Delicious Virginia-style Barbecue Brisket Recipe

Virginians have been barbecuing beef since at least 1645. That's no less than 35 years before the first Spanish colony was established in Texas.

If Texans think they are the only ones who know how to expertly barbecue beef, as Yoda would say, "No, there is another."

Here is an authentic, Virginia-style barbecued brisket recipe that's easy to barbecue at home and delicious.

All Cows are Grass Fed

When I was a youngster, my Dad used to raise cows and steers all the time. I remember one particular steer that my sister and I named Lemon. We knew that Lemon's ultimate destinations were the freezer and the stove, but we treated him as much like a pet as we could.

My Dad kept Lemon in a pasture where he grazed all day on green grass. We would keep his barn filled with hay and straw. During the summer, we fed him the leaves, shucks, and stalks from the corn we picked out of the garden. He also got watermelon rinds and every other bit of veggies from the gardens that we didn't eat. Starting in September, my Dad would take my brothers and I out to large corn fields where we would glean left over corn from stalks that the farmers couldn't reap. We would take the corn back home, shuck it in a hand cranked corn shucker and use it to feed Lemon, the cow and our hogs.

I remember eating a steak from Lemon that my Dad cooked on a wood stove that he used to keep in the basement. It was a T-bone. It was pretty good. I suppose one could say that Lemon was grass fed. But, we never worried about such things.

Here is an interesting article that fellow beef lovers might find interesting.

You may want to think twice before buying expensive grass-fed beef

Green Fire Steak

 

 

Green Fire Steak! This is a deliciously spicy way to trick out that steak. Just slice some fresh jalapeno peppers and sauté them in a little olive oil, butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Server over grilled steak. So delicious! This recipe can be very spicy for some people, so, if you are sensitive to hot peppers, you might want to skip this one.

Teres Major: Economical and Delicious Cut of Beef

Teres Major

Next time you are shopping for beef, keep an eye out for a cut called teres major. Sometimes it's also called mock tender. It's a delicious and tender cut from the shoulder (chuck). It rivals tri-tip in flavor and beef tenderloin in tenderness. I like to cook it in my smoker at about 225F until it reaches 125F internal. Then, I quickly sear the outside on my grill and let it rest before slicing. The only seasoning I use is salt, pepper, and garlic. While tri-tip was selling for about $8.00 a pound and ribeye at about $10.00 a pound, I got two teres major roasts for $5.49 per pound. Please don't tell the butcher that it's worth way more.

Barbecue Secret Number 14 - How to Get a Low & Slow Bark on a Hot & Fast Brisket

Blackhawk Brisket

This brisket recipe was inspired by a renowned 19th century Virginia beef barbecue cook named "Blackhawk." Yes, people in Virginia have been barbecuing beef longer than people in any other state including Texas and the tradition goes back to the 17th century. This recipe is my tribute to Blackhawk and all the other great, old time Virginia barbecue cooks that don't get their due.

The biggest problem many have with hot and fast brisket is the bark. The bark on a typical hot and fast brisket just doesn't measure up to the bark of a brisket that has been cooked for 12 to 14 hours at a lower temperature. So, this recipe is my attempt to rectify that situation. I call it Blackhawk brisket.

First, the basics: A good bark is the result of several things going on during the cooking process but one of the most important things is the Maillard reaction. This is where the natural sugars and proteins in the meat begin to brown while cooking. There are several main things that influence this reaction: sugar, protein, heat, and the pH level of the surface of the meat are a few. If you want to read more - try here.  Now, let's get started on how to barbecue a Blackhawk brisket.

Start with a large full packer brisket. I don't usually cook full packer briskets smaller than 12 pounds. Trim it up and remove the excess fat from between the point and the flat. This is done to increase the amount of bark I would have on the burnt ends. Check this post for the details on trimming a brisket. Barbecue Secret Number 11 - How to Trim a Brisket.

For this process to produce the best bark you need to remove all of the silver skin and as much of the fat possible from the top of the brisket flat. Then, using paper towels, dry the top surface of the brisket as much as possible.

