Smoky Beef Brisket

I had never tried making brisket before.  It is one thing I always love to get at BBQ joints, but I have been a bit afraid of making it myself, knowing it can turn out tough and dry.  We were gifted a brisket from some friends moving out of the city so that gave me the motivation to finally try something out.  And honestly, I don't know if I'll ever need to try any other brisket recipe.  This recipe gave us perfectly cooked, tender brisket that we could not get enough of.  After dinner, my husband spent an hour (maybe more) looking up all sorts of ideas of how to use the leftovers.  The brisket was really nice on its own, but I especially liked it with a bit of our favorite barbecue sauce drizzled on top.  Just a warning, this does take some time so you need to plan in advance, but it is about as easy as can be.

Smoky Beef Brisket

Number of Servings: 6-8
Time to Prepare: 1 day 5 hours 5 minutes

• 1 (14 oz) can beef broth
• 3 Tbsp liquid smoke, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp garlic salt
• 2 Tbsp onion powder
• 3-4 lb beef brisket
• 3 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 (12 oz) can beer
• 1 large onion, cut into rings

Whisk together the beef broth, 2 Tbsp liquid smoke, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and onion powder in a medium bowl.  Place the brisket in a 9x13 pan and pour the marinade over the top.  Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, flipping the brisket a few times to help it marinate evenly.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.   Sprinkle the minced garlic in the bottom of a large roasting pan.  Add 1 Tbsp liquid smoke and 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, then pour the beer in.

Remove the brisket from the marinade and place in the roasting pan.  Discard the remaining marinade.  Lay the onion slices on top of the brisket, then cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until tender, about 4 or 5 hours (should reach 150 degrees in the center).

Source: slightly adapted from Allrecipes
Produce Used: Garlic, onion