Coffee Chili Rubbed Brisket Sandwiches with Red Cabbage Slaw and Tangy BBQ Sauce

This sandwich was incredible.

I can’t get over the grilled bread with the crunchy slaw and smoky brisket and sweet BBQ sauce. Such an awesome combo.

It is a bit time consuming, but SO WORTH IT.

This recipe makes about 8-10 sandwiches, depending how loaded they are and how big the brisket is.

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 3-4 hours

For the Brisket:
-1 (4 to 6 lb.) beef brisket, trimmed of most of its fat
-1 large Vidalia onion, sliced into thick slices
-1 15.5 oz. can beef broth
– 3 T. ground coffee (I used Café Bustelo, which is an espresso strength ground coffee)
-1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
-1 tsp. onion powder
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-1 tsp. paprika
-1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
-1 tsp. chili powder
-pinch of cayenne
-2 tsp. salt (I use Maldon sea salt flakes)
-plenty of freshly ground black pepper (about 2 tsp. as well)
-Loaf of crusty bread for grilling (I used a hearty French bread)

For the BBQ Sauce:
-1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
-1/4 c. ketchup
-2 T. honey
-juice of 1 lemon
-2 T. brown sugar
-3 T. stone ground dijon mustard
-splash of balsamic vinegar (about 2 T.)
-2 T. Worcestershire sauce
-4 T. apple cider vinegar
-2 T. hot sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot)
-1/4 c. water
-1/4 tsp. onion powder
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp. chili powder
-1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
-1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
-pinch of cayenne
-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the Red Cabbage Red Onion Slaw:
-1/4 red cabbage, about 4 cups, thinly sliced/shredded
-2 scallions, thinly sliced
-1 small red onion, thinly sliced
-1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
-3 T. granulated sugar
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1/2 tsp. celery salt
-1 tsp. salt
-freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1)Preheat oven to 325℉
2)Start by making the spice rub for the brisket. Combine ground coffee, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chipotle chili powder, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper.
3)Next, lay sliced onions in a 9×13 casserole dish, making a bed for the brisket. Rub entire brisket with spice mixture, lay over onions, and pour can of beef broth over the brisket and into the casserole.
4)Cover casserole with aluminum foil, and roast in oven for about 45 minutes per pound, so if you have a 4 pound brisket, about 3 hours.

5)Next, make the slaw, so it can marinate in the fridge while the brisket is cooking. Whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar, celery salt, and salt and pepper.
6)Combine thinly sliced cabbage, red onion, and scallions in a medium bowl, and pour over sugar/vinegar mixture.
7)Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in fridge until it is time to assemble sandwiches.

8)Now, make the barbecue sauce. Whisk together all ingredients for the barbecue sauce listed above in a medium saucepan, and let simmer over medium/low for 20 minutes. Let cool and then put in fridge until ready for sandwich assembly!

9)Once brisket is finished cooking, take out of the oven, and let rest, covered, for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Take brisket out of casserole and thinly slice, about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. I like to take the brisket and put it back into its delicious juices before assembling the sandwiches.

11)Now, it is time to grill the bread! Preheat grill pan to medium/high heat. Slice 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick pieces of crusty bread, and brush with olive oil.
12)Grill bread for about 2 minutes per side, or until beautiful grill marks appear!

13)Now time for sandwich assembly. I like to generously slather barbecue sauce on the bottom half of the bread, and lightly on the top half. The grilled bread gets so crusty it wont make the sandwich soggy. Then, I lay 4-5 slices of brisket on the bottom half, and spoon a few more teaspoons of barbecue sauce on top. Then, I top with a generous portion of slaw, and then the top off with the barbecue slathered piece of bread. You can do whatever combination suits your fancy, but that is how I assemble mine!

Enjoy. This sandwich is a crazy mix of flavors spices, and textures. I’m obsessed.