Smoked Brisket with Original BBQ Sauce

5.0 – 1 reviews • Low-Fat

Ingredients

1/4 cup cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 10- to 12-pound beef brisket, some fat trimmed off to expose a quarter of the meat
Original BBQ Sauce, recipe follows
8 ounces granulated sugar
1 ounce ancho powder
1 ounce celery seeds
1 ounce chili powder
1 ounce cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 ounce garlic powder
1/2 ounce Bourbon Barrel brand bourbon-smoked paprika
Kosher salt
16 ounces apple cider vinegar
8 ounces dark beer
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1/3 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 quarts ketchup

Mix together the cayenne, 2 cups salt and 2 cups pepper. Rub the brisket all over with the spice mix and let rest at room temperature, 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the smoker for cooking at 215 degrees F. Place the brisket in the smoker and cook, adding wood chunks throughout the cooking and maintaining the temperature at 215 degrees F, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the brisket registers 175 to 190 degrees, about 12 hours. Slice against the grain and serve with the Original BBQ Sauce.
Place the sugar, ancho powder, celery seeds, chili powder, cumin seeds, garlic powder, bourbon smoked paprika and 1 1/2 ounces salt into a large bowl.
Pour the cider vinegar, beer, liquid smoke and lemon juice over the spices and whisk well to combine. Pour the ketchup into the bowl and whisk until fully incorporated.