Chopped beef sandwich with a spicy barbecue sauce

Last month, when I driving down 290 on my way to my cousin’s wedding weekend in Bryan, I passed my alma mater—Cy-Fair High School. School wasn’t set to begin until the following week, but I saw lights shining on the football field and the stands filled with people decked out in our school’s colors—maroon and white. It took me a second and then I remembered it was Friday night. I quickly exited the highway, turned around my car and headed back to campus to see what was happening.

When I pulled up to the field, I saw a sign announcing a pre-season scrimmage between Cy-Fair and Tomball. There were no cheerleaders, and the marching band was practicing its songs and routines in the parking lot, not in the stands. But it was Friday night and the lights were lit. And even if this game didn’t count—the level of energy and excitement was electric. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced since the last time I was at a Bobcat game my senior year in high school.

“Welcome home!” I said to myself.



Now, as passionate as my friends and I were about our 5A team back in the day, the true highlight of any game—besides the socializing—was the eating. Frito pies, chili dogs, roasted peanuts, dill pickles and popcorn were standard fare sold by the boosters at every game, a common menu found at high school stadium concession stands across the state. But some nights, the boosters would also offer their famous chopped beef sandwiches. And you know what? That night was one of those nights.

Chopped beef sandwiches are not only found at football games, but they're also found at most Texan barbecue joints, rodeos and local fairs, too. It’s a simple sandwich, as it’s just finely chopped brisket tossed in sauce and then stacked tall on a soft bun with pickles, onions and jalapeños. But when done well, a chopped beef sandwich is just as satisfying as a stack of sliced brisket and ribs on a sheet of butcher paper. Plus a sandwich is more portable, which makes it perfect for eating while watching a game.

Smoked brisket is the traditional meat of choice for a chopped beef sandwich. The sandwich I had at the scrimmage was no different, as before I even entered the stands I could smell the post oak smoke wafting from the portable smoker manned by the boosters. But I have a confession to make. Because this is a sauced sandwich, I can make them at home without a smoker and feel equally satisfied. This may get me in trouble with some purists, but when you have moist brisket, a spicy barbecue sauce, plenty of onions, pickled jalapeños and a tender bun, I believe you won’t miss the smoke.

For the brisket, I just slow roast it in the oven until it’s tender. While there’s plenty of flavor in the meat, I think the sauce is also important; I serve mine with a fiery, tomato-based sauce that was inspired from a recipe purported to be from Rudy’s. While I was intrigued that the recipe used both ketchup and tomato sauce, I ended up changing the rest of the ingredients to make it less sweet and more fiery. A spoonful of molasses, dashes of cayenne and cumin do their part. A generous helping of black pepper also gives this sauce plenty of power and life.



Of course, you certainly don’t need a football game as an excuse to serve these chopped beef sandwiches, they are excellent at any time. But if you have a hankering for some rousing songs, a roaring crowd and the drama that can only be found on the field on a Friday night—eating these sandwiches might just take you back to that place, even if you haven’t visited in a long time.

Chopped beef sandwiches with spicy barbecue sauce

For the brisket:
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 3- or 4 -pound brisket, the flat cut, with some fat still on it
1 large yellow onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, cut in half

For the spicy barbecue sauce:
Ingredients:
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground cloves
Salt to taste

For serving:
8 warm buns
Sliced onions
Pickled jalapeño slices
Dill pickle slices

Method:
To prepare the brisket, preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Mix together the salt, black pepper and cayenne, and sprinkle on both sides of the brisket. In a roasting pan, place quartered onions at the four corners and lay the brisket, fat side up, on top of the onions, so it’s slightly elevated. Place the garlic on top of the brisket, and add 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Cover the pan tightly with foil and cook in the oven for five hours or until fork tender.

While the brisket is cooking, make the sauce. Mix together in a saucepan the tomato sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, molasses, black pepper, cumin, cayenne and pinch of cloves. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings and add salt to taste.

Once you take the brisket out of the oven (you might first check that it’s tender enough), let it sit covered for 30 minutes. Lift the brisket out of the pan and finely chop, adding some of the pan juices. Toss the brisket with some of the sauce until desired sauciness is achieved, and serve on warm buns with onions, pickled jalapeños and dill pickle slices, with additional sauce on the side.

Yield: 6-8 sandwiches

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The Homesick Texan Cookbook has finally arrived!

Life is funny. If you had told me 16 years ago when I moved to New York that someday I’d be writing a cookbook about Texan cuisine, I would have just laughed. Sure, I loved to cook and I also wanted to write books—but never did I think I’d be pairing the two passions into one.

Today, all that changes. While I’m still a little shocked that my the past few years on this blog has turned into a book, I do have to admit that I’m over the moon that The Homesick Texan Cookbook is finally published, and I hope it brings many people happiness as it makes its way through the world.

Of course, this book would have been nothing without you, my readers. Please accept my deepest gratitude for helping this book come to life. Your support, your friendship and your enthusiasm have made writing and photographing both the blog and the book a true joy.

