Recipe: Maple-Bourbon Beef Brisket with Maple-Bourbon Sauce and Hot Slaw

I gave the recipe a test drive in my kitchen, and my family loved the lightly-charred taste of the brisket balanced with the sweet maple and edgy bourbon flavors. I used a heavy hand with the cayenne, another layer of flavor and counterpoint to the sweetness of the syrup. I imagine this would be an ideal recipe to serve a group of Labor Day revelers; buns are optional.

Yield: 2 cups marinade; apx. 8-10 servings (10-12 sandwiches)

Active Time: 10 minutes to make marinade
Roast Time: 4 1/2 hours
Grill Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for Brisket

• 12 ounces maple syrup, Michigan maple syrup preferred
• 1/4-1/2 cup Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, preferably Woodland Reserve or Bulleits*
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Cayenne 
• 5-6 pound beef brisket

*The flavor of the bourbon is pronounced in the marinade with 1/4 cup. Keep in mind, however, the bourbon flavor will dissipate during the cooking process.

Directions for Brisket

1. Make a marinade by whisking together the syrup, whiskey, garlic, lemon and lime juices. Add kosher salt and cayenne to taste. Divide.
2. Marinate brisket, with half of the marinade, in a dish just large enough to accommodate the beef, 12-24 hours, refrigerated and covered, turning once.
3. Preheat oven to 250?.
4. Remove brisket from marinade; liberally rub both sides of beef with kosher salt and cayenne. Bake, uncovered, on roasting rack on center rack of oven 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven, baste, turn beef over, baste again, cover or enclose top with foil and return to oven for 2 hours.
5. Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat, adding wood chips if desired for a smoked flavor. Grill beef, basting with half of reserved marinade, 15 minutes on each side. Let sit at least 15 minutes before carving meat into thin slices against the grain. Serve beef slices brushed with remaining marinade.

Ingredients for Hot Slaw
May be made up to 24 hours in advance.

• 4 cups cabbage, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
• ½ red minced bell pepper
• ¼ cup minced sweet or red onion
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
• 1-3 teaspoons prepared brown mustard (I prefer Gulden's)
• Hot sauce*
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil

*Traditionally this is made with a great deal of hot sauce, thus its name. It's delicious with less heat, so adjust according to the spiciness of your brisket.

Directions

1. Layer the vegetables in a large glass bowl in the following order: cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and onion. Do not combine.
2. Whisk together the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon of the mustard. Add additional mustard, hot sauce, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and pour over the layered vegetables. Do not combine.?
3. Heat the oil in a sauté pan until it begins to smoke. Carefully and evenly drizzle the hot oil over the slaw. Do not toss. Let sit 10 minutes for the flavors to combine. Toss well and refrigerate until serving.

This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Sept. 2, 2010.