Texas BBQ medley : Best Recipe

beef brisket

🥗Healthier: turkey breast

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Turkey is leaner, while pork shoulder is more affordable and still flavorful.

bbq sauce

🥗Healthier: homemade sauce with less sugar

💰Cheaper: ketchup with spices

Homemade sauce can reduce sugar and preservatives.

Brine the meat at least 24 hours before your barbecue.

Spatchcock the chicken by flipping it over so the backbone is facing you.

Use kitchen scissors to cut down either side of the backbone and discard it.

Turn the chicken over and push down firmly on the breastbone to flatten it out.

Make a few slashes in each leg joint.

Put each cut of meat in a separate large sealable bag.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt into each bag and massage it all over the meat.

Squeeze the air from the bags, seal tightly, and put in the fridge for 24 hours.

In a mortar, add the remaining salt, fennel seeds, and peppercorns, and crush them until finely ground.

Add the bay leaves (crushed), cayenne, paprika, garlic salt, and sugars to the mortar and mix well.

Remove the meat from the bags and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Cover each cut with the rub, ensuring to get into every nook.

Return the meat to the fridge for at least 1-2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Start the barbecue 7-8 hours before you want to eat.

Light the coals and leave them until ashen.

Add wood chips if using when the flames have died down and you have smoky cinders.

Push the coals and wood chips to one side of the BBQ pit and replace the grill.

Add the beef and pork above the empty side of the pit to ensure they smoke but don’t burn.

Close the lid and cook the meat for 30-40 minutes, turning every now and then until a dark crust forms around the meat.

The crust should be almost black but caramelized, not burnt.

Heat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan, gas 1).

Transfer the meat to roasting pans, wrap tightly with foil, and cook in the oven for 5-6 hours until really tender.

When the meat has 1.5 hours to go, reheat the barbecue and wait for the coals to turn ashen before adding more wood chips.

When the flames have died down, push to one side as before and put the chicken on the BBQ bone side down above the empty side of the pit.

Cook the chicken for 20-25 minutes on each side or until cooked through, checking by piercing a leg to see if the juices are clear or using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 70°C.

Wrap the chicken tightly in foil and set aside to rest after cooking.

After 5-6 hours, the beef and pork should be really tender; remove from the oven and leave to rest for 50 minutes.

If you made barbecue sauce, brush it over the meat for a glossy finish.

Remove any string from the pork and shred the meat.

Cut the chicken into portions and serve everything on a big platter with sliced sweet onions, gherkins, and sides.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: