Coffee-Cardamom Brisket Rub

INCREDIBLE FLAVOR!  "Oh I've never felt love like this before, opened my eyes! No, I never felt-love-like-this-befor-or-or-ore."

CONFESSION:

1. I've never GRILLED a brisket. I've never done anything with a brisket, except eat it.
2. I don't normally get fancy with the spices, or venture into the unusual recipes.  Not because I'm scared, only because I have loved ones who set my culinary boundaries.

However, this past weekend my very dearest friend had her birthday and I wanted to make her dinner.  Kim loves to explore new flavors, as I do, and this recipe sounded right up her alley.

The aroma of coffee, hot paprika, cardamom and garlic was amazing! OH and there's a bread-sopping chocolate-cherry barbecue sauce that goes over the top that will send you to another world.  There's nothing complicated about marinating, grilling, making the sauce or eating this brisket.  It only takes time to bring it together. You gotta try this recipe on your family and friends; it WILL make you a rock star!

COFFEE-CARDAMOM BRISKET RUB
from Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes, Steven Raichlen

• 1/2 cup ground coffee or chicory
• 1/2 cup course salt
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup hot paprika
• 2 tablespoons ground cardamon
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup vegetable oi, or as needed

Combine all the ingredients, except the oil, in a bowl or food processor and stir or process to mix.  Stir in enough oil to make a thick paste.  The rub should be used the day it is made.  Cover and refrigerate until using.  Makes about 2 cups; enough for a 6- to 8-pound brisket.
I made half of this recipe, because I had 2 (1 1/2-pound) briskets. One brisket was enough to serve five adults.

COFFEE-CARDAMOM BRISKET

• 1 brisket (6 pounds), trimmed
• coffee-cardamom brisket rub
• 1 recipe of chocolate-cherry barbecue sauce
• bread for sopping, or buns for sandwiches

Place the brisket in a roasting pan and smear it on all sides with the rub, using a spatula or gloved hands. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator, for at least 4 hours, or as long as overnight.

Set up the grill for indirect cooking and preheat to 325ºF.

Place the brisket, fat side up, on the grate over a drip pan. (A cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil.)

Cook the brisket to an internal temperature of 190ºF or until tender enough to pull apart with you fingers, 5 to 7 hours.  (The cooking time depends on the size of the brisket and the heat of the grill.)  If using charcoal, add 10 fresh coals per side every hour.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, loosely cover with an aluminum foil tent, and let rest for 15 minutes.  Thinly slice the meat across the grain and serve it on slices of bread witht eh barbecue sauce on the side or on top.  Serves 12 to 14 folks.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY BARBECUE SAUCE

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 cups canned pitted Bing cherries, drained
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon pure chili powder (not a blend)
• 1 1/2 cups Port wine
• 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey or more to taste
• 4 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 canned chipotle chilies or 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon course salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and cherries and cook unti the onion is soft but not brown, 3 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the sauce, uncovered, until reduced to about 2 cups, 15 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Correct the seasoning, adding salt, lemon juice, or honey; the sauce should be a little sweet, a little sour, and very flavorful.  Use right away or transfer to a large jar, cover, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.  The sauce will keep for several weeks.  Makes 2 cups.

COOK'S NOTES

• For the rub, I had fresh ground Ethiopian Harar coffee on hand. I'm an Arabica bean drinker, if that means anything to you. I used gloved hands to massage in the wet rub before refrigerating overnight.
• I set out the brisket on the counter for 30 minutes before grilling.
• I used my large gas grill this time.  It has a temperature gauge, so it was easy to monitor the temperature without ever lifting the grill cover.  I peeked one time to make sure my drip pan was aligned and NEVER flipped or poked the brisket with a fork.  The two small briskets were not over the flames, but only cooked with the heat of the grill, like an oven would cook.
• I started at 12 noon and the brisket were ready by 5 o'clock.  They were small as I mentioned.
• I pulled a chair into the kitchen and read a magazine while watching & occasionally stirring the barbecue sauce.  I wanted  a thick sauce and took 25 minutes to get it the way I liked it.
• I went out and purchased a nine dollar bottle of Port wine, but next time I'll use cranberry juice.
• I couldn't find sherry vinegar, so purchased Raspberry Vinegar.
• I didn't have caraway seeds and skipped it.
• We used onion-buns to make sandwiches and used the sauce as the dripping condiment.  I NEVER grew tired of eating brisket the whole weekend. *sigh*

Grill Roasted Bell Pepper

Ever have those days when you feel like grillin' ANYTHING, just so you can grill?

I threw on a couple of red bell peppers the other day, just because.  I took great pleasure in watching the skins turn black, knowing full well the inside was growing sweet and tender.  Turning every now & then, making sure to get all the sides good and black.  I didn't watch the time.  I watched the peppers.

After they were good and soft, I brought them inside to cool down enough for me to handle.  I've seen all different ways of removing the skins that involved paper towels and plastic bags.  That wasn't green thinking to me.  I just used my old fashion fingers and peeled the skin off.  It took no time all to strip the skins off, remove the seed core, then I quickly rinsed any sticky seeds off.  What little water I used, did NOT remove the smokey aroma that become part of the pepper's meat.

I proceeded to julienne the peppers, moved them to a small bowl, then poured a little oil over the top.  Covered tightly and stored them in the frig.

Later in the same week, I used them with pasta, over chicken soft tacos, and inside bean burritos.