Coffee-Chipotle Brisket Sliders

It felt good to be back in the kitchen this week. And it felt good to switch gears and really get into some cool-weather cooking. We’re already in our pattern of rainy (or overcast) days and we’re barely getting into the 60s. But I can’t complain, it’s time to break out the sweaters and turn on the oven. That’s why this week’s project was Lisa Fain’s Coffee-Chipotle Brisket from The Homesick Texan Cookbook. I can already tell this book will get a place of honor in the kitchen and that some other is going to get kicked down to our bookcases downstairs.

I posted the Coffee-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce on Thursday, and made some little milk bread buns which I posted on Friday, so let’s talk about the brisket. My usual is rubbed with a southern style dry rub — brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, cumin, thyme, black pepper, cayenne, salt — and refrigerated overnight to let the flavors meld with the meat. The next day, it’s baked at 325F for 3-4 hours. Low and slow — that’s the secret to a good oven brisket. And in the case of this Coffee-Chipotle Brisket from The Homesick Texan, a kickin’ barbecue sauce, a blanket of bacon and onions and a 6-hour bake make it even more fantastic. You can find the recipe for rub in the book. (I know that’s disappointing, but this book is great. Seek it out at your library, your local bookstore or on Amazon).

Night one, we just had slices of brisket with the sauce, the rolls on the side and a roasted sweet dumpling squash. Today, we had the sliders. Around here, a brisket slider is just that — brisket and bun. We forego the slaw in favor of pure saucy, meaty goodness. It’s your call. But I’ll just say, when you put it all together, don’t skimp on the sauce! Slather the top of the bun and the meat itself with a dollop of the sauce.

Enjoy!