week. Darn, I wish I took a picture to show y'all.

LOL, So do we.

John

quote:

Originally posted by offlady

I just experienced my first authentic Texas pecanwood smoked briskit over Memorial Day weekend. It is a taste that just cannot be replicated any other way except with a smoker. We are enjoying brisket sandwiches all this week. Darn, I wish I took a picture to show y'all.

Where did it come from, or did you make it yourself?

joe

Nothing we Texans already knew. Although, I prefer hickory wood smoke.

Pecan is excellent for smoking. I also prefer hickory, but that's only available in quantities in east Texas. Here in central TX, oak is the prevalent wood, and it's what is used at all the famous bbq joints around here.

Pecan is the next best thing to hickory.

A friend went back to visit his family in Texas and his sister gave him four smoked briskets to bring home. He said her smoker is a large one--with wheels and its own license plate.

After eating 3 briskets, they had their fill so we were the lucky recipients of the fourth and largest one. In exchange, we only have to buy him Dr. Pepper every so often.

By the way, is that the official drink of Texas? I overheard a lady at Costco tell her husband to get her a Dr. Pepper. I asked if she was from Texas, and she nearly fell over and asked how I knew. The only people I know that drink Dr. Pepper all seem to come from Texas (my husband included).

quote:

Originally posted by offlady

A friend went back to visit his family in Texas and his sister gave him four smoked briskets to bring home. He said her smoker is a large one--with wheels and its own license plate.

After eating 3 briskets, they had their fill so we were the lucky recipients of the fourth and largest one. In exchange, we only have to buy him Dr. Pepper every so often.

By the way, is that the official drink of Texas? I overheard a lady at Costco tell her husband to get her a Dr. Pepper. I asked if she was from Texas, and she nearly fell over and asked how I knew. The only people I know that drink Dr. Pepper all seem to come from Texas (my husband included).

That is one of many. But it has to be Dublin Dr. Pepper made with real Imperial Cane Sugar. We also enjoy ice cold Shiner Bock beer, Lone Star, the national beer of Texas or a tall glass of iced tea.

joe

One of my many BIL's is from texas and would probably pass away if he didn't have a dr pepper in his hand all waking hours of the day.

that brisket sounds fine!

quote:

Originally posted by offlady

I just experienced my first authentic Texas pecanwood smoked briskit over Memorial Day weekend. It is a taste that just cannot be replicated any other way except with a smoker. We are enjoying brisket sandwiches all this week. Darn, I wish I took a picture to show y'all.

My uncle lived in Bandera and I went to visit when I was younger. I think I was 14 or so. Texas BBQ has been like porn for me ever since. I live in CT, but I could never quite get quality food like that ever again.

Been years since I was in BanderaIt's hard to find Texas BBQ in other places.
My sister and her boyfriend are coming for Christmas and Ross wanted to know if there were mexican and BBQ places near me,they live in Piermont,NY,and there are very few BBQ joints in their neck of the woods.Plan to take them to Harmons and City Market in Luling.
H.E.B. Grocery Stores sell their own cooked brisket you can reheat as well as the kind you have to cook.But I think they use mesquite wood to smoke theirs.
Another soda that's popular around here is Big Red,which is I guess like a red creme soda.Nice change from Coke.

I went to Groton Connecticut for boot camp and submarine school is the summer of ’67. Not knowing what to expect in the weeks to come, we decided to have a drink (non-alcoholic) at the airport before we went to the sub base.

The waitress came to the table, and I told her I’d have a Dr. Pepper. She looked at me like I was an alien and said, “Doctor WHO?”

Dr. Pepper is now popular most every where. I remember drinking it as a little kid in Calif. in the 12 oz bottles at Granny Estep's when they had the 10,2 and 4 labels on them.

MikeS.

instead of pecan wood...you should actually use pecan shells...the flavor is much better and the aroma is something that can not be replaced.

give it a try.

hunter

Hunter, how does the pecan shells burn? It seems to me that it would be difficult to keep the fire going.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

sorry...i should have been more specific to my pecan shells post. I'm new to participating in forums.

I actually use a primary lump charcoal for my source of heat...ie...hasty bake or in my area cowboy lump charcoal...once the fire is going i take my soaked shells and put them on...i'm fortunate i have a pecan farm that gives me all the shells i need....

hope that clarifies.

Hunter

quote:

Originally posted by Texianjoe

quote:

Originally posted by offlady

A friend went back to visit his family in Texas and his sister gave him four smoked briskets to bring home. He said her smoker is a large one--with wheels and its own license plate.

After eating 3 briskets, they had their fill so we were the lucky recipients of the fourth and largest one. In exchange, we only have to buy him Dr. Pepper every so often.

By the way, is that the official drink of Texas? I overheard a lady at Costco tell her husband to get her a Dr. Pepper. I asked if she was from Texas, and she nearly fell over and asked how I knew. The only people I know that drink Dr. Pepper all seem to come from Texas (my husband included).

That is one of many. But it has to be Dublin Dr. Pepper made with real Imperial Cane Sugar. We also enjoy ice cold Shiner Bock beer, Lone Star, the national beer of Texas or a tall glass of iced tea.

joe

When I lived in Texas during the mid-'50s, Lone Star was considered sewage. But I can still remember the Lone Star commercials delivered by Del Sharbut.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

quote:

Originally posted by Texianjoe

quote:

Originally posted by offlady

A friend went back to visit his family in Texas and his sister gave him four smoked briskets to bring home. He said her smoker is a large one--with wheels and its own license plate.

After eating 3 briskets, they had their fill so we were the lucky recipients of the fourth and largest one. In exchange, we only have to buy him Dr. Pepper every so often.

