Judging by the traffic, Memorial Day weekend started yesterday, when it took me an extra half hour to get where I was going. I hate driving in traffic, but it did give me a chance to think about what to serve now that the weather is great and I will be out at the grill more often.
One of my favorites is Texas-style barbecued brisket. I make it a couple of times during the summer and everyone I know, even the people who say they never eat beef, eat this because you just can’t say no to it.
I don’t know if it’s the sauce I use — my own mango barbecue sauce — or the meat, but this dish is a winner.
You have to pre-braise the brisket, otherwise it gets hard as a rock on the grill. If you don’t want to bother with that, you can use the sauce for flank steak, skirt steak and also chicken parts or boneless breasts, without first pre-cooking.
Here’s the recipe for the Mango Barbecue Sauce:
Mango Barbecue Sauce
- 1 large ripe mango
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup bottled chili sauce
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Peel the mango and puree the flesh in a food processor. Heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for one minute. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the mango puree, chili sauce, orange juice, molasses, soy sauce and cayenne pepper. Stir to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Cook over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until slightly thickened. Let cool.
Makes about 2-1/2 cups