Next, instead of keeping the surface of the meat flat and smooth, use a fork to cut some shallow "troughs" in the surface of the meat going in the same direction as the grain as shown in the pic. This is done in order to create more surface area for the bark to adhere to. And, as the great Adam Perry Lang taught us, more meat surface equals more Maillard reaction which means more flavor.

Brisket surface "roughed" up with a fork

The next important part of the process is to use something under the brisket while it cooks that will create a curved or slanted surface. This is important so that juices from the meat don't pool in one spot. The juices pooling will wash the rub off and eliminate any chance of a good bark developing.

Keep the surface of the meat curved to let juices flow off rather than pool.

You can inject the brisket at this point in the process if you choose. Just make sure you let it sit overnight in the refrigerator to let the injection work its magic. After an overnight rest, again use paper towels to dry the surface of the brisket. The overnight rest isn't needed if you don't inject the brisket.

Now, let's deal with the pH level of the meat. Sprinkle the top surface of the brisket with about 3 half pinches (just as much as can be picked up with thumb and forefinger) of baking soda. Yes! That's right! Baking soda! Just a light sprinkle all over the top surface of the brisket is needed. Don't use too much.

After the light sprinkle of baking soda, apply a light coat of peanut oil all over the surface of the meat. The last step in this stage is to apply a light coat of molasses. I use the molasses as the base of the bark. It won't make the meat taste sweet. It just sits in the background and turns to caramel as the meat barbecues.

Brisket with baking soda, oil, and molasses

Now, apply the rub. You can use any rub you like. One of my favorites is my Blackhawk rub and is made from the following:

4 TBS Sea Salt
6 TBS Coarse Ground Black Pepper (16 mesh)
3 TBS Fine Ground Black Pepper
1 TBS Fine Ground Cayenne Pepper
2 TBS Granulated Garlic

Apply the rub all over the surface of the meat. Touch it up, if needed, by sprinkling some fine ground black pepper over the brisket to cover any spots that need it.

While the prepped brisket rests, fire up your smoker to 325 degrees F. I use white oak chunks for smoke. Make sure your fire is burning very clean before adding the meat. The smoke coming from the chimney should almost be a clear vapor.

Put the brisket on the smoker and let it cook for 2 1/2 hours. After 2 1/2 hours, Wrap the brisket with foil but leave some space between the foil and the top of the brisket much like a foil tent.

Blackhawk brisket wrapped in a foil "tent"

Let the brisket continue to cook for about 2 more hours until it probes tender like "butta." I'd say the internal temp will be about 208ish F. But, please don't go by temperature alone. Make sure that if you peirce the meat with your thermometer that it feels like you are putting the thermometer through butter. Once tender, remove the foil and let the brisket rest for 1 hour.

Here are the results. The top pic was cooked using the Blackhawk rub. The 2nd pic was cooked using Smokin' Guns Hot. The burnt end was cooked using Blackhawk rub.

Blackhawk Brisket

Blackhawk Brisket

Blackhawk Brisket Burnt End

Now, there are two main things going on here. The molasses is caramelizing while the surface of the meat is also caramelizing because it is experiencing the Maillard reaction. The baking soda raises the pH level of the surface of the meat. This is important because the higher pH level causes the Maillard reaction to occur quicker which means it will now occur longer than without using the baking soda. This produces a bark that is much closer to a long cook brisket bark than a typical hot and fast cooked brisket.

The Original Allman's Bar-B-Q Style Cheeseburger - Circa 1975

Old School Allman's Bar-B-Q Cheeseburger in all its Cheesy Glory!

Back around 1975 when I was in elementary school, I used to love to visit Allman's Bar-B-Q in Fredericksburg, VA not to eat the barbecue but to eat the cheeseburgers. Those cheeseburgers were  among the most delectable treats that I could enjoy back in those days.

They didn't look delicious. In fact, they were "squashed" because Mr. White (the owner) would heat the buns in his "meat press" which was a device that looked like a clothes pressing machine you see in dry cleaner shops. They were cooked in the kitchen by the chief cook Mary Brown. Mary didn't cook the barbecue. She made the coleslaw and cooked burgers, dogs, and fries, etc. And, the cheeseburgers she cooked were nothing short of master pieces.

