Hot BBQ Brisket Sandwich

Ingredients:

Beef Brisket Spice Mix

• 0.5 cup coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons barbecue spice mix, recipe below
• 2 tbsp. l. brown sugar

Gravy

• 60 g butter
• 0.5 cups flour
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 liter of chicken broth (homemade is best, but if you use store-bought, buy lightly salted)

Brisket sandwiches

• 1 whole beef brisket
• Cheap white bread

Barbecue spice mix

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup coarse salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tbsp. l. ground cumin
• 2 tbsp. ground mustard
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder

Preparation:

1. Beef Brisket Spice Mix:
   
   Combine salt, pepper, barbecue spice mix, and brown sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Store in a tightly sealed container.
2. Gravy:
   
   In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir until the butter-flour mixture is smooth, fragrant, and beginning to brown lightly, 3–4 minutes. Add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder and continue stirring for another 1–2 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the chicken broth.
3. Continue stirring until the roux has dissolved into the chicken broth and the sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 5 more minutes. Strain through a sieve if you prefer a smoother sauce.
4. Preheat smoker to 95°C.
5. Brisket sandwiches:
   
   Rub the brisket generously with 1/2 cup of brisket spice mix. Smoke until done and the internal temperature reaches 187-205°F (87-95°C). Cooking time will depend on the weight of the meat; a brisket weighing 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or more typically requires at least 12 hours.
6. Remove the meat from the smoker, wrap it in foil and let it sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours.
7. Slice the brisket across the grain (trim any excess fat from the brisket if desired), place the slices on the bread and pour the hot gravy over them.
   
   Barbecue spice mix:
   Combine paprika, salt, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Store in a tightly sealed container. Yield: 1 1/4 cups.