Try this easy 'smoked' beef brisket for Father's Day

This time of year, I look for something special to make for Father's Day. My husband has always been a great dad, and although our two sons are grown and gone, I still want him to know how much we cherish and appreciate him. He loves to eat at home, so going out is not an option. I just want to cook something special that he will really enjoy. Some of his favorite foods — juicy sirloin steak, bacon green chile cheeseburgers, marinated pork chops — while always welcome, have an air to me of "been there, done that." Not to mention that they require grilling, which I don't do. The grill is his domaine.

But my husband does love barbecue. Frankly, who doesn't?

Which is why I thought back to one of my favorite movies, "Chef." There is a scene where chef Carl Casper and his young son Percy arrive in Austin, Texas, for the boy's first time. They immediately go to famous Franklin Barbecue, where a whole brisket is brought out to them by Aaron Franklin (to be served later to the lucky customers of their food truck). I love how they reverently pick out small pieces of the delicious smoked beef to eat on the spot, and how their faces light up with delight as they taste the perfectly cooked brisket. They look at each other in awe, sharing a culinary flash of sheer bliss. It is a memorable father-son scene that is always close to my heart.

Thinking about that moment inspired me to develop an easy but delicious recipe for smoked brisket for Father's Day. We have, of course, enjoyed brisket cooked in a home smoker, thanks to some good friends who spend the hours it takes to lovingly stoke the fire and keep the smoke going. And let me tell you — it's great. But we don't have a smoker, and the truth is, I wouldn't want my husband standing over a smoker for hours as his Father's Day "treat" anyway.

So the challenge was, could I make a home-smoked beef brisket — without a smoker? Was it possible to approximate the juicy, tender, smoky flavor and great tastiness of a smoked beef brisket in some other way?

I uncovered lots of alternative methods to cook beef brisket. In one version, for example, the brisket is cooked on a barbecue grill for only about 30 minutes or so. Then the meat is tightly covered with foil, placed in a baking dish and baked on low until tender, about 4-5 hours.

But when the weather is warm, I don't like to heat up the kitchen. And as I’ve said, the grill is my husband's department. So I needed to rely on my trusty alternative appliances. As I researched, I found several interesting approaches for "smoked" brisket using a slow cooker. (For you purists out there, just look away.)

The slow-cooker method I like best uses a tangy wet rub as a marinade. During cooking, the liquid that forms in the pot makes the brisket juicy and tender. The rub ingredients soften and mellow with cooking to produce a wonderful barbecue sauce to serve alongside the savory sliced meat. And while not quite the same as brisket from the smoker, the brisket will still turn out perfectly. You will serve a meal that would make any father proud to call his own — but you get all the credit.

Okay, now to the details. Start with a 4-pound trimmed flat-cut beef brisket. A half-inch layer of fat on one side will self-baste the meat, ensuring a fork-tender result. Slather the meat with the rub ingredients and refrigerate until ready to cook. Place the brisket in the slow cooker, fat-side up, on a bed of chopped onions. Add 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook for about 6 hours on high or 9 hours on low. Remove the cooked brisket to a platter and allow to rest. Most of the fat will have melted from the meat into the cooker. Cool slightly and separate the fat from the juices, using a gravy separator. Then add vinegar and ketchup to the juices to make your own fabulous barbecue sauce.

You can make the brisket ahead if you like, so you can enjoy the day's festivities with dad. Simply place the cooked brisket in a baking dish, pour on a little sauce, and cover with foil. When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat the dish in a 325-degree oven for about 20-30 minutes. Slice the brisket, drizzle with a little more of that yummy sauce, and serve with mashed potatoes and coleslaw. Or pile the meat on a hearty toasted bun for a killer sandwich. And if you are lucky enough to have some left over, you will discover that it is just as good the next day, straight out of the refrigerator, as it was the night before.

I hope you give this easy alternative method for making smoked barbecue brisket a try. When you serve this to your one-of-a-kind dad, just sit back and enjoy the rave reviews.

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