High-Heat Brisket - "Bed of Onions" Question


 
M

Mordechai F

TVWBB Member
Folks:

I'm planning on a high-heat brisket cook, and had a strange thought. At the point when I pull the packer and foil it up, can I lay it on a a bed of sliced onions? My experience has been that the packers throw off a large amount of liquid, and I love me some sauteed onions. (I've often placed a foil tin with onions in beer or the like below the meat, on the foiled empty water pan for the fat and flavor to drip in.) I've also recently made Larry Wolfe's Pepper Stout Beef, and that got me thinking...

Would this work? Is this a bad idea? Will the packer be too high off the liquid and not retain the moisture? What says ye?

Thanks!
 
I just did something like that, see the My First Chuckie thread. It turned out great for me. The onions will add to the moisture in the foil too.
 
Sounds like a plan, and you just reminded me of something I've been wanting to try for a long time but never have. Ray Lampe has a recipe called "jalapeno brisket" where he puts a chopped up large onion in the foil with the brisket after smoking, but also 6-8 large jalapenos, chopped after removing the stems and seeds. He also calls for one cup of beef broth in the foil (or aluminum pan) as well.

Actually, I've got a brisket in the freezer that I was wanting to do something a little different with and I think I'll go just that since I haven't tried it yet. A "Bed of Onions" would be good too, but I think I'll finally try this recipe. Thanks for posting and reminding me of it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Sounds like a plan, and you just reminded me of something I've been wanting to try for a long time but never have. Ray Lampe has a recipe called "jalapeno brisket" where he puts a chopped up large onion in the foil with the brisket after smoking, but also 6-8 large jalapenos, chopped after removing the stems and seeds. He also calls for one cup of beef broth in the foil (or aluminum pan) as well.

Actually, I've got a brisket in the freezer that I was wanting to do something a little different with so I think I'll go just that and try this. A "Bed of Onions" would be good too. Dr. BBQ says to put half of the onion and jalapenos on the bottom and the other half on top.

Thanks for posting and reminding me of it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
I just use a combo of fresh and dried chilies, onions and garlic - and some salt. No need for liquid as a good packer will throw off a lot at high heat and onions are mostly water.
 
No. Of course, I'd switch the paprika to something with flavor and would decrease the sugar substantially but there all the flavors there work with onion and vice versa.
 
Thanks. The wife was kind enough to have already made a double batch of that rub, so no chance to reduce the sugar content or swap out the red dust for something with more flavor. (I feel like I've seen you posting that you're not a fan of heavy paprika usage before.)

Packer is rubbed and in the fridge to marinate overnight. I'm going to break out the mandoline after I get the meat on the smoker, and shave down a pile of yellow onions to create said onion bed. I usually flip the brisket and go fat cap up when I foil (per the standard instructions), but I think I'll leave the fat cap down on top of the onions this time to let the onions wallow in that rendered greasy goodness.

Kevin, I owe you a meal and a fine bottle of red from way back. Please hit me up offline when one of your many interests takes you out this way, it'd be an honor and a privilege to host you.
 
Dave, would also love to hear how that Jalapeno brisket turns out. That seems like a fair amount of heat for the non-spice lovers to tolerate (aka my wife and children), but maybe the heat of the peppers mellows down in the cook with the onions and the liquid from the packer?

BTW, who be this "Dr. BBQ?" Sounds like a physician I'd actually like to visit for a change.
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You should be okay with the jalapeño and spice level IF you make sure to remove both the seeds and the white/light green membrane in the pepper that holds the seeds in place. That is where the heat is. Be careful with other peppers as they can have heat that is not so tamable. I have been through the same exercise with my family and spice sensitivity.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mordechai F:
Dave, would also love to hear how that Jalapeno brisket turns out. That seems like a fair amount of heat for the non-spice lovers to tolerate (aka my wife and children), but maybe the heat of the peppers mellows down in the cook with the onions and the liquid from the packer?

BTW, who be this "Dr. BBQ?" Sounds like a physician I'd actually like to visit for a change.
icon_smile.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

As E said, remove the seeds and the light inner membrane that holds them and you're good. I think I like Kevin's idea of a variety of chiles and the onion better, though. Poblanos certainly add something when I grill fajitas, so they'd be good.

Ray Lampe, aka Dr. BBQ, has won a lot of bbq comps in the past, teaches bbq, and has written a number of bbq books. I think he's a better cook than a lot or most bbq competitors and the only one I have, "Dr. BBQ'sBig-Time Barbecue Cookbook", has been a big help. He was interviewed here a while back here.

http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/9810096353
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Please hit me up offline when one of your many interests takes you out this way, it'd be an honor and a privilege to host you. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
And it would be nice to meet you too. I know I'll be in BH and WeHo late this fall and now and again throughout the winter. I'll let you know.
 
Good luck handling all that moisture, but they sure ought to taste great!!
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It's a beast trying to drain off the au jus and not spill it, like you said they can make some juice, but man is it good!

Let us know how to turns out. I like the idea as long as it's not so much the brisket takes on much of the onion flavor.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> It's a beast trying to drain off the au jus and not spill it </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can always use a foil pan covered with foil. The pan being more rigid is easily handled.

Paul
 
Yep, just what I was thinking, Paul, and that's what Ray Lampe suggested in the recipe I mentioned earlier. I got like 8 or 10 pans the perfect size at Walmart a while back on clearance.
 
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