MIAMI (NEXSTAR) – Whether you are rooting for Kansas City or San Francisco, both cities win for their food. Which recipe will you try?
Kansas City Menu Ingredients
Brisket
- 4-6 lb brisket, first cut recommended
- 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 whole onions sliced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cayenne ; if you are very spice sensitive, just use a pinch
Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil, such as grapeseed or vegetable
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 slightly heaping tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- Pinch ground cloves
- 2 cups ketchup
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup dark molasses
- 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons English-style dried mustard
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Onion Rings
- 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk, or as needed
- 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
- seasoned salt to taste
How to Make this Recipe:
Brisket: Place half of the chopped onions, 5 of the garlic cloves and the bay leaves in the bottom of the slow cooker. Rinse the brisket and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides of the meat lightly with black pepper and salt. If you’re using a kosher salted brisket, or if you are salt sensitive, skip the salting here — there will be plenty in the sauce after cooking.
Note about this next step — if you’re in a hurry you don’t need to brown the brisket before placing it in the slow cooker, just mix the spices with the water and pour over the brisket in the slow cooker. However, if you do have time to brown it first the flavor will be much better!
Drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil into the pan and heat a large skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Brown the brisket on both sides—it will take a few minutes per side. A large brisket may overlap the edges of the skillet; you can brown it in stages, letting half the brisket overlap the edge, then adjusting it to brown the other half. Make sure you get some nice dark brown bits on there, it really adds to the flavor.
Once the brisket is browned, place it in the slow cooker on top of the onions and garlic. Drain the fat from the skillet, leaving behind any brown bits in the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove. In a small bowl, mix together the water, 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, turmeric and cayenne. Pour the water and spice mixture into the skillet and heat over medium until hot and bubbly, using the liquid to deglaze the pan and loosening brown bits gently from the bottom of the skillet with a spatula.
Pour the contents of the skillet over the brisket. Top brisket with the remaining sliced onions and garlic cloves. Cover and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours, or until fork tender. Tenderness will increase as it cooks, so take it out when it’s tender to your liking. Most people like it very tender but not so soft that it is falling apart. You want it firm enough to slice but tender enough that the edges shred with a fork.
I recommend making this brisket ahead; allowing it to sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 nights will improve the flavor. If you would like to do this, skip ahead to where it says “Make Ahead Directions.” If you are not making ahead, continue reading. Remove brisket from the pan and let it rest on the cutting board fat-side up for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, skim fat from the surface of the cooking sauce. Return slices to the slow cooker and cover with sauce. Heat the meat slices on high setting in the sauce for 30-60 minutes more until sauce is hot, bubbly and thickened around the meat. Serve sliced brisket hot with sauce.
Barbecue Sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, red pepper, allspice, and cloves and cook, stirring, until paste is dark brick red, about 3 minutes. Add the ketchup, water, vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, salt, soy sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, black pepper, and bay leaf.
Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the flavors come together, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf before using.
Onion Rings: Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees. Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are all coated; set aside. Whisk the egg and milk into the flour mixture using a fork. Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat, then place on a wire rack to drain until the batter stops dripping. The wire rack may be placed over a sheet of aluminum foil for easier clean up.
Spread the bread crumbs out on a plate or shallow dish. Place rings one at a time into the crumbs, and scoop the crumbs up over the ring to coat. Give it a hard tap as you remove it from the crumbs. The coating should cling very well. Repeat with remaining rings.
Deep fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with seasoning salt, and serve.
Assembly of the sandwich: Toast Kaiser rolls with butter in a skillet till golden brown. Onto the bottom roll, add sliced brisket slices. Top brisket with onion rings. Add sliced provolone cheese onto the onion rings. Add to the preheat over at 350 degrees to melt cheese onto the onion rings. Remove from oven and top with homemade BBQ sauce. Add top bun, serve and enjoy!
San Francisco Menu Ingredients
4 Cornmeal Belgian Waffles
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled or 3/8 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
4 Chicken Tenders
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4oz each)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
- Vegetable oil (about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon raspberry preserves
- 1/2 ounce, weight shredded gruyere cheese
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
- Powder Sugar
- Maple Sugar
How to Make this Recipe: Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Cornmeal Belgian Waffles: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter or oil. In a separate bowl, blend together the dry ingredients, then quickly and gently combine the wet and dry ingredients. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes, to allow the cornmeal to soften.
Drop the batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto a hot waffle iron, and cook it until steam stops seeping from the iron.
Crispy Chicken Tenders: Place chicken breasts in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Then cut into strips of about an inch thick. Place in a bowl with buttermilk and let sit in refrigerator for about an hour.
In a large bowl, combine flour, seasonings and parsley flakes.
In a deep-frying pan, heat oil to about 350 degrees (medium heat for about 5 minutes).
Remove chicken strips from buttermilk, dredge in flour mix, then back through flour. Set aside on a paper plate until complete. Carefully place coated chicken into pan with hot oil. Fry for about 3-4 minutes, then flip pieces over for another 3 minutes or until golden brown. Internal temp should be 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Carefully remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels.
Combine raspberry preserves and mayonnaise
Assemble sandwiches, with mustard, raspberry mayonnaise, chicken tenders, cheese, salt and pepper to personal preference. Drizzle Maple Syrup and top with the remaining waffles
Place sandwich into the oven for 3 minutes or until liking of the cheese has melted. Top with powdered sugar and enjoy!