East Texas Chopped Beef Barbecue Sandwich
Tender, oak-smoked beef brisket is chopped into juicy, saucy morsels and piled onto soft hamburger buns in the classic East Texas style. Sweet-tangy barbecue sauce, dill pickles, and sliced onions…
Ingredients
- 3 lb Beef brisket, preferably point or a well-marbled section
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp Coarse black pepper
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 2 tbsp Yellow mustard
- 3 chunks Oak or pecan wood chunks
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 1/3 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup Light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Yellow mustard
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 cup Water
- 6 Soft hamburger buns
- 1 1/2 cups Dill pickle slices
- 1/2 medium White onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Pat the brisket dry. Combine the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, then coat the brisket evenly with yellow mustard and the seasoning mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Prepare a smoker for indirect cooking at 225°F (107°C), using oak or pecan wood for a clean, steady smoke. Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature while the smoker comes to temperature.
- Place the brisket fat-side up in the smoker. Smoke until the thickest part reaches about 165°F (74°C) and the exterior has developed a dark, dry bark, approximately 5 to 6 hours.
- While the brisket smokes, make the sauce. Combine the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and water in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Cool and reserve.
- Wrap the brisket tightly in unwaxed butcher paper or heavy-duty foil. Return it to the smoker and continue cooking until it is probe-tender, usually when the thickest part reaches 195 to 205°F (91 to 96°C), another 3 to 4 hours.
- Transfer the wrapped brisket to a cooler or turned-off oven and rest for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 hours. This allows the juices to redistribute and the meat to become easier to chop.
- Unwrap the brisket, remove any large pieces of excess fat, and chop the meat across the grain into small, irregular pieces. Toss the chopped beef with enough barbecue sauce to make it moist and richly coated without drowning the bark.
- Lightly toast the cut sides of the buns on the smoker, grill, or in a dry skillet. Fill each bun generously with chopped beef and serve with dill pickles and sliced white onion.
Watch the East Texas Chopped Beef Barbecue Sandwich cooking video
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