*Bison Brisket

…also known as, “Mom should have made this.”

Some of the most primal aromas that stir our senses and urges are that of grilled meat and freshly baked bread. Once in a while, you hit the jackpot and have both smells at once- which simultaneously fills you with the urge to go out to kill your dinner and chill with a bread-baking monk.

This was and will always be my Seduction Of The Woodrings dish. Both leading Woodring men in my life were fed this bovine bliss and both of them proposed to me the same weekend. Choosing the one less married, I still offer to make this for Brian’s father more as a taunt to come visit than anything else. Don’t wanna lead the guy on, you know.

Truth be told, as a Jewish kid who suffered at the hands of a couple holiday briskets prepared by other people, when Brian told me his favorite food was brisket I nearly fainted.  I could not give him the same dish I recall having- roughly the same result as a hiking boot left to boil in a crock pot. Gleaning what I could from his mother’s formula, I conquered the beast and wound up with the family jewels on my finger- Grandma Eleanor’s, naturally.

Gear

You can use a grill. Or not. Its just more fun that way.

Roasting pan large enough for the meat

Wire cookie cooling rack that fits in the roasting pan

Reynolds Cooking bag to fit

Heavy duty foil

Ingredients

Beef or Bison brisket, about 4 pounds, nice and round

3-4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons regular paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon dried Chipotle or Cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 bottle of dark wheat beer, called Dunkelweisen (not ale, stout or porter). Heffeweisen is a last resort.

If you want, wood chips soaked for a little smoke action.

Get it on

Blend all dry spices in a small dish and massage the meat like they do at a day spa. Let it sit as the oven preheats to 450 and the grill preheats on high for about ten or so minutes. (You can get your accessories out for smoking if you wish)

Assemble the roaster: Place the oven bag on it’s side in the bottom of the roasting pan and gently lay the rack on the floor of the bag. Be careful not to tear the bag. Pour about a half or three quarters of the bottle of beer in the bottom of the bag.  Drink the rest- no matter if its before noon where you are, its bound to be noon somewhere! I recommend leaving this assembly inside, as bees like beer and you will not escape your grilling unmunched.

Sear the meat on both sides for about 7 minutes each. Move it to the cooler side of the grill and insert smoke action if desired, for about a half hour. It won’t need much with the smoked paprika.

Bring the beast inside and carefully lay in on the rack inside the oven bag. Close the bag like the good box says, making  two one-inch vent holes (do NOT flour the bag like it says for turkey).  Carefully slide this puppy into the oven for about 40 minutes on Blast Furnace temperature. While it roasts, make a sheet of foil large enough to fit the pan with plenty of room for tucking edges.

Turn the oven down to 275 and remove the pan  from the oven. Seal the beast with a very, very tight wrapping of foil (AKA the Texas Crutch) and toss it back in the oven for at least 4 or 5 hours. Don’t touch it. Don’t poke it. Don’t go sticking a thermometer in it. Leave it the hell alone and go make something else to go with it.

After 4 hours or so, carefully remove the pan, unfoil it without giving yourself a steam facial and carefully stick a fork through one of the holes in the bag. Give it a little twisty-poo. If it just begins to thread and has not fallen apart, its a total score! Pull it out of the oven,  drain off the liquid into a separator and re-cover it loosely to let it rest for a half hour before slicing on the bias (but you knew that, right?).

If you are totally into presentation and carving at the table, run the beast under the broiler or a torch before running it out to the guests. I prefer to preslice it and serve it swimming in a bath of the defatted Jus- keeps it moist and flavorful.

Sauce? Oh come on… Barbecue sauce is for french fries or pulled meat sandwiches, my friends!