By the way, is that the official drink of Texas? I overheard a lady at Costco tell her husband to get her a Dr. Pepper. I asked if she was from Texas, and she nearly fell over and asked how I knew. The only people I know that drink Dr. Pepper all seem to come from Texas (my husband included).

That is one of many. But it has to be Dublin Dr. Pepper made with real Imperial Cane Sugar. We also enjoy ice cold Shiner Bock beer, Lone Star, the national beer of Texas or a tall glass of iced tea.

joe

When I lived in Texas during the mid-'50s, Lone Star was considered sewage. But I can still remember the Lone Star commercials delivered by Del Sharbut.

After they were finished bottling Lone Star what was left was bottled as Buckhorn. Thats what we drank in college .99 a six pack and you could tell.

joe

Speaking of Dr. Pepper, my brother-in-law ( in Dallas ) does something with DP that's fantastic.
After he smokes a 5-6lb. brisket for about 5-6 hours (using hickory) in his old 55 gallon drum smoker, he takes the brisket inside to the kitchen where he wraps the (smoked) brisket in double sheets of aluminum foil and,-get this! He pours a large bottle of DP in the foil package before he seals it up and cooks it in a very slow oven for another 4-5 hours.
I can tell you first hand-his brisket is UNREAL good!

I believe hickory is what they use at Harmon's BBQ in Cibolo. It's mild and very intoxicating...not choking like mesquite. I can't stand mesquite but since there's an abundance of it here in scraggly south texas that's all everyone uses. I'd much rather have charcoal than mesquite.

Personally, I think mesquite makes for a bitter taste. I don't like it at all. Love hickory.

The best wood for smoking anything is Applewood.

RE: 'brisket steamed in Dr Pepper' -

Here in the South, we got used to holiday and fresh hams (not salty country hams) oven roasted/braised and basted with Coca - Cola, Dr P, or ginger ale.....around 2 twelve ounce cans for a good size ham.

REALLY tender!

Apparently the phosphoric acid in a LOT of different sodas tenderizes meat (think about THAT before you polish off that daily 2 liter ; ) and the sugar/HFCS makes a GREAT glaze that doesn't scorch or overbrown.

Screw a bunch of honey glazed spiral sliced 'store hams' lol

Dang, now I gotta go bake some buttermilk biscuits! ; )

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

Personally, I think mesquite makes for a bitter taste. I don't like it at all. Love hickory.

I agree. One of my favorite restaurants in Knoxville starting using mesquite about 20 years ago. I quit going because their steak took on a bitter taste. I would imagine it does the same thing to BBQ.

Too much wood smoke of any kind overpowers whatever you are doing.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

Personally, I think mesquite makes for a bitter taste. I don't like it at all. Love hickory.

I agree. One of my favorite restaurants in Knoxville starting using mesquite about 20 years ago. I quit going because their steak took on a bitter taste. I would imagine it does the same thing to BBQ.

Too much wood smoke of any kind overpowers whatever you are doing.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

More precisely, I liken the taste of mesquite to "sweaty gym sock".

Mesquite is really just a big weed, but years ago some savvy Texas ranchers fooled Californians into thinking it was a gourmet cooking wood, at which point it became a cash crop.

hey, hey, hey...dont knock the mesquite, just because you dont know how to use it!!!
i have been adding it to my smoke flavor for years, and making great que!
you gotta respect, the wood. certain parts of the wood are not usable, certain parts are prime. you gotta add just the right amount, and let it mingle, with the fruit and nut woods. earth, fruit, and nut woods, precisely timed, and combined, makes for a totally awesome flavor, but miss the timing or quantities, you get bitter meat.
kinda like a blow fish. gotta do it just right.lol

quote:

Originally posted by Bushie
Mesquite is really just a big weed, but years ago some savvy Texas ranchers fooled Californians into thinking it was a gourmet cooking wood, at which point it became a cash crop. [/size=2]

Now if they could only come up with a good commercial use for cockleburrs...

Now that some of my apple trees are reaching 'adult' size, I am saving the annual trimmings to use in my smoker. Same with the Cherry, although a little cherry goes a long way in flavoring the lighter meats.
I have a couple of trash cans full of Hickory chunks (roughly fist-sized pieces) to add to my charcoal as the smoker gets going. I love the Hickory smell and taste. Two or three well-soaked chunks near the beginning of a cycle and a couple more added now and then will give just enough smokiness to a couple of butts or a brisket for us.

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

Now that some of my apple trees are reaching 'adult' size, I am saving the annual trimmings to use in my smoker. Same with the Cherry, although a little cherry goes a long way in flavoring the lighter meats.
I have a couple of trash cans full of Hickory chunks (roughly fist-sized pieces) to add to my charcoal as the smoker gets going. I love the Hickory smell and taste. Two or three well-soaked chunks near the beginning of a cycle and a couple more added now and then will give just enough smokiness to a couple of butts or a brisket for us.

Cherry (and other fruitwoods) go great with hickory.

quote:

Originally posted by bassrocker4u2

hey, hey, hey...dont knock the mesquite, just because you dont know how to use it!!!
i have been adding it to my smoke flavor for years, and making great que!
you gotta respect, the wood. certain parts of the wood are not usable, certain parts are prime. you gotta add just the right amount, and let it mingle, with the fruit and nut woods. earth, fruit, and nut woods, precisely timed, and combined, makes for a totally awesome flavor, but miss the timing or quantities, you get bitter meat.
kinda like a blow fish. gotta do it just right.lol

Bassrocker - Would you mind filling me in on the proper use of mesquite? I've given up on using it except for high temp grilling, based on the bad words of others. I typically use pecan & oak, how should I mix in mesquite with these?

Jim