I had a real craving for one of those delicious cheeseburgers recently. I was almost wishing I had a time machine just so I could go back in time, visit Allman's, and order a cheeseburger. Yeah, they were that good. But, after doing a search on Google and eBay, I realized that there are no time machines to be had. So, I had to get to work and try my hand and at replicating a 1975 style Allman's Bar-B-Q cheeseburger. To my surprise, it turned out very close to the real thing. It was pretty tasty! I ate mine plain, but you could also get any of the standard burger toppings if you wanted. Here is how you can make one too.

Ingredients
1/4 to 1/3 pound of 73/27 ground beef (Allman's wasn't a burger joint. They used inexpensive ground beef.)
2 slices of American cheese (I use Kraft Deli Deluxe)
1 soft burger bun (I used Blue Ribbon brand)
A griddle or iron skillet
A lid that will fit inside the iron skillet or big enough to cover the burger patty on the griddle
Aluminum Foil
2 TBS of water
Salt & Pepper

Form the beef into a thin patty. Touch the meat as little as possible. Mary used to cook a lot of these things, especially on weekends, and I can tell you that she didn't spend a lot of time forming the patty.

Put the meat on the hot griddle or in the hot skillet. Use a little vegetable oil, if needed. Add a little salt & pepper and let the patty cook. When it's time, flip the patty over. Just as it has reached well done, put the cheese on top, pour the water near the patty and cover it with the lid. The steam produced from the water melts the cheese. Let it stay covered until the cheese is melted.

The Original Circa 1975 Allman's Bar-B-Q Style Cheeseburger

Once the cheese is melted, remove the cheesy meat patty from the skillet/griddle. Remove the excess grease from the skillet/griddle being careful not to burn yourself.

Put the bottom piece of the bun on the skillet/griddle, put the meat patty with melted cheese on it and, finally, top it off with the other half of the bun.

Take the lid that has been wiped of liquid/grease and use it to push down on the cheeseburger to "squash" it. Let the bun bottom get good and hot. Flip it over and repeat.




Remove the cheeseburger from the pan/griddle and wrap it in aluminum foil. Let it sit for about 3 to 5 minutes. Unwrap and enjoy.

No, it's not like taking a journey through time in a time machine but it's very close.

Barbecue Secret Number 12 - Butcher Paper

Barbecued Chuck Roast Rubbed with Salt & Pepper and
Wrapped with Butcher Paper During the Cook.

Besides the usual suspect for wrapping barbecue (a.k.a. aluminum foil) as it cooks and rests after the cook, you can also use butcher paper. Many of the great barbecue restaurants in central Texas use it instead of foil and get excellent results. There are a couple of benefits to using butcher paper instead of foil including the cost (butcher paper is much cheaper) and the differences in how each impacts the barbecue's bark.

The Chuck Roast on the Left was Wrapped in Butcher Paper During the Cook.
The Roast on the Right was Wrapped in Foil. Notice the Difference in the Bark.

If you want to give butcher paper a try, here are some tips.

You can find butcher paper at places like Costco, Restaurant Depot, and even several office supply stores. If you can't find it in a local store, you can also find it online. Another option is to inquire at your local butcher shop or grocery store butcher to see if they will sell you a small quantity from their stock.

Barbecued Chuck Roast Wrapped in Butcher Paper.

Butcher paper comes in several widths. The 24" or 30" widths are best because it's easier to wrap a large cut of meat like a brisket or a long rack of ribs with the wider paper. But, if all you can find is the 18" stuff, you can make it work using a little more paper.

Butcher Paper Balled up Waiting to be Flattened Back Out
and used to Wrap Barbecue.

Butcher paper is a relatively thick paper and can be hard to work with when wrapping barbecue. A way to make the paper more pliable and easier to work with is to cut the size sheet of paper you need from the roll and ball it up then flatten it out again. Do that several times until the paper feels more pliable. I also like to put a light coat of spray oil on it before balling it up or even soaking it with water and wringing out the excess.

Another thing you want to do when wrapping barbecue with butcher paper is to make sure your last wrap around the meat is on the bottom. This will ensure that the weight of the meat will keep the paper in place while cooking.








Here is a great recipe for barbecue chuck roast using butcher paper.

