shredded beef brisket in a homemade barbecue sauce

Wichita, KS
Updated on Oct 24, 2014

I love a good beef brisket that’s been simmering for hours in a great BBQ sauce. It’s easy to put together, and your oven or slow cooker accomplishes most of the work. This recipe incorporates a good homemade tangy sauce (vinegar) that balances well with the other ingredients (orange juice, honey, sugar) to produce a lip-smacking sauce. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

prep time 30 Min
cook time 3 Hr
method Stove Top
yield 4-6 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • THE BRISKET
  • 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 2-3 pounds beef brisket
  • THE BBQ SAUCE
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium jalapeño, seeded (or hotter variety, if desired), finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup white wine, or sushi vinegar
  • 1 medium orange, juice and zest
  • 1 pinch ground cloves (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh honey
  • 8 ounces tomato purèe
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • - salt, kosher variety, to taste
  • - black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

How To Make shredded beef brisket in a homemade barbecue sauce

  • Step 1
    Gather your ingredients.
  • Step 2
    Preheat the oven to 325f (160c).
  • Step 3
    Finely chop the onion and jalapeno, and then mince the garlic.
  • Step 4
    Chef’s Tip: To save a bit of time, you can add the onion, jalapeno, and the garlic to a food processor, fitted with an S-blade, and pulse several times until all the ingredients are finely chopped.
  • Step 5
    Take a large bowl, and add all the ingredients for the BBQ sauce.
  • Step 6
    Mix thoroughly, and allow the ingredients to sit for about thirty minutes, at room temperature.
  • Step 7
    Chef’s Note: While the ingredients are sitting, season with salt and pepper, until you achieve the correct taste.
  • Step 8
    Chef’s Tip: Salt and pepper (especially the salt) will, over time, gradually change the taste of the sauce. By letting it sit for thirty minutes, while you add the salt and pepper will give you a better idea of what it will taste like when it goes into the pot. Salt and taste, salt and taste, then let it sit for a bit and repeat.
  • Step 9
    Take the brisket, and trim off any large amounts of fat but leave some for the cooking process.
  • Step 10
    Chef's Note: A good brisket will have what is called a "fat cap." That's a layer of nice fat on one side of the brisket. You can leave that part intact, but just trim off any additional fat around the sides and top.
  • Step 11
    Season the brisket on both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Step 12
    Add the grapeseed oil to a large oven-ready pot (like a Dutch oven), over medium-high heat.
  • Step 13
    Chef's Note: This pot needs to be big enough to hold the brisket and the sauce. In addition, it should also have a good fitting lid.
  • Step 14
    Chef’s Tip: The oil is ready when it begins to shimmer in the pot.
  • Step 15
    Add the brisket to the pot, and allow to cook for about 4 or 5 minutes per side, or until nice and brown.
  • Step 16
    Chef’s Note: Don’t forget to cook the edges of the roast.
  • Step 17
    Add the BBQ sauce, and bring the pot up to a light boil.
  • Step 18
    Remove from heat, tightly cover the pot, and place in the oven, for approximately three hours.
  • Step 19
    Chef's Tip: If you pot doesn't really have a good tight-fitting lid, place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pot, and then place the lid on top.
  • Step 20
    Chef’s Note: About every 30 minutes, check to see that the roast is not drying out. If it is, add a bit of hot water, but not too much… You don’t want to dilute the sauce.
  • Step 21
    Chef’s Tip: If the roast does seem to be drying out, instead of adding a bunch of water, try lowering the heat of the oven. All ovens do vary a bit, and your oven may be running too hot.
  • Step 22
    When the roast is tender, remove from oven and shred, using a couple of forks, and then thoroughly mix with the sauce.
  • Step 23
    Chef's Note: There are a lot of variables here... the "true" temperature of your oven... the type of brisket you purchased... the number of times you open the oven. Three hours is a good average; however, I've had one go a full four hours before it was fork-tender. Be patient, be flexible... go with the flow.
  • YUMMY
    Step 24
    Serve with a nice side salad, and some fresh out-of-the-oven baked bread. Or some coleslaw, rice, beans... you choose... Enjoy
  • Step 25
    Chef’s Note: If you want to cook this in the slow cooker, reduce the beef stock by half, and cook on low for eight hours.
  • Step 26
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

Discover More

Category: Beef
Category: Other Sauces
Keyword: #barbecue
Keyword: #sauce
Keyword: #vinegar
Keyword: #BBQ
Keyword: #brisket
Keyword: #tangy
Keyword: #oven
Keyword: #beef
Ingredient: Beef
Culture: American
Method: Stove Top

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