Start off this delicious brisket recipe by making a coffee-cinnamon rub before roasting. You can smoke the brisket for 5 hours at 275 degrees Fahrenheit over apple or hickory chips instead of roasting it in the oven. If you like a smoky flavor but don’t have a smoker, you may use natural liquid smoke while roasting (but your brisket will also be delicious without). Use liquid smoke sparingly; some folks like to put it in a spray bottle and spritz the meat lightly. Yield: 8 servings.
1/4 cup ground coffee
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
4-pound beef brisket, preferably with fat cap attached (ask the butcher)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup liquid smoke (optional)
About an hour before you want to roast the meat (at least 6 hours before you eat), thoroughly mix coffee, cinnamon, sugar, salt and pepper together. Rub the meat with all of the mixture, which will give the meat a thick crust. Set the brisket in a roasting pan with the fat side up, to rest and come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Pour the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and liquid smoke (if using) into the pan. Cover with foil. Roast for 5 hours, or until fork-tender. Remove from oven, pull back the foil, and let the meat rest for a half-hour before serving.
Crazy about cinnamon? Check out Types of Cinnamon: Cassia and True Cinnamon.
Photo By Tim Nauman: Brisket with cinnamon-coffee crust can be smoked or roasted.