Start with a 2.5 to 3 pound chuck roast. Season it with salt and pepper. Fire up your smoker/grill to a cooking temperature of about 300 degrees using indirect heat. A little oak or hickory works great for smoke.

Put the seasoned chuck roast in the smoker/grill and cook for about 2 hours. After 2 hours of cooking, remove the chuck roast from the cooker and wrap it in butcher paper. Put it back in the cooker and let it cook for about another 2 hours. You will know when it's done when an ice pick or thermometer probe slides into the meat with little resistance. The internal temperature of the meat will be around 208 - 210 degrees. But, go by the tenderness of the meat rather than the internal temperature. Once the meat has reached the proper level of tenderness, remove it from the cooker and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour while still wrapped.

After the rest, pull the chuck roast into sections, scrape off the silver skin and excess fat, slice it against the grain and serve. One last step I like to take with chuck roast is to chop it too. It's delicious served as barbecue beef sandwiches with sauce and slaw, made into taco meat, served with eggs for breakfast, and even used in chili.

Barbecue Chuck Roast Sliced & Chopped

For more barbecue secrets CLICK HERE.

California Barbecue Virginia Style - Tri-Tip

There is a triangular cut of beef from the tip of the sirloin called appropriately enough "tri-tip." It was made popular in California starting sometime in the late 1950's. Before that time, it was just another lean cut of beef ground up and made into hamburger.

Nowadays, it is a specialty of the Santa Maria area of California and for good reason. Cooked properly, it is a delicious cut of beef. For obvious reasons, there are only two tri-tip roasts per cow. Therefore, it can be difficult to find in many area local grocery stores. Ask your local butcher shop if you can't find it and I bet they can help you out.

Here is a great way to cook a delicious tri-tip roast.

Start with your grill setup for indirect cooking. I used charcoal and a couple of splits of white oak wood.

When the wood has burned down to hot coals, add the tri-tip rubbed down with a little sea salt, coarse ground black pepper, and granulated garlic.

Notice how far the meat is away from the heat source. I'm not grilling it; I'm barbecuing it at this point.


The cooking temp was about 300 degrees Fahrenheit using indirect heat.

Once the meat reached an internal temperature of about 127 - 130 degrees, I moved the meat directly over the coals just long enough to get a nice sear on both sides.

After searing it, let the meat rest for about 10 to 20 minutes then slice it into thin slices against the grain and serve. It's good sliced or on sandwiches.





Here is a delicious tri-tip slider with cheese, grilled peppers and onions.

Roast Beef a La Lightning

The Harrisonburg Rockingham Register of August 20, 1907 printed an account of a farmer named John Carroll who, soon after a lightning storm, found one of his cows killed by lightning. Rather than making preparations to properly dispose of the carcass, farmer John made a meal of it.

Barbecue Secret Number 11 - How to Trim a Brisket

Beef Brisket is the toughest cut of meat on the steer. It takes some finesse to be able to barbecue it so that it is tender, juicy, and delicious. But, before the cooking begins, how does one trim it? And, is trimming even necessary?

A "full packer brisket" is made of two sections: the point (deckle) and the flat. Often, super markets separate the sections and only sell the flat portion as brisket. That's too bad because the point is the best part of the brisket. The point is the portion of the brisket from which cooks nowadays make burnt ends.

As depicted above, you can see that a "full packer brisket" is composed of two different cuts. One is fatty (the point) and the other is more lean (the flat). For best barbecue results, get a packer brisket that comprises both the point and the flat.

Notice the fat between the two muscles? You have a decision to make. You can leave it alone, barbecue the brisket, and remove the fat after it's cooked. Or, you can remove it before the cook. The fat doesn't really add anything to the meat. The stories told by some barbecue cooks that the fat on a brisket bastes the meat as it cooks and makes it moist is just not true in my experience. The fat that is marbled inside the the meat of the brisket is what matters. The fat on the outside doesn't really bring much to the party as far as moisture is concerned. It makes a great heat shield though. 

Personally, I prefer to remove the fat between the point and the flat. Doing so allows me to have more bark (more Maillard reaction going on) on the brisket which, unlike the fat cap, imparts a lot of flavor.

