Burnt End Melt Sandwich
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 1 sandwich
- Total: 22 hr 45 min (includes cooling time)
- Active: 1 hr 10 min
Ingredients
1 whole untrimmed packer brisket (roughly 12 pounds)
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper
1/4 cup granulated garlic
1/2 cup Cajun spice
1 pint light brown sugar
1 pint Dignowity BBQ Sauce, recipe follows, plus additional for serving
1 ciabatta roll
1 portion Sharp Cheddar Mac and Cheese, recipe follows
2 slices green pear
Freshly shredded Cheddar, for topping
Dignowity BBQ Sauce:
1 quart light brown sugar
5 cups ketchup
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup liquid hickory smoke
1/4 cup dry mustard
1/8 cup kosher salt
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons Cajun spice
Sharp Cheddar Mac and Cheese:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts whole milk
2 quarts grated sharp Cheddar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Cajun spice
5 quarts precooked elbow noodles
Directions
Special equipment:
a smoker; hickory wood chips soaked in water; a flattop panini press- Preheat a smoker for cooking at 225 degrees F.
- Trim any excess fat from brisket. Sprinkle the brisket liberally with kosher salt. Stir together the black pepper, granulated garlic and 1/4 cup Cajun spice, then sprinkle all over the brisket. Place brisket fat-side up on a smoking tray and place in smoker. Add soaked and drained hickory wood chips and smoke until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 195 degrees F, about 12 hours.
- Let the brisket rest and cool completely, preferably overnight.
- Preheat the smoker for cooking at 250 degrees F. Cut the brisket into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread these cubes in an even layer on a sheet tray. Sprinkle with brown sugar, the remaining 1/4 cup Cajun spice and the BBQ Sauce. Mix thoroughly with your hands to ensure every piece is coated. Spread them out in an even layer and put the tray back in the smoker with fresh soaked wood chips to smoke for 2 hours. Remove from smoker.
- Hollow out the ciabatta. Add Mac and Cheese, some brisket burnt ends, green pear, some Cheddar and BBQ Sauce. Close the sandwich and place on a flattop panini press until cheese melts, about 1 minute. (Save the remaining meat for another use.)
Dignowity BBQ Sauce:
- Combine light brown sugar, ketchup, pineapple juice, molasses, liquid smoke, mustard, salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, Cajun spice and 1 cup water in a stainless steel saucepan. Heat on low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon so the sugars do not burn on the bottom of the pan, until it comes to a simmer. Simmer until desired consistency has been achieved, for about 1 hour. Allow to cool completely, then transfer to a clean plastic container or mason jar and store in the fridge.
Sharp Cheddar Mac and Cheese:
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour to hot melted butter and whisk constantly for 3 minutes. Slowly add milk while continuing to whisk, then continue to cook, whisking, until sauce is thickened and bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar, salt, pepper and Cajun spice. Stir until smooth and velvety, then fold in precooked noodles. Return to low heat and stir constantly until noodles are heated through. Serve.