I wanted to make my annual Christmas Brisket something special this year, so I reached for my Serious BBQ book by Adam Perry Lang. He has a recipe for brisket which seems to have some mixed reviews on the Internet. (Too sweet). I debated about trying it, but I was afraid of offending some of the brisket purists in my family so I opted for his gourmet sauce BBQ sauce instead.
I must say that it was really good, but it was really involved. (It requires 19 ingredients!)
You can find the recipe in his cookbook or on his website. I have reprinted here for your convenience:
Pour the oil in a large saucepan and place over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Stir in the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
Pour in the bourbon and cook until the alcohol has cooked off, about 5 minutes. There will no longer be the strong smell of alcohol.
Combine the chili powder, black pepper, allspice, and cloves and add to the pan. Cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the brown sugar, water, ketchup, molasses, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, and preserves. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to be sure nothing sticks to the bottom and burns. Reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 45 minutes.
Add the jalapeño and apple. At this point the sauce can be left chunky or blended in a blender (blend in small batches since it will be hot), or in a bowl using an immersion/stick blender until smooth.
Season to taste with additional allspice, cloves, salt, and vinegar to taste.
I opted to make it the day before and I think it was all for the better as the favors had time to combine.
Here is the final product:
APL says that the ingredients are just a starting point, but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, tang, and heat.
Do I think it was worth it? If you have a special occasion yes, but otherwise I would give Stubb’s BBQ sauce a shot.