In the photo above, you can see what the brisket should look like once the fat between the point and flat is removed. I tried to remove only the fat without any of the lean meat. I also trimmed up the edges of the brisket.

The next step in the trimming process is to remove all of the fat and membrane from the top of the flat. The fat and membrane on the brisket inhibits the Maillard reaction and the formation of bark. So, I like to remove as much of it as possible. Again, remove only the fat and membrane without removing the lean meat. It will take some practice so don't get discouraged if you remove a little more lean meat than you would like on your first few briskets.

The photo above shows a brisket that has been fully trimmed and ready for seasoning and cooking. One other detail here is, if you look closely you can see that I "roughed" up the surface of the flat using a fork. This makes for more surface area to hold rub and to create more bark which in turn produces more flavor.

Once the brisket has been barbecued and is ready for slicing, you have to make sure you slice it against the grain of the meat. If not, the meat will be stringy. The photo below illustrates the grain of the meat with yellow lines and the direction you should slice the brisket with red lines.

When a properly trimmed and smoked brisket is ready to eat, you have some good barbecue!

So, that's how to trim a brisket. Now, go forth and cook some barbecue!

Read more Barbecue Secrets by clicking here!

The Last Buffalo Barbecue in America

Illustration from The Herald - Los Angeles, CA - January 26, 1898

The National Cattleman's Beef Association's website has a section on the organization's history. Here is an excerpt:

In the 1860s and 70s, cattle ranching in the United States was a crude industry at best. Fence-cuttings, cattle rustling and conflicting claims for land rights were mortal problems for homesteaders and livestock grazers. 

A "packer monopoly" kept market information from cattle producers, while railroads, which were quickly springing up, charged exorbitant rates for shipping cattle. It was clear that cattle producers needed to band together to have strength in combating these issues. Emerging state level organizations were adequate for dealing with cattle thieves and ownership issues, but not for trade and governmental issues. Cattlemen needed to think bigger -- on a national level. 

After several failed attempts, a national cattle producers organization became a reality in 1898, when two members of the Livestock Committee of the Denver Chamber of Commerce and Trade Board called a National Stock Growers Convention Jan. 25-27, 1898, in Denver, Colorado. Charles F. Martin and John W. Springer had a plan to form "an association of associations" which would represent every branch of the livestock industry, from cattle to hogs, to sheep, chickens, goats and horses. 

More than 2,000 convention attendees heard three days of discussion on interstate trade, public lands and packer trusts. However, the main order of business at the first convention was the formation of the National Live Stock Association (NLSA) of the United States.

Here is the rest of the story.

On January 27, 1898 the National Stock Growers held what was billed as the last buffalo barbecue to be held in America to end their three day national convention held in Denver, Colorado. They planned a "monster barbecue" at the Union Stock Yards with a huge attendance of 12,000 people and 200 waiters. To feed the large crowd they ordered 10,000 pickles, 1000 pounds of cheese, 3000 loaves of bread, 200 "possums," 35 barrels of hams, 30 sheep, 2 bears, 15 antelope, 4 elk, the hind quarters of 16 beeves (steers), and 5 buffalo (American bison). There may have been as many as 10 buffalo barbecued; sources conflict on the number. They also constructed 1200 feet of tables. (As reported by the Omaha Daily Bee, Jan. 6, 1898.) The Daily Public Ledger of Jan. 15, 1898 added that they were also serving 35 barrels of yams and 300 kegs of beer. The St. Paul Globe of January 28, 1898 reported that mutton was also served. In addition to the barbecue there were also bull fights and rough riding tournaments.

New York Tribune - Jan. 28, 1898

The Albuquerque Daily Citizen of January 27, 1898 reported that "thousands" attended the event and mentioned that Secretary Wallace of New Mexico read an exhaustive history of the sheep industry in the United States. (That sounds pretty boring.) The article goes on to report the adoption of resolutions and leaves the reader with the impression that the event was a great success. The Herald of January 28, 1898 and the Fergus County Argus of February 28, 1898 also reported that the barbecue and the convention were both successes. However, there are numerous other reports that the barbecue was a disaster. For example, The Kansas City Journal of January 28, 1898 reported that trains and street cars transported 25,000 to 30,000 people to attend the barbecue. "So great was the crowd that the six tons of meat served was hardly enough to satisfy all, and before the crowds could be served the tables against which they were surging broke away, and, brushing aside police and military guards, the crowd overran the grounds, helping themselves to what was in sight." The report goes on to say that while the crowd was "good-natured" there was no chance of restoring order and management declared the barbecue over. The author of the article blamed the barbecue's organizing committee claiming that they gave out 35,000 tickets and that was just too many. Numerous other papers also reprinted the article.

