Football season is what I live for. It’s the perfect excuse to fire up the smoker and create some fun, crowd-pleasing grub.
I’ve wanted to create something for game day that was brisket-centric for a while now – specifically burnt ends. What’s a better finger food with a tender, beefy, fatty taste, am I right? Usually that requires buying a whole packer brisket, cooking it entirely, and carving off the point in order to slice up the cubes.
It’s a whole to-do.
Then, one day I spotted in my local grocery store a wrapped brisket point – just the point. No flat to worry about. Perfect!
So, I brought it home and the following Sunday, I prepared it for deliciousness.
Simple with a Little Spice
Like all great pitmasters, when it comes to brisket, I like to keep it simple (see here and here) – let those strong beef flavors speak for themselves. So, I applied an all-purpose rub, but added a little chipotle pepper powder for a touch of heat.
I lit up my Weber Smokey Mountain and set the point on the grate. As per usual with brisket, I let this hunk of meat cook for about three hours at 250 degrees. After that, I spritzed it with beef broth every 20-30 minutes until it became a rich mahogany color and the fat cap was sufficiently broken down.
Then it was time for the wrap. I went with foil this time, looking for as close to a Texas brisket experience as possible. Once the internal temperature reached 205 degrees, I took that sucker off the smoker and locked it up in a cooler for a few hours.
Yummy and Tender
Since I don’t make brisket that frequently, I wanted to make the most of this point. So about half of it was cut up into burnt ends, and the other half was sliced up for sandwiches.
The crust on the meat was awesome. A great combination of salty and crunchy with just a touch of heat to it. The burnt ends were nice and squishy and the slices were wonderfully tender.
Brisket both ways on game day was a very satisfying way to watch the game.
The Wine: 2016 Unti Syrah
Since I was enjoying a meat that’s infamous for its bold, beef flavors, I wanted to make sure the wine I paired with it was up to the task – the 2016 Unti Syrah.
Swirling and putting my nose into the glass, I immediately got dark fruit notes (blackberries and plums). There were also elements of black pepper, as well as Earthiness and smoke. The aroma was very much a preview of the flavors – dark berries, currant, black pepper, licorice, and a touch of smokiness. It wasn’t a young wine, so the tannins didn’t overwhelm, but overall a great partner to this brisket point
About the Producer
The Unti winery is a family-owned and operated estate, established by George Unti in 1997. The winery is known for its dedication to producing high-quality wines, especially those made from Italian grape varieties, including Sangiovese, Barbera, and Grenache. Over the years, Unti has earned a reputation for crafting wines that showcase the unique characteristics of their vineyards and the Dry Creek Valley terroir.
Unti is a winery located in the Dry Creek Valley region of Sonoma County, California, which is known for its exceptional vineyards and wine production. The terroir of Dry Creek Valley typically features well-drained soils and a warm, Mediterranean climate, which is perfect for growing wine grapes. These conditions often result in wines with rich flavors and good structure.
On a side note, I’ve visited this winery twice and is on my list of priorities when visiting wine country.
I hope you have the opportunity to experience this fantastic wine – or any wine from Unti. It’s a great producer whose wines I like to bring out for special occasions… like smoking up a thick, fatty brisket.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever had a wine from Unti, or if you have any secrets to making brisket magic.
Cheers!