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Brisket Sandwich with Crispy Onions and Pickles

Cook Time:
12 hrs
Prep Time:
30 mins
Yields:
12 sandwiches
RATE THIS RECIPE
(67)

Chef notes

I love this recipe because the moist, succulent rich brisket pairs incredibly well with the crisp and acidic bite of the pickles, the crunch of the onions, tangy barbecue sauce and the potato bun is the perfect soft, chewy vessel. Plus, it's my late brother-in-law and dear friend Jeff Michner's sandwich.

On the Jeff Michner Foundation:

Jeff Michner was the executive chef at Pig Beach before his sudden passing in May of 2018. The Jeff Michner Foundation, an established 501c3 nonprofit created by the Michner family, supports families managing loss and grief and provides scholarships to graduating high school students with a love for cooking and golf — two of Jeff’s biggest passions in life.

On brisket:

A whole brisket is composed of two muscle segments, the "point," aka the deckle, and the "flat." The point is the part of the brisket that most refer to as the "fatty brisket" or "moist brisket," and the flat is the "lean brisket." The "stall" is the temperature around 155 F to 160 F, where the rate of evaporation cools down the meat faster than the meat can cook, causing the temperature to "stall" and not increase. There are a few different philosophies on how to manage the stall. Some pitmasters like to "wrap," which is literally wrapping the protein in foil or butcher paper to trap in the heat to prevent the stall from occurring, while others simply like to increase the temperature of their cooker to push the meat through the stall. We like wrapping our briskets in butcher paper at the stall, because we feel it's the best balance to get through the stall, without washing off all the "black gold" aka bark.

Ingredients

Quick Pickles (makes 1 quart)
  • 2 pounds kirby cucumbers, washed, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick chips
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds, whole
  • 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
Championship Barbecue Sauce (makes 1 quart)
  • cups organic ketchup
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/8 teaspoon celery seeds
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin
Salt and Pepper Brisket
  • 1 (13- to 15-pound) whole beef brisket
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup yellow mustard
  • 3 cups coarsely ground black pepper
To Assemble
  • 12 potato rolls
  • 1 cup Championship Barbecue Sauce (recipe above)
  • 1 recipe Quick Pickles (recipe above)
  • 1 recipe Salt and Pepper Brisket (recipe above)
  • 1 cup crispy onions, homemade or store-bought

Preparation

For the Quick Pickles:

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive container and mix well. Cover and place in your refrigerator overnight. The following day, mix and serve.

For the Championship Barbecue Sauce:

1.

Combine all ingredients in a 4-quart saucepot.

2.

Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often.

3.

Once the sauce begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce begins to thicken and flavors are developed.

4.

Remove the sauce from the heat, cool and transfer to an airtight container stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the Salt and Pepper Brisket:

1.

Preheat your smoker or oven to 250 F. If using a smoker, use oak and hickory.

2.

Remove brisket from packaging and pat dry with sturdy paper towel that won't disintegrate or stick to the meat.

3.

Trim the fat so that only 1/4 of an inch remains covering the meat, being careful not to cut too deep exposing the meat.

4.

Next wedge-cut the pocket of fat between the point and the flat (see chef's note above for reference). This will help the brisket cook more evenly as well as help remove the excess fat that will not render during cooking. Flip the brisket over so the fat side is down, and with your knife at an angle, cut the large overhang of the hard fat to remove.

5.

Once the brisket is cleaned and trimmed, season the entire brisket with the kosher salt and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

6.

Completely smear the entire brisket with yellow mustard (the mustard is great for enhancing the flavor and development of the bark, but also for helping all the black pepper to stick to the meat), then cover the entire brisket with the black pepper.

7.

Once your oven or smoker is up to temp, place an oven-safe pan of water closest to where the heat source comes from (this acts as a heat diffuser and adds moisture to the smoker chamber which will result in a juicer final product).

8.

Smoke or cook the brisket for 4 to 5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches the "stall" at 155 F.

9.

Wrap in butcher paper and continue to cook for an additional 6 to 8 hours or until the internal temperature reaches between 195 F to 200 F.

10.

Remove the wrapped brisket from the smoker and allow the brisket to rest in a warm place for at least 1 hour or until the internal temperature drops to 155 F before slicing.

To assemble:

1.

Open the rolls and place on a platter.

2.

Dollop 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce on the bottom buns.

3.

Cover the sauce with desired amount of pickles.

4.

Top the pickles with 4 to 5 ounces of 1/4-inch-thick sliced brisket.

5.

Slather the top of the brisket with another tablespoon of barbecue sauce.

6.

Finish the sandwich with desired amount of crispy onions.

7.

Top with top bun and serve.