The January 28, 1898 Roanoke Times ran a story with the headline "Disorderly Barbecue. Thirty Thousand People Scramble for the Edibles." The story goes on to report that, unlike the Kansas City Journal that stated it was a "good-natured crowd," the crowd was in an "ugly mood" and police charged the "mob" and "clubbed many, but were overpowered and pelted with bread, chunks of beef and other missiles. Many women fainted and were borne away." The story claims that many were wounded, one seriously, and another person died.

Salt Lake Herald
January 28, 1898

The January 28, 1898 Salt Lake Herald ran the headline "Barbecue Ends Disgracefully" and the crowd rushed "like an immense pack of wolves upon the provisions." The writer went on to write about the "stampede of humanity that carried everything before it" and "cleaned up the barbecue in 15 minutes."

An eyewitness account of the barbecue was published in the February 11, 1898 edition of the Kansas City Journal. In that report E. E. Richardson, secretary of the Live Stock exchange, is quoted as saying:

"I never saw anything like it in my life. The trouble arose in the first instance over the mistake in issuing 40,000 tickets to a 10,000 [person] barbecue. Then, a little free beer aggravated the situation and when the first row of people had crowded around the tables loaded with venison, elk, antelope, buffalo, bear, etc., there was a simultaneous rush by the crowd that could not be accommodated. Before half a dozen bites could be taken, the mob was on the tables and then there was a really disgraceful scene. Well dressed young men grabbed great dripping platters and hid them under their coats. Finely dress women caught up all the tin cups they could carry and lugged them off as souvenirs. The people seemed to be crazy and the delegates to the convention, who were the real guests of the occasion, didn't get a smell of all the costly meats and other provisions."

The January 31, 1898 edition of the Salt Lake Herald has a one line comment about the barbecue: "That barbecue has become a nightmare to Denver."

"Riot at a Barbecue"
Chicago Eagle February 5, 1898

The Chicago Eagle of February 5, 1898 called the barbecue "a wild scene" saying that "Facilities not being sufficient to accomodate the throng, there was much delay and the tables were finally stormed by hungry visitors. The efforts of fifty policemen and a detachment of militia to keep order were laughed at."




The barbecue was controversial from the start. Killing and serving buffalo was against the law at certain times of the year in Colorado in 1898. Several newspapers, including the January 22, 1898 edition of The Salt Lake Herald, reported:

"Game Warden Swan of Colorado has announced in the most positive terms that any attempt to carry out the program of serving buffalo at the live stock banquet will result in the confiscation of the game and the arrest of all those responsible in the matter, even if he has to call out the state militia. The management of the barbecue, on the other hand, declare that the game is already in cold storage, and will be served regardless of the game warden."

There is no word on whatever happened to the first official Colorado State Commissioner of Forest, Game, and Fish J. S. Swan, who is referred to as "Game Warden Swan" in the article, and his plan to arrest the organizers of the barbecue. He did have strong feelings about saving the bison. In his biennial report on the State Forest, Game and Fish to the governor of Colorado for the years 1897 - 1898 Swan stated "The killing of any buffalo should be made a penal offense, with a proper reward to any one furnishing evidence on which a conviction is secured." Swan was appointed Commissioner in 1897. The Rocky Mountain News, April 6, 1897 edition states that he was a "newspaper man by profession." I find it interesting that a "newspaper man" was appointed by the governor to be the state commissioner of Forestry, Game, and Fish. As a side note, On April 16, 1897, Colorado Governor Alva Adams signed House Bill 129, to create the Department of Forestry, Game and Fish.  Immediately afterward, the governor appointed J.S. Swan to be the state’s first official State Forest, Game, and Fish Commissioner.  This legislation established a comprehensive framework for protecting the state’s wildlife.  Over the next century, this newly established agency would evolve to become the Colorado Division of Wildlife, as we know it today. (Colorado Division of Wildlife Handbook, 2010 - PDF)

