Recipe: Texas Brisket and Corn Oysters

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-06-23
From: recipelink.com

Texas Brisket and Corn Oysters
From: Jack L. (Grayjackl)
Newsgroups: rec.food.baking
Date: 7-2-96

Texas Brisket (A modification of something found on RFC, but I can't find the original)

Whole beef brisket (Avg 5-7 pounds)
Marinade paste (see below)
2 cups sliced celery
2 cups yellow onion, sliced in rings.
2 cups barbecue sauce (I use a homemade Low Salt Low Sugar Catsup)
1 cup pickled Cubanelle pepper slices (or banana peppers, whatever you like.)
Pickled Jalapeno peppers (optional -- to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Marinade 'paste'
2 tbsp unsulfured molasses
2 tbsp mesquite "smoke"
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp five spice powder
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp cider vinegar

Mix ingredients to form a medium paste, rub into brisket and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Line a shallow roaster with a large sheet of foil making sure to use enough to fold up and cover the sides of the pan. A light brushing of oil or a jolt of non-stick spray will help prevent sticking or charring, though it isn't essential. This will cook SLOWLY so you shouldn't have any real problem.

Place thin layer of celery, onion and pickled pepper on the foil, cover with about a third of the BBQ sauce, then set brisket on top of the sauce-covered veggies. Place another layer of onion and celery and peppers
on top of the brisket, reserving some pepper strips for the very top. Pour the remainder of the BBQ sauce over the top, and garnish with the reserved peppers. Cover pan tightly with another sheet of foil. (I actually wrap pan and brisket in foil. The objective is to keep the steam and juices in to BRAISE the meat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.. Bake for one hour. Turn heat down to 225 and bake another six to eight hours, until meat is falling apart tender. Slice and serve on plate, or flake with a fork and serve on sourdough buns (or your favorite hamburger bun). You may want to add BBQ sauce and more pickled pepper garnish when serving. (Those who want a more smoky brisket can apply more liquid smoke directly to the brisket JUST BEFORE PLACING IT IN THE ROASTING PAN. Adding smoke to the BBQ sauce will also do the job.)

Small briskets, or brisket tops or flats can be made in foil alone. Just lay out the foil, layer the onion and celery and peppers and apply BBQ sauce as described above and fold up foil to make a tight envelope. But make sure there are no leaky spots.

Corn Oysters

These are glorified corn fritters, made with egg, white flour, butter, milk, baking powder, salt and corn kernels, then deep fried. Serve plain, like a hush puppy, or dusted with confectioner's sugar, as a demi-desert. Or you can serve with salsa. Can also dress them up a bit by adding some grated onion to batter but I prefer them plain, no sugar, no salsa, no onion.

We found the recipe in the Chicago Tribune (I'm pretty sure, might have been Sun-Times) around the Fourth of July in 1976. The article said it was a New England favorite that dated back to revolutionary times. We've been making them ever since, though we have incorporated a few modifications.

Good for barbecues or with things like catfish or fried chicken. They're good all day, but really taste best when very fresh, so it's best to time it so they come out of the oil shortly before serving time. You can make batter ahead of time or make extra if you're going to have a buffet. Then when they disappear, just make another bunch.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder.
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup corn kernels, chopped in food processor (you could use frozen and defrosted)
1 egg
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp milk
oil for deep fryer or cast iron skillet.

Place dry ingredients, corn, melted butter or margarine, milk and egg (well beaten) into food processor and pulse about a half dozen times until it's well mixed and the corn kernels are somewhat broken up. (You don't want mush but you don't want gruel either)

Deep fry in peanut oil at high setting (400-425 degrees) higher until deep golden brown. (Be careful not to burn.) Drop batter off a tablespoon into the hot oil. They should be about the size of a nice 'oyster.' (That's where they get the name.) When brown, remove from oil drain on paper towels and serve.