Barbecue Dinner

I love a quotation I found in a cookbook from the early 1800s: Every cook must learn what every wife knows -- how to make the best of the cold remains!

Leftover beef brisket is easily transformed into barbecue, and it's different enough that it doesn't really seem like "leftovers"! I know, I know...boiled beef brisket hardly qualifies as "barbecue" -- barbecue should be smoked for hours with special spices, etc. But shredded and with a good sauce, it's pretty good and a lot easier. The side dishes really make a completely new meal, even if you use the same potatoes and green beans.

I use a slow cooker for the barbecue, because I have one and it's easy. You can use a lidded casserole in the oven: "Low" on the slow cooker is 172 and "High" is 212, but I don't think the exact temperature or time is that important. The main thing is to cook on low heat long enough for the meat to really absorb the sauce, but not over-cook.
You can use your favorite barbecue sauce. I like the Stubb's Barbecue Sauce (from Stubb's Barbecue in Austin -- they carry a bottled version at my local Tom Thumb), and I add a little cider vinegar.

If you really are cooking for one, you might have enough left over beef to make beef hash tomorrow -- it's delicious with a poached egg and Hollandaise on top (hmmmI need to post my recipe for skillet Hollandaise...later!). Use as much or as little as you like for the barbecue. Maybe you can find someone to share!

Barbecue Beef

Place the meat on a large cutting board and shred. Place beef in slow cooker. Pour sauce over the beef and mix well (the amount of sauce is up to personal taste, but don't get it too soupy). Cover and cook on Low for about 6 hours.
The beef can be served directly from the slow cooker or casserole onto toasted buns, or just as is onto the plate...and now for the fun part!

The "Sides"

There are so many good side dishes for barbecue! Of course you want some good pickles and rings of sliced onion. It's nice to offer some of the heated barbecue sauce so those who like a lot can spoon on extra. One or more hot sauces, for those who like it spicy. But then there is so much more to choose from!  I have never really found a recipe for cole slaw that I like, although I've eaten good cole slaw (I love the cole slaw at Vincent's Seafood Resteraunt in Dallas, for instance, and Big Pine Lodge on Caddo Lake), and so I don't offer a cole slaw recipe. If you have leftover potatoes and green beans, you can use them to make potato salad and green bean salad. A stuffed baked potato casserole a la Sammy's Barbecue (scoop out the insides of baked potatoes, add the ingredients of a stuffed potato, mix, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes) is great if you have left over baked potato. Fried okra is traditional and I do love it. And, really, it's hardly Texas barbecue without beans!

Potato Salad

You probably have a favorite recipe for potato salad. There are many variations: mayonnaise, mustard, vinaigrette. As you probably have deduced, I am a big fan of vinaigrette. Here is my favorite:

Warm boiled potatoes in microwave if they have been in the refrigerator. Add chopped celery and marinate in vinaigrette for about an hour. Before serving add some chopped chives or green onion. Serve at room temperature.
For a mayonnaise version, follow directions above but add mayonnaise, chopped boiled eggs, and chopped pickles. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
For a mustard version, add mustard to the mayonnaise recipe.

Green Bean Salad

I do the green bean salad pretty much the same as a potato salad, though without the celery or green onion (a little grated onion instead). If you do the vinaigrette for the potatoes, you might want to do the mayonnaise for the green beans -- or vice versa.

Fried Okra

Fresh or frozen okra
Corn meal
salt & pepper
cooking oil

Cut okra into rounds. Salt and pepper. Shake in a sack with corn meal until okra is completely covered.
Heat 1/3 cup oil to very hot in a skillet. Fry okra until golden brown -- about 12 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

"Fort Worth Beans"

My mother's family were from East Texas and were raised on Southern cooking. When my mother's older sister married and moved to Fort Worth, she was surprised to see that a staple of the diet there was baked barbecue beans. Every house had beans on the stove, and people expected it when they came to call. So she set out to learn how to make "Fort Worth Beans"!

This is my version of her recipe, with a huge shortcut thanks to Bush's Baked Beans. You could use any of their many varieties of baked beans. I happen to like the maple and bacon.

Bush's Maple & Bacon Baked Beans
chopped onion
French's mustard

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine beans, onion, and a generous dollop of mustard in a greased casserole. Bake for 30 minues covered.
(You can add two strips of bacon on top of the beans, and cook for 30 more minutes uncovered, for a more authentic touch)