Thanks Curious! I was hoping you'd chime in here!

The old river drivers said the same thing! They said it ain't brisket if there's no crust! That's why we will finish it on the grille. I figure the oven will do most of the work without having to be watched and the last few hours I will have a lawn chair and a cocktail or two while I monitor it!

I'm gonna be really upset if this 20 lb piece of meat doesn't come out like I remember the ones from TX! I just loved the way they did it and had the beans that cooked for hours on the side! I'm even gonna do a beanpot!

i always cook mine in the oven, then let the grill or smoker to the crust.

the rub can be your favorite spices. don't mix herbs. they will burn.

use powders not salts. like garlic, onion, cerlery, paprika ( i like the smokey kind, cayanne and black pepper. the brown sugar varies too. i would go with the light. i don't use this until the grill rub. the dark can be a bit too sweet, but that also depends on the sauce. don't be afraid of the salt on the final rub. i don't use too much in the oven part.

the worchestershire sauce is a must. really...it's just a mixture of spices in a soy sauce base. but it adds the smokey flavor.

do not add any tomatoes when you cook this. it will turn out tasting like a roast.

are you making your own bbq sauce?

i wouldn't. it's pain. takes to long. but do get 2 different types. 1 a tomato based and another vinager based.

i am so glad you were doing a mustard cooked brisket.

So RW, did you make the brisket? How did it turn out?

We haven't made it yet!

We were planning it for the 4th, but plans were changed. Now it's planned for later this month when the family comes together for our annual vacation. We HAVE to have people to feed this to when we cook it!

Here's a recipe I've made twice and both times came out well. I didn't put it in the fridge overnight as suggested but I bet it's even more delish if you do! I also add potatoes along with the carrots. It's a recipe that lends itself to improvising a little.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (3 1/2 pound) brisket, with "fat cap" (do not trim)
3 tablespoons sweet (not hot) paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus for brisket
Freshly ground black pepper
6 medium yellow onions, cut into thin wedges with root end attached
1 1/2 cups sweet vermouth (I use whatever vermouth is in my liquor cabinet!)
4 cups chicken broth (use low sodium if desired)
8 medium carrots, peeled, and cut into thirds (14 ounces)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F

Heat the oil a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Season the brisket generously with the paprika, salt, and pepper. Place fat side down in the Dutch oven and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 to10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
Discard about half the fat, then add the onions and cook over medium heat until browned and tender, about 10 minutes.

Pour in the vermouth and cook until reduced by about half. Nestle the brisket into the onions fat side up, add the broth; bring to a simmer and bake, covered, until the brisket is fork tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Uncover, scatter the carrots around the brisket and cook until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes more.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cut the fat off the top and thinly slice the meat across the grain. Return the meat to the braising liquid and serve immediately or, cool to room temperature in the sauce, cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve reheat in the sauce.

OK!

We cooked the brisket! WE split it in half, since we didn't have enough people to feed twenty pounds of meat to.

We did a dry rub with generous amounts of garlic powder, onion powder, celery seed, cumin, cayenne, paprika, fresh ground black pepper, kosher salt, light brown sugar, and drizzled a touch of worcestershire on it before rubbing it.

We started it in the oven at 200 degrees and let it cook for three hours, then cranked it up to 300 degrees for another two hours. We finished it on the grille on low with the cover closed, still in the foil, and took it out and crusted it on high for about thirty minutes.

It came out just like I remembered it! It was tender, had some juice left, we saved the juices from the foil and used them for moistening the crusty
rolls that we made sandwiches with. It was easily pulled apart or sliced thin across the grain.

We'll be eating the leftovers for a few days, but it isn't gonna go to waste!

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and tips! I couldn't have done it without your input!

ok, I give what the heck is a Brisket?

LOL Yabbit!

A brisket is a cut of meat from the chest/underside of a cow!
It can range from just a few pounds to as much as 15-20 lbs.
We see them heah as corned beef briskets that we use in boiled dinnah.
Down in TX they have the "real thang" (as in huge cuts of beef that ain't "corned") that is very tough unless you slow cook it at lower temps.

I got hooked on it while doing the Rio Grande thing and I decided to revive it one day when I went into a "Soopah Wallyworld" and they actually had briskets that were NOT corned ( yes it was in Maine!) Hence the post on cooking brisket!

You reviving this thread has my mouth watering all over again!

thanks for clearing that up for me, now I know what it is.....