Baked Bacon Brisket

I'd like to begin this post with a couple of statements. One - if you're a vegetarian, you'll probably want to just go ahead now and click off this page. Sorry. And two - contrary to popular belief (and probably despite the fact that Gerald and I look like it!), we don't eat this way every day. Now we can proceed.

I've done traditional corned beef the last couple of St. Patrick's Days, so I decided to change it up - a little. I still bought a brisket, but I discarded the seasoning pack inside and went with a more traditional barbecue rub. We had a cabbage casserole and (Irish?) sweet potato patties on the side. But today is all about the beef, 'bout that beef, 'bout that beef...no veggies!

I picked this up at a little grocery store we have out here in the country. I usually prefer my meat from Costco or Winn Dixie, but this was convenient. And I knew the slow cooking process would cover just about anything. I chose a smaller size - this one's a little less than three pounds - and it was perfect for this meal, with enough left over to eat as a sandwich the next night.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

I began by mixing my rub.

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix well.

While it looks like a lot, the fat cap on the bottom of my brisket was only about 1/4 inch thick, so I left it. This low and slow process can dry things out, so leave it on.

I sprinkled the rub onto my meat, beginning with the top.

Massage it in.

Be sure to get all sides and in every crack and cranny!

Next, I layered a casserole dish with a few slices of bacon - enough to cover the bottom of my brisket.

Place the brisket on top.

Cover with more bacon. I know what you're thinking, but I warned you at the beginning!

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 275 degrees for four hours.

After four hours, remove from oven and take off the foil. Carefully flip it over (be careful not to splash the hot juice on you!) and recover with foil. Return to oven and turn the oven off. Leave for one hour in the oven as it cools.

Remove the foil, discard the bacon and place under the broiler for a few minutes to get some color on top. You're ready to cut as soon as it browns since it's really been resting in the oven for the last hour.

 

I use an electric knife, but it cuts like butter...

The color is beautiful and consistent throughout because it cooked so slowly. You do NOT need a knife for this (but like I tell Jewell each night, no matter what we need, we always set a full table!). This is soooooooo gooooood. I ain't playing y'all. You have to try this!

Tomorrow I'll share the recipe for the cabbage casserole. It's really a meal in itself!

I'm so glad you stopped by my neck of the woods!

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