Sous Vide Brisket with Barbecue Sauce and Quick Pickles
In this recipe from Alexandra Gates, chef and owner of Restaurant Cochineal in Marfa, Texas, beef brisket is first slowly cooked using a sous vide immersion circulator, then finished on a hot grill to get a nice char on the outside and impart a bit of smoky flavor. At her restaurant. Gates uses Akaushi-certified beef, from a special breed of cattle that is raised in Texas, in keeping with her emphasis on top-notch local products. If you can’t get Akaushi beef, use the best-quality well-marbled brisket you can find.
Ingredients
For the brisket:
- 1 beef brisket, about 2 lb. (1 kg), trimmed and cut into large portions to fit in vacuum-sealed bags
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Freshly ground white pepper
- Smoked paprika
For the quick pickles:
- 1 lb. (500 g) Persian or Kirby cucumbers, cut lengthwise into thin planks
- 1 shallot, halved
- 1 Tbs. kosher salt
- 4 fresh dill sprigs
- Distilled white vinegar as needed
For the barbecue sauce:
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup (2 to 4 fl. oz./60 to 125 ml) cider vinegar
- 1 can (6 oz./185 g) tomato paste
- 2 Tbs. A-1 steak sauce
- 1 Tbs. smoked paprika
- 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbs. Braggs liquid aminos
- 2 tsp. dry mustard
- 4 charred Roma tomatoes
- 1 can (14 oz./440 g) peeled whole tomatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
To make the brisket, prepare a sous vide immersion circulator for use according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Preheat the water to 135° to 140°F (57° to 60°C).
Season the brisket pieces with salt, black pepper, white pepper and paprika to coat all sides. Place each brisket piece in a separate vacuum-sealable bags. Using a vacuum sealer, vacuum and seal the bags tightly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place the bags into the circulating water and cook for 48 hours.
To make the quick pickles, at least 2 hours before serving and up to 3 days before serving, divide the cucumbers, shallot, salt and dill between 2 jars. Pour in enough vinegar to cover the ingredients. Cover the jars and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) of the vinegar, the tomato paste, steak sauce, paprika, Worcestershire, liquid aminos, dry mustard and tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, then transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan, place over medium-low heat and gently simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and up to 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) more vinegar.
When the brisket is done, carefully remove the bags from the circulating water. Remove the brisket from the bags and pour the juice from the bags into the barbecue sauce.
Prepare a hot fire in a grill. Place the brisket on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until the meat is nicely charred on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the brisket to a carving board, let rest for about 10 minutes and cut into slices. Serve with the barbecue sauce and quick pickles. Serves 6.
Recipe courtesy of Alexandra Gates, Chef/Owner of Cochineal, Marfa, TX