Texas
Elizabeth Karmel, founder of GirlsattheGrill.com; executive chef of Hill Country Barbecue Market in New York and Washington, D.C.; and author of Taming the Flame and Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned: The Guide to Flavoring Food for the Grill.
"When I first started to learn about barbecue I was taught a rub that was full of lots of seasonings. But over time, as I started spending time with barbecue legends like Rick Schmidt of Kreuz's Market in Lockhart, I realized I'd been going about it all wrong," says Elizabeth. "In Texas, the old-timers season with only salt, pepper and just enough cayenne to turn the rub a gentle pink. That's the great thing about Texas barbecue: It's all about the meat, just dressed simply and kissed with smoke from indigenous wood like post oak."
Serve it with: Beans and ice-cold Texan beer, like Lone Star or Shiner Bock.
Pro tip: Explains Elizabeth: "The one secret to success is starting with a whole untrimmed brisket. Unfortunately, those can be harder to find than you might imagine - many grocery meat departments have decided that Americans don't like fat, so they trim everything to death. But when you're cooking something for a long time you absolutely need that layer of fat to keep the meat moist. You can always trim off what's left after the brisket is done."
Recipe:
Hill Country Brisket
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