Slow Grilled Brisket - A Great Memorial Day Meal

Memorial Day, in addition to honoring those that have served our country, signals the beginning of summer, my favorite season of the year.  In Dallas, it is usually warm enough to hang out by the pool and grill something delicious.

This year we had friends over and enjoyed an afternoon and evening of eating (and a little beer drinking).

Our Menu:

Buffalo Chicken Dip 

Tortilla Roll-ups

Slow Grilled Beef Brisket, chopped for sandwiches

Cole Slaw

Baked Beans

Homemade vanilla ice cream

Blueberry cobbler

My friend Alisa brought the buffalo chicken dip and the tortilla roll-ups.  Both were so delicious they could have been meals in themselves.  The buffalo dip is especially yummy.  It is a mixture of chicken, cheeses, and buffalo sauce that is baked and becomes a gooey treat.  Served with crackers it is absolutely a crowd pleaser.  We strategically ask Alisa to bring appetizers when we have their family over in hopes of this dish showing up.  (Oops - I guess the secret is out if she reads this.)   I can't locate the recipe as she has given it to me before, but when I find it I promise to post it.  Its great for your next casual get together.

Walter was master grill chef on Monday, and worked diligently to serve up a tender, flavorful brisket that practically melted in your mouth.  There are some keys to his methodology I'd like to share with you all for the next time you grill a brisket.  He is religious about marinading the meat the day before through overnight.  You can choose what spice combination you would like, and there are some good grocery store options too like Stubbs BBQ brand marinade and spices.  

The next key is slow cooking the brisket on the grill on indirect heat.  The grill temperature should be around 300 degrees, depending upon how quickly you want it to be finished.  When slow cooking, having your protein over indirect heat prevents overcooking or drying out.  

A mistake some people will make will be coating the beef with the BBQ sauce from the get go.  This is really the final step before pulling your meat off the grill.   When you reach the last 15 to 30 minutes of grilling, baste with BBQ sauce, and watch as you may need to baste an additional time before pulling it off the grill.  We made a 7 pound brisket that cooked for 9 hours.  If using a gas grill, get a smoker box to add mesquite chips to add the flavor you might get on a traditional smoker.

Once off the grill, allow the brisket to rest for 15 to 20 minutes.  Chop the brisket, and have warmed BBQ sauce available for drizzling over the chopped meat.  We had buns available for those that wanted sandwiches.  It was a delicious meal.  Even better, we enjoyed leftovers last night, and I dare say might have been better than the first night.