In March of 2017, we moved to the farm. During this time, I was feeling a strong desire to search for inspiration for our move, so I booked a trip to Waco, Texas to visit the famous Magnolia Silos. While I was there, I picked up a cookbook for Jim from Chip Gaines’ corner of the store called Smoke, and it has been Jim’s go to cookbook for so many things. Unfortunately it is no longer printed or I would source it for the store, but since it isn’t, I am going to share some of our favorite recipes from it here.

Tim Byres’ BBQ Brisket

Ingredients

1 (12-pound) whole beef brisket
2 cups BBQ Beef Coffee Cure

BBQ Beef Coffee Cure

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Do not refrigerate. Store in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place. We make extra and store it in the cupboard to use for short ribs and other beef recipes.

1/3 cup finely ground dark roast coffee
1/3 cup dark chili powder
1/3 cup smoked paprika
1/2 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Tomato and Molasses BBQ Sauce

You can always use any bbq sauce but if you are looking for something special, we love to make this one, especially when tomatoes are in season. It makes plenty of extra and we typically use the left over sauce to make a beef or pork roast.

2 cups ketchup
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/3 cups distilled white vinegar
5 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons granulated garlic
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 pound brown sugar
2/3 cups molasses

Directions

Step 1

Pat the brisket dry with a towel to remove any moisture. Generously rub the brisket with 1 cup of the BBQ Beef Coffee Cure, massaging all the spice into the meat; repeat with the remaining cure. The cure will soak up the liquid from the beef and form a crust. Place the meat on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. We often do this the night before we cook the brisket.

Step 2

Prepare a smoker for hot smoking. The standard cooking time for brisket is 1 hour per pound, smoked fat side up, under dry, indirect heat at a steady temperature of 225°F. Place the brisket on the center rack of the smoker and smoke for 12 hours. This is slow cooking at its easiest—there's no need to check the meat at intervals.

Step 3

After 12 hours, use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 185°F in the thickest side of the brisket. Once that temperature is reached, open the door of the smoker and let the meat rest for 30 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to settle. The internal temperature will continue to rise to 190°F.

Step 4

While the meat rests, make the tomato and molasses barbecue sauce: Combine the ketchup, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, mustard, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, and brown sugar with 1 1/3 cups water in a large stockpot over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in the molasses last (it will burn if added too early) and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste.

Step 5

Transfer the rested brisket to a cutting board, slice, and chop. The fully rested meat will have a distinct crust and will be tender and juicy inside. There should be a pink smoke ring beneath the crust.

Jim's Favorite BBQ Brisket Recipe