Now, a little about the book. The Homesick Texan Cookbook has over 125 recipes that aim to capture the essence of Texan cuisine. As Texas is a large and diverse state, my goal was to showcase all of our state’s bounty, from the beef dishes found in the arid West, to the fresh seafood found along the Gulf; from to the Eastern-European influences found in Central Texas, to the Deep South influences found in the East.

Some of the recipes in the book have appeared on the blog, like Texan classics such as chicken-fried steak, migas and King Ranch casserole. But there are plenty of new dishes as well. Some of my favorites include Dallas gas-station tacos, fried shrimp, poblano macaroni and cheese, crawfish rolls, salpicón and Mexican chocolate chewies. And of course, there are color photos and stories, too.

While I’ve been in New York, cooking the Texan foods I grew up with has helped me feel closer to my loved ones back home. I used to think I missed only the food, but what I truly missed was my family and friends. Fortunately, cooking these dishes has given others and myself a way to connect with those that we love. Though, you certainly don’t have to be a homesick Texan to enjoy our state’s warm and comforting dishes. As I like to say, everyone’s welcome at the Texas table!

I feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity, so thank you again for reading and responding throughout the years. Sharing recipes and stories with you has been a genuine pleasure.

But enough about the book—let’s get cooking!

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Chicken fajitas recipe

“Austin made me the best chicken fajitas,” said my grandma. “I have never had chicken taste so good.”

My uncle is more renown for his squash enchiladas, so I was very intrigued. Now, I have to admit, chicken fajitas are not something I’ve ever been too inspired to make. Perhaps it’s because they’re made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which isn’t the most flavorful cut

There’s also the language purist inside of me, that insists calling something chicken fajitas is simply wrong, as the word fajitas originally refers to the cut of meat. Naming the dish chicken fajitas is like saying it’s “chicken sliced steak.”

Of course, this battle was lost long ago and it’s silly for me to not favor a dish because of its inaccurate name. And you have to admit, there’s a thrill when the sizzling chicken arrives on a bed of sautéed peppers and onions, along with the required bowls of pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream. A stack of warm flour tortillas makes the meal complete. Fajitas are definitely more than the sum of their parts, and with sweet bell peppers and onions in such abundance these days, I decided to follow my uncle’s lead.



“What did he do to the chicken?” I asked my grandma. She said she couldn’t remember everything, but his marinade did contain lime juice and balsamic vinegar. Lime juice is a classic ingredient for a fajita marinade, so that didn’t surprise me. But balsamic vinegar? That seemed like an inspired choice, as it’s both tangy and sweet. I got in touch with Austin to learn more.

He admitted that it was his first time making chicken fajitas and his marinade was completely improvised. He did indeed start with the standard lime juice and olive oil base, and then threw in the balsamic vinegar, a bit of Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Mexican hot sauce, salt and pepper.

It sounded good, so I decided to play around with his basic ingredient list, omitting the brown sugar, as balsamic vinegar is plenty sweet, and substituting a few cloves of garlic and chiles de arbol for the Mexican hot sauce. The marinade was bright and lively, with a bit of heat from the chiles. I threw in my chicken breasts and let it sit for a few hours before cooking.

Now, Austin had grilled his chicken but since I don’t have a grill I instead quickly cooked the chicken breasts in a cast-iron skillet. Since I wasn’t at the farm the day Austin cooked, I don’t really know how his tasted. But if they were at all like the ones I made, then my grandma was correct—this marinade did indeed make a fine fajita. And once I smothered the chicken with guacamole and folded them into fresh flour tortillas, it made for an excellent, end-of-summer dish.



It’s strange to think that this long, hot and dry season is officially ending this weekend. It’s been a rough one for so many and I hope that there is some relief soon. Whether you’re staying inside this holiday or attempting to cook outdoors, may you stay cool and safe. And perhaps make some chicken fajitas.

Chicken fajitas (inspired by Uncle Austin)

For the chicken:
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 dried chiles de arbol, stems removed
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

For the fajitas:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 bell peppers, seeds and stem removed, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
Salt, to taste
12 flour tortillas
Guacamole
Pico de gallo
Sour cream

Method:
In a blender, mix together the lime juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, cumin, and chiles de arbol. Blend until smooth, and add salt and black pepper to taste. Pour the marinade over the chicken, and marinade refrigerated for at least one hour.

To make the fajitas, drain the chicken from the marinade. In a large, heavy skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Add the chicken, and cook covered for about 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, and cook the bell pepper and onion slices on medium heat until tender and soft, about 7-10 minutes. Add salt to taste. While the peppers and onions are cooking, heat up the flour tortillas by either cooking each one over a burner or in a hot, dry skillet for about 15 seconds per side or until they puff.

Slice the chicken and serve with the bell peppers, onions, warm flour tortillas, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream, so people can make their own tacos.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Note: If you can't find chiles de arbol just use serrano chiles. The taste will be a little brighter but still fiery.

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