In these parts, everyone knows that “low and slow is the only way to go” when it comes to making barbecued brisket. Whether prepared in the oven, on the grill, or in an old-fashioned barbecue pit, it takes hours and a gentle heat to transform this tough cut into the tender, flavorful dish that shows up at shindigs throughout Texas—from UT tailgate parties, where on game days folks set up steel-drum barbecues in parking lots during the wee morning hours, to family get-together, ranch weddings, and backyard cookouts. My mom, who adored brisket, took it often to parties and family events, and I’ve recently resurrected the tradition. James De Wolf helped develop this recipe. I carted our brisket halfway across Texas—from Frederickburg’s five hours’ drive east to Long view—to share it with my family at our annual homecoming potluck.

　　

Ingredients

serves 10 to 12, quite possibly with leftovers

　　

Rub

1/2 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar

　　1/4 cup Spice Mix (page 102)

　　2 tablespoons kosher salt

　　

Brisket

1 (8-pound) beef brisket, preferably with fat cap intact

　　1/2 cup Dijon mustard

　　1/2 cup Creole mustard

　　1/4 cup bourbon

　　2 tablespoons cider vinegar

　　

Bourbon Mustard Barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

　　1 large yellow onion, diced

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 medium cloves)

　　1/4 cup Dijon mustard

　　1/2 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar

　　1 cup beef stock or brisket drippings (fat skimmed off)

　　1/2 cup bourbon

　　1/2 cup ketchup

　　3 tablespoons tomato paste

　　2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

　　2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)

　　1 tablespoon soy sauce

　　

Spice Mix

2 tablespoons chili powder

　　1 tablespoon ground cumin

　　1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 tablespoon onion powder

　　1 tablespoon garlic powder

　　1 tablespoon dry mustard powder

　　1 tablespoon ground coriander

　　1 tablespoon paprika

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

　　

Step 1

TO MAKE THE DRY RUB: Combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar, spice mixture, and salt in a small bowl.

　　

Step 2

TO MAKE THE BRISKET: Preheat the oven to 275°F. Using your fingers, evenly coat the brisket with dry rub. Combine the mustards, 1/4 cup bourbon, and cider in a small bowl. Spread the mustard paste evenly over the brisket. Set the brisket in a large roasting pan, fat side up. Tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake until the meat is tender, at least 6 hours.

　　

Step 3

TO MAKE THE BARBECUE SAUCE: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onion until wilted, about 3 minutes; stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the 1/4 cup mustard, the 1/2 cup brown sugar, beef stock, the 1/2 cup bourbon, ketchup, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and soy sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

　　

Step 4

To serve, slice the brisket thinly across the grain and serve hot or at room temperature with barbecue sauce.

　　

Spice Mix

Step 5

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, coriander, paprika, cayenne, and thyme leaves. Measure out 1/4 cup and reserve the rest in an airtight container for future use.

　　

do it early

Step 6

The brisket can be baked up to 2 days in advance, covered, and refrigerated until ready to serve. Reheat in a 275°F oven for 1 hour. The spice mixture will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 months.

　　

tip

Step 7

Leftovers make great hot sandwiches. In a medium saucepan, heat thin slices of brisket over low heat with enough barbecue sauce to coat them generously. Serve on soft rolls, such as Honey Grain Rolls, page 104.

　　

Step 8

Creole mustard, a Louisiana favorite, is made with crushed mustard seeds and often a touch of horseradish. If you can’t find it, substitute any whole grain Dijon-style mustard

　　Pastry Queen Parties by Rebecca Rather and Alison Oresman. Copyright © 2009 Rebecca Rather and Alison Oresman. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.A pastry chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, native Texan Rebecca Rather has been proprietor of the Rather Sweet Bakery and Café since 1999. Open for breakfast and lunch daily, Rather Sweet has a fiercely loyal cadre of regulars who populate the café’s sunlit tables each day. In 2007, Rebecca opened her eponymous restaurant, serving dinner nightly, just a few blocks from the café.  Rebecca is the author of THE PASTRY QUEEN, and has been featured in Texas Monthly, Gourmet, Ladies Home Journal, Food & Wine, Southern Living, Chocolatier, Saveur, and O, The Oprah Magazine. When she isn’t in the bakery or on horseback, Rebecca enjoys the sweet life in Fredericksburg, where she tends to her beloved backyard garden and menagerie, and eagerly awaits visits from her college-age daughter, Frances.Alison Oresman has worked as a journalist for more than twenty years. She has written and edited for newspapers in Wyoming, Florida, and Washington State. As an entertainment editor for the Miami Herald, she oversaw the paper’s restaurant coverage and wrote a weekly column as a restaurant critic. After settling in Washington State, she also covered restaurants in the greater Seattle area as a critic with a weekly column. A dedicated home baker, Alison is often in the kitchen when she isn't writing. Alison lives in Bellevue, Washington, with her husband, Warren, and their children, Danny and Callie.