Smoked Meat Meal Recipe

Prep brisket

Trim any excessive hard fat from the brisket so about 1/4 inch of fat remains. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

Apply binder and rub

Brush the brisket all over with the mustard to act as a binder. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika; rub evenly over the entire surface of the brisket. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight.

Prepare smoker

Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). Add your choice of wood (oak, hickory or pecan) to generate a steady, mild smoke.

Smoke the brisket

Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker grates. Smoke at 225°F until internal temperature reaches about 195–203°F (90–95°C), approximately 1.25–1.5 hours per pound (for a 1 lb piece plan roughly 1.5–2 hours). Monitor temperature with a probe thermometer.

Rest and slice

When the brisket reaches target temp, remove it and tent loosely with foil. Rest 30–45 minutes. Hand-slice thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch slices and keep warm until serving.

Cook potatoes

Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water and add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes depending on size. Drain and let cool slightly.

Prepare kale

While potatoes cook, massage chopped kale with a pinch of salt for 1–2 minutes to soften and reduce bitterness.

Make dressing

In a bowl whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, chopped chives, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth.

Assemble salad

Cut warm potatoes into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add massaged kale and pour dressing over. Toss gently to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste. Chill 20–30 minutes to meld flavors or serve warm.

Prepare vegetables

Shred the cabbage finely and grate or julienne the carrot. Place both in a bowl.

Make dressing

Whisk mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, celery seed (if using), salt and pepper until combined.

Combine and chill

Toss cabbage and carrot with the dressing until evenly coated. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to marry before serving.

Mix slaw

In a bowl toss together the thinly sliced cabbage and red onion. Whisk apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes until sugar dissolves; pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat.

Rest

Let the slaw sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes or chill for up to 2 hours. The cabbage will soften and absorb the tangy dressing.

Wilt cabbage lightly

Toss chopped napa cabbage with 1 tsp coarse salt and let sit 10–15 minutes to soften. Rinse briefly under cold water and squeeze out excess liquid.

Prepare seasoning

Combine gochugaru (or red pepper flakes), minced garlic, minced ginger and fish sauce (or soy sauce).

Assemble kimchi

In a bowl mix the wilted cabbage, julienned carrot and sliced scallion. Add the chili-garlic mixture and toss until evenly coated. Pack into a jar or airtight container and refrigerate. This quick kimchi is ready in a few hours but improves over 24–48 hours.

Prepare pickles

Slice pickles if not pre-sliced. Arrange pickles on the plating alongside the brisket and sides.

Plate and serve

Place 1/2 lb hand-sliced brisket per serving (for this recipe the 1 lb brisket yields two 1/2 lb portions) on the plate with two sides of your choice (suggest: potato & kale salad plus creamy slaw) and a spoonful of kimchi and pickles. Add a pat of butter on warm bread if desired. Serve immediately.