Cheater BBQ
this looks good and simple
It came from an OVEN!
by: NATALIE MIKLES World Scene Writer
First things first: If you like spending all weekend in a lawn chair next to your smoker, this isn't for you.
If you enjoy sleeping in the back seat of your car, waking up in the middle of the night to tend your brisket during a barbecue competition, this isn't for you.
The "Cheater BBQ" method is for those who want brisket that cooks while they sleep, that requires absolutely no babying, no wood chopping or fancy equipment.
All you need to make cheater barbecue is liquid smoke, heavy-duty aluminum foil and a disposable aluminum pan.
When we talked to "Cheater BBQ" authors Mindy Merrell and R.B. Quinn by phone from their home in Nashville, Tenn., they had just chopped up two 6-pound beef briskets.
"This house smells so good right now. We put them in the oven at 9:30 last night and got up at 6:30 this morning to pull them out of the oven, and they're spectacular," Quinn said. "Cooking a brisket outdoors is a long, long process. But all I had to do was cover it with liquid smoke and dry rub, wrap it in foil and put it in a 250-degree oven. You cannot screw it up."
Tom Hanks and Aunt Pat
Merrell came up with the idea for "Cheater BBQ" after running into a friend at the grocery store. Her friend was buying a brisket, something Merrell had never been able to cook with much success, so she asked her what she was going to do with it.
"She said, 'My Aunt Pat in Texas just dumps liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce on a brisket and put it in the oven, and it's great,' " Merrell said.
A few days later she heard a story that Tom Hanks makes barbecue in a Crock-Pot and serves it on movie sets. So she decided to give it a try.
"I told R.B., who doesn't believe in anything that isn't done the hard way, 'Let's put some ribs in the Crock-Pot and see if they're any good.' We were as surprised as anyone with how good they were."
That's in part because the "Cheater BBQ" method still requires what all barbecue does: low and slow cooking.
The book "Cheater BBQ" (Broadway Books) includes recipes for pulled pork, ribs, spare ribs, smoky shrimp and potato salad. It is available in bookstores for a recommended price of $17.95.
CHEATER BASIC DRY RUB
Makes about 2/3 cup
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1. Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to blend.
ULTIMATE CHEATER BRISKET
Makes 8 to 10 servings
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4- to 6-pound) beef brisket
1/4 cup Cheater Basic Dry Rub
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup bottled liquid smoke
1. Scatter the onion in the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Rub all sides of the brisket with the dry rub, and place the brisket on top of the onion.
2. Combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and bottled smoke in a small bowl, and pour over the brisket.
3. Tightly wrap the brisket in the foil and place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. When you're ready to cook, heat the oven to 250 degrees.
4. Slow roast the brisket for 6 to 8 hours. The meat should be fork-tender with an internal temperature of at least 190 degrees.
CHEATER BBQ SLAW
Makes 6 servings
1/2 cup white or cider vinegar
1/2cup sugar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (16-ounce) bag slaw mix (about 8 cups lightly packed)
1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, celery seed and salt in a large mixing bowl. Blend well with a whisk or fork.
2. Add the slaw mix and toss to blend. Chill before serving.
by: NATALIE MIKLES World Scene Writer
First things first: If you like spending all weekend in a lawn chair next to your smoker, this isn't for you.
If you enjoy sleeping in the back seat of your car, waking up in the middle of the night to tend your brisket during a barbecue competition, this isn't for you.
The "Cheater BBQ" method is for those who want brisket that cooks while they sleep, that requires absolutely no babying, no wood chopping or fancy equipment.
All you need to make cheater barbecue is liquid smoke, heavy-duty aluminum foil and a disposable aluminum pan.
When we talked to "Cheater BBQ" authors Mindy Merrell and R.B. Quinn by phone from their home in Nashville, Tenn., they had just chopped up two 6-pound beef briskets.
"This house smells so good right now. We put them in the oven at 9:30 last night and got up at 6:30 this morning to pull them out of the oven, and they're spectacular," Quinn said. "Cooking a brisket outdoors is a long, long process. But all I had to do was cover it with liquid smoke and dry rub, wrap it in foil and put it in a 250-degree oven. You cannot screw it up."
Tom Hanks and Aunt Pat
Merrell came up with the idea for "Cheater BBQ" after running into a friend at the grocery store. Her friend was buying a brisket, something Merrell had never been able to cook with much success, so she asked her what she was going to do with it.
"She said, 'My Aunt Pat in Texas just dumps liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce on a brisket and put it in the oven, and it's great,' " Merrell said.
A few days later she heard a story that Tom Hanks makes barbecue in a Crock-Pot and serves it on movie sets. So she decided to give it a try.
"I told R.B., who doesn't believe in anything that isn't done the hard way, 'Let's put some ribs in the Crock-Pot and see if they're any good.' We were as surprised as anyone with how good they were."
That's in part because the "Cheater BBQ" method still requires what all barbecue does: low and slow cooking.
The book "Cheater BBQ" (Broadway Books) includes recipes for pulled pork, ribs, spare ribs, smoky shrimp and potato salad. It is available in bookstores for a recommended price of $17.95.
CHEATER BASIC DRY RUB
Makes about 2/3 cup
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1. Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to blend.
ULTIMATE CHEATER BRISKET
Makes 8 to 10 servings
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4- to 6-pound) beef brisket
1/4 cup Cheater Basic Dry Rub
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup bottled liquid smoke
1. Scatter the onion in the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Rub all sides of the brisket with the dry rub, and place the brisket on top of the onion.
2. Combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and bottled smoke in a small bowl, and pour over the brisket.
3. Tightly wrap the brisket in the foil and place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. When you're ready to cook, heat the oven to 250 degrees.
4. Slow roast the brisket for 6 to 8 hours. The meat should be fork-tender with an internal temperature of at least 190 degrees.
CHEATER BBQ SLAW
Makes 6 servings
1/2 cup white or cider vinegar
1/2cup sugar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (16-ounce) bag slaw mix (about 8 cups lightly packed)
1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, celery seed and salt in a large mixing bowl. Blend well with a whisk or fork.
2. Add the slaw mix and toss to blend. Chill before serving.
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