Either way, the three day convention was significant because it was the first successful attempt to unite live stock organizations from all around the United States. There is no doubt that the political influence the organizations gained by uniting together was great. That fact may explain why some newspapers reported that the barbecue was a failed event filled with angry mobs and others called it a great success. Like today, don't expect to read much impartial reporting in a 19th century newspaper. The Wichita Daily Eagle of February 4, 1898 reported that the Denver Chamber of Commerce adopted a resolution stating:

"The directors desire, as representing the Denver Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade, to deprecate and condemn the unwarranted, untruthful, and slanderous statements sent out by some irresponsible and sensational correspondents of certain eastern newspapers, which statement concerning the last day's entertainment of the visiting delegates, consisting of a barbecue held at the Union Stockyards, was untruthful, highly sensational and not warranted by the facts. There was no riot, no bloodshed, no conflict between crowds and police, nor the military, nor was the strong arm of the law called upon to quell any mob, for the reason that there was no such occasion for any such display of authority."

The same resolution praised some other newspapers and the Associated Press for their "incalculable benefit."

Still even today, it seems that some in Denver don't want to talk about "that Denver barbecue." The Historic Denver website blames free beer for the riot and that's about all they say about the entire event and the website doesn't mention that it was a barbecue.

The photos below are of a large public barbecue held in Colorado in 1906 and illustrate how tables were arranged at Colorado barbecues of that era in order to serve the large crowds.

A 1906 Free Barbecue at a Town Lot Auction Sale in Swink, Otero County, CO
Photo courtesy of Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library

The aftermath of a successful 1906 Free Barbecue at a Town Lot Auction Sale in Swink, Otero County, CO
Photo courtesy of Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library

The Washington Times July 23, 1904

Well, as we all know, this wasn't the last buffalo barbecue, thank goodness. Though, it's easy to see why many thought it would be. In 1800, there were approximately 50 million bison living in North America. By 1889, there were less than 900 bison left alive in the United States. This fact boggles the mind. What's worse is, why would anyone want to kill any of the few bison that remained?

Richmond Dispatch March 30, 1902

The Stock Growers weren't the only ones who barbecued the scarce bison in those days. The Confederate Veterans Association barbecued bison at their reunion dinner held at Dallas, TX in April of 1902.


In The Extermination of the American Bison, by William T. Hornaday, the author writes:

In 1871 there were more Bison/Buffalo than people in North America. Historical accounts vary as to precise dates and numbers, but it is quite accurate to say that the American Bison or Buffalo was almost entirely gone from North America by 1900. The proud, stalwart and beautiful beast that was sacred to the New World's Native Peoples for thousands of years, and roamed in herds of tens of thousands (an estimated 60 million once occupied the Great Plains), was virtually decimated within just a few years when the U. S. Government decided that the "Indian" could be "discouraged" (official term) by eliminating its sacred animal. In 1867 the famed General Sheridan had declared "Kill the buffalo, and you kill the Indians." This became official policy.

Fortunately, the American bison was saved and today there are about 500,000 bison in North America. Fewer than 20,000 are free ranging. Other interesting facts about bison include:

1. Bison can gallop at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour and are good swimmers.
2. The largest populations of wild, free-ranging bison are found in Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. and Canada’s Wood Buffalo National Park.
3. By its first birthday, a bison may weigh more than 400 pounds.
4. Over 90 percent of bison today are under private ownership and are raised like cows for bison meat.
5. Bison meat has 70% to 90% less fat than beef and 50% less cholesterol.

I think the take away from all of this is just the fact that bison meat tastes good! It's also a healthier choice than beef. Here is a recipe for grilled bison burgers.

Separate 1 pound of ground bison meat into four equal size balls. Form each into a patty and season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and a pinch of cayenne. Handle the meat as little as possible. The less handling of the meat you do the better its texture will be.

Fire up you grill to a medium heat. Because bison meat is so lean, you don't want to cook it over a really hot fire like you can cook beef burgers. The medium heat will slowly cook the meat without burning the outside before the inside is done.

