BBQ Smoked Vegan Brisket

Week 2 Browns vs. Saints

Vegan BBQ never looked so good

It feels good to be back! The Browns decided to show up this week and bring home a win. The weather was perfect for grillin and we got down.

The vegans took over the muni lot with an outta this world vegan tailgate. Cowboy Caviar, Mac and Cheese, Green Beans and more. This brisket recipe requires a bit of advance prep. Form and boil the brisket the night before and coat with a dry rub.

On game day, use your favorite BBQ sauce or make your own (I will post my BBQ sauce recipe later this week). I went ahead and put the brisket, along with a simple cole slaw, on grilled Texas toast for a loaded sandwich. I drew inspiration from my two favorite vegan food trucks, Homegrown Smoker in Portland and BBQ Revolution in Austin. They are worth following and be prepared to drool at every post!

Now onto the brisket! Smoking can be accomplished in many different types of grills. I used the simplest method in my new horizontal grill. By sprinkling the charcoals with soaked wood chips and using indirect grilling, you can smoke the brisket "low and slow." This recipe will knock the socks of your guests. Enjoy!


Seitan Brisket
Ingredients


Huge bag of Wheat Gluten

• 3 cups vital wheat gluten (I buy this stuff in 10lb. bags!)
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 and 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 2 tablespoon ketchup
• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions

1. Combine dry ingredients (gluten, nutritional yeast and spices) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients (water, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and lemon zest).
2. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine. Knead dough in the bowl for about 3 minutes until you have a spongy dough. Let rest for a few minutes, then shape into a log about 7 or 8 inches long. Cut into 3-4 pieces.
3. In a large soup pot (the biggest you've got) fill with cold water (make sure it’s very cold, otherwise the seitan will get crumbly) and soy sauce/veggie brother to taste. Gently put the pieces of dough in the liquid. Partially cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for one hour, turning the pieces occasionally. Let it cool
4. Squeeze out all the liquid you can, without breaking it up (some pieces will fall off. Save these for stir fry, meat sauce, or some other use).

The seitan after boiling

Dry Rub
Ingredients

• 3 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons mustard powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons chili  powder
• 2 teaspoon chipotle or cayenne powder
• 1 teaspoon  of kosher salt

Directions

1. Combine all of the spices in tupperware. Shake!
2. Coat each piece of brisket, being careful not to break any. Really rub it in.
3. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap or place in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for several hours or overnight until ready to smoke .
4. Soak wood chips (I like hickory) for 45 minutes or more.
5. Start a fire in your charcoal grill or smoker. Prepare for indirect heat if using a grill (you don't want it to be hot, keep temp around 225)
6. Place the brisket on the grate. Throw some wood chips on the hot coals and close the cover. Smoke for 1 to 1 and a ½ hours, adding more soaked wood chips occasionally. Baste with bbq sauce in the last 20 minutes.
7. Remove from the grill and keep covered while you grill the Texas toast (see below)
8. Slice and coat with BBQ sauce.

Dry rubbed and ready to chill overnight



Smoked brisket

Smoked brisket, sliced

Simple Coleslaw (adapted from Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas)
Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage, shredded (for a primer on how to shred a head of cabbage, click here)
• Pinch celery seed
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Pinch white pepper

Directions

1. Place cabbage in a large mixing bowl.
2. Place vinegar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. While vinegar is boiling, slowly add sugar and salt, stirring constantly until dissolved. Turn off heat. Place pinch of white pepper in a mixing bowl. Slowly pour vinegar mixture into white pepper while whisking, and mix well. Cover.
3. Sprinkle celery seed and sesame seeds over cabbage and mix thoroughly.
4. Add vinegar mix and combine well.

Texas Toast
Ingredients

1. Thick (1"!), soft, white and fluffy bread
2. Earth Balance at room temp
3. Garlic puree (I used a head of garlic)
4. Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Mix together the Earth Balance and garlic in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Brush one side of the bread with the Earth Balance mix and place on the grill, spread side down.
3.  Grill the bread for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden brown. Flip and quickly toast the dry side.

Tailgate! Assemble the sandwich like so...