The 'New School' Texas Brisket Chili Frito Pie

Name: The 'New School' Texas Brisket Chili Frito Pie
Cuisine: Texan
Ingredients: 12 lb whole packer brisket; 1/2 cup kosher salt; 1/2 cup coarse black pepper; 1 lb post oak wood; 4 large dried ancho chiles; 2 med dried guajillo chiles; 2 med dried pasilla chiles; 2 med chipotles in adobo; 4 large bacon slices; 1 large yellow onion; 6 med garlic cloves; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tbsp Mexican oregano; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 cup strong black coffee; 12 oz dark Mexican beer; 2 cup low-sodium beef broth; 3 tbsp masa harina; 16 oz Fritos corn chips; 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese; 1/2 med red onion; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup escabeche

Chapter 4 — The Sandwiches & Plates

A foil Fritos bag sliced open down the middle, the Frito pie is the great, democratic equalizer of Texas food, usually ladled from a cafeteria steam table straight into a crinkly bag. But the 'New School' pitmasters of Austin took this pedestrian snack, burying the chips, piling on beef that's been riding at 225 degrees since breakfast, watching while the cheddar melts into the corners. It demands a proper, post-oak-smoked Central Texas brisket and a painstakingly layered, beanless, multi-chile Texas Red. Build it right, crown it with a perfect, peppery slice of brisket, grab a flimsy plastic spoon, and when you take that first bite, you'll know: yes, this is exactly what Franklin tastes like.

Ingredients

whole packer brisket12 lb
kosher salt1/2 cup
coarse black pepper1/2 cup
post oak wood1 lb
dried ancho chiles4 large
dried guajillo chiles2 med
dried pasilla chiles2 med
chipotles in adobo2 med
bacon slices4 large
yellow onion1 large
garlic cloves6 med
ground cumin1 tbsp
Mexican oregano1 tbsp
ground coriander1 tsp
ground cinnamon1/4 tsp
strong black coffee1 cup
dark Mexican beer12 oz
low-sodium beef broth2 cup
masa harina3 tbsp
Fritos corn chips16 oz
sharp cheddar cheese1 cup
red onion1/2 med
fresh cilantro1/4 cup
sour cream1/2 cup
escabeche1/4 cup

Method

01
Coat the aerodynamically trimmed brisket with a generous, even mixture of the kosher salt and black pepper.
Apply it to every square inch of the meat; this fifty-fifty blend is the uncompromising foundation for a deeply textured Central Texas bark.
02
Prepare your smoker or kettle grill with the charcoal snake method, burning post oak wood to maintain a steady 275°F (135°C).
If using a kettle, arrange unlit briquettes in a 'C' shape with wood chunks placed along the top, lighting just one end to ensure a steady, clean-burning fire.
03
Wrap the brisket tightly in unwaxed pink butcher paper once it hits the 165°F (74°C) stall and the mahogany bark is firmly set to the touch.
Unlike foil, this breathable paper traps enough steam to push through the stall without destroying the peppery crust you've worked so hard to build.
04
Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 203°F (95°C) and the meat yields to a probe thermometer with zero resistance.
Do not cook by the clock; temperature and tactile feel are the only true metrics of rendered barbecue.
05
Rest the wrapped brisket in a dry, insulated cooler for at least two hours before slicing a quarter-inch thick across the grain.
This faux Cambro resting period is non-negotiable, allowing the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb those hard-earned fats before you reserve two pounds of chopped meat for the chili.
06
Toast the dried chiles in a dry cast-iron skillet, soak them in boiling water for thirty minutes, and blend them into a smooth paste with the chipotles and a splash of broth.
Discard the bitter soaking liquid before blending to ensure the resulting chile paste is sweet, earthy, and aggressively fiery.
07
Render the chopped bacon in a Dutch oven, remove the crisp bits, and sauté the diced yellow onion, garlic, and dried spices in the hot fat.
Stir constantly for a minute or two to bloom the cumin, Mexican oregano, coriander, and cinnamon.
08
Deglaze the pot with the dark beer and coffee, then simmer the chile paste, remaining broth, bacon bits, and the chopped smoked brisket for up to two hours.
Keep the heat painfully low; you want a thick, cohesive, deeply aromatic Texas Red without a single bean or tomato in sight.
09
Whisk the masa harina with a splash of water, stir it into the simmering chili, and cook for a final fifteen minutes.
This traditional Mesoamerican staple binds the gravy together while imparting a subtle, toasted-corn aroma that bridges the chili to the chips.
10
Ladle the thick brisket chili over a bed of Fritos, immediately garnishing with the sharp cheddar, sour cream, red onion, cilantro, and escabeche.
Leave the perimeter chips completely dry so they maintain their structural crunch against the hot stew.
11
Drape one pristine slice of the warm, freshly rested brisket prominently across the top of the entire dish.
Serve immediately to those who understand the quiet sanctity of Central Texas barbecue.

Notes

If an outdoor smoker is strictly unavailable, simulate the low-and-slow environment using a heavily controlled kitchen oven and liquid smoke.
Rub the brisket as instructed, but spritz the surface with exactly one teaspoon of high-quality liquid smoke diluted in water. Bake tightly covered in foil over a shallow pan of broth at 275°F for six to eight hours. Once probe tender at 203°F, uncover and blast at 300°F for forty-five minutes to artificially dehydrate the surface and forge a respectable bark.

From Cook BBQ at Home.

The 'New School' Texas Brisket Chili Frito Pie

Ingredients

Method

Coat the aerodynamically trimmed brisket with a generous, even mixture of the kosher salt and black pepper.

Prepare your smoker or kettle grill with the charcoal snake method, burning post oak wood to maintain a steady 275°F (135°C).

Wrap the brisket tightly in unwaxed pink butcher paper once it hits the 165°F (74°C) stall and the mahogany bark is firmly set to the touch.

Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches 203°F (95°C) and the meat yields to a probe thermometer with zero resistance.

Rest the wrapped brisket in a dry, insulated cooler for at least two hours before slicing a quarter-inch thick across the grain.

Toast the dried chiles in a dry cast-iron skillet, soak them in boiling water for thirty minutes, and blend them into a smooth paste with the chipotles and a splash of broth.

Render the chopped bacon in a Dutch oven, remove the crisp bits, and sauté the diced yellow onion, garlic, and dried spices in the hot fat.

Deglaze the pot with the dark beer and coffee, then simmer the chile paste, remaining broth, bacon bits, and the chopped smoked brisket for up to two hours.

Whisk the masa harina with a splash of water, stir it into the simmering chili, and cook for a final fifteen minutes.

Ladle the thick brisket chili over a bed of Fritos, immediately garnishing with the sharp cheddar, sour cream, red onion, cilantro, and escabeche.

Drape one pristine slice of the warm, freshly rested brisket prominently across the top of the entire dish.

Notes

If an outdoor smoker is strictly unavailable, simulate the low-and-slow environment using a heavily controlled kitchen oven and liquid smoke.