When the burgers reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, they are done. Enjoy them with the toppings of your choice.

A Tribute to Central Texas Barbecue Brisket

Sliced Brisket Point Cooked Texas Style

Aaron Franklin, Pitmaster/Owner of Franklin Barbecue
in Austin, TX

If you have never had the pleasure of eating some barbecued brisket from the great barbecue restaurants of central Texas, you are missing a treat. Central Texas brisket is moist and tender with a rich beefy flavor.


So, you are not going to be visiting Texas any time soon? No worries because here is how you can barbecue a Texas style brisket right in your own backyard.


First, you will need a Texas style beef rub. Here are the ingredients:

1/4 cup coarse salt such as kosher or sea salt.
1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper. If you can get it, use 16 mesh, dustless cracked black pepper, otherwise coarse ground will do.
Worcestershire sauce
Water
Optional - 1 Teaspoon of fine ground cayenne pepper

Second, you will need a full packer brisket. I like to cook certified Angus or choice graded beef. A full packer brisket is one with both the point and the flat. And, you will need some vegetable oil. Trim up the edges of the brisket and remove as much fat from the top (meat side) as you can. But, don't trim off the fat cap that's on the bottom. Now, apply a light coat of vegetable oil to the edges and top of the brisket. The oil will help the rub stick. Apply a generous amount of rub to the top and sides of the brisket. It's not important to season the bottom (fat cap) because that will be discarded after cooking anyway.

Full Packer Brisket on the Smoker

Third, you need a barbecue smoker or grill setup for cooking with indirect heat and a couple of chunks of white or post oak wood for smoke. Bring the cooking temperature up to about 300 to 325 degrees F. Yes, that's right, 300 to 325 degrees F. The great central Texas restaurants don't cook no brisket at no 225 degrees. No sir, partner, they cook them from 265 F to 350 F depending on the day, the smoker, the cook, and the fire. Now, put the brisket in the cooker fat cap down for vertical/Weber kettle cookers and fat cap up in horizontal cookers. If using a horizontal cooker, flip the brisket over after about 1 hour of cooking. If using a Weber kettle, you may have to spin (not flip) the brisket 180 degrees so that the other edge is facing the fire. This is important if you begin to see scorching. Let the brisket cook for two hours.

Brisket wrapped in butcher paper resting after the cook

Fourth, you will need either some butcher paper or aluminum foil, 1/8 a cup of bottled water and 1/8 a cup of Worcestershire sauce mixed in a spritzer bottle. Remove the brisket from the cooker and set it on top of enough paper or foil to be able to wrap it up. Liberally spritz the brisket with the Worcestershire sauce/water mixture but be careful not to wash off any of the rub. Wrap the brisket tightly in two layers of paper or foil. Put the brisket back in the cooker and let it cook for another 2 hours.

Fifth, you will need a meat thermometer. After two hours of cooking wrapped, test the internal temperature of the brisket. You need at least 205 degrees F on both ends and in the middle. There is no need to unwrap the brisket for this just probe right through the wrap. If it hasn't reached 205F all over, let it cook for another 20 minutes and check it again. After you have done a few of these, you will learn how to tell when the brisket is done just by how the probe goes into the meat.

Sixth, you will need a clean blanket. When the brisket has reached 205F internal, remove it from the cooker and wrap it up well in a blanket. Let it rest for 1 hour.

Seventh, you now need some family and friends to help you eat. Unwrap the brisket and put it on a clean cutting board. Slice it against the grain into pencil thin slices and enjoy!

Brisket Flat cooked Central Texas Style

If you've done your job as a barbecue cook, the meat should be tender, juicy and beefy and it will be as close to barbecued Texas brisket as you can get this side (East) of the Mississippi. "What about sauce?" you may be asking? They don't eat no barbecue sauce in central Texas. That stuff is for the tourists, greenhorn! Instead, try some sliced avocado, sliced sandwich bread, some cheddar cheese, and a pickle.

Barbecue Competition Practice - Brisket!

Here is a photo of my recent competition brisket practice cook. There is no sauce applied in the photo. Doesn't it look delicious?

Texas Style Barbecued Sausage - Speechlessly Good