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Barbecue Brisket Sliders with Creamy Coleslaw

Warm, barbecued brisket and creamy, cool coleslaw on a sweet, pillowy bun — these sliders fall into the deluxe comfort food category, a must for movie nights or any summer night when you don’t feel like standing over the stove. The meat is rubbed with spices, and then put in a slow cooker with the barbecue sauce ingredients for nearly five hours, until it’s fork-tender and redolent with paprika, cumin, and the mild, savory-sweet sauce.


We like our sliders with a pickled condiment, like a spicy banana pepper or red onion. For pairings, we’d go with beer, either a Young’s Double Chocolate Stout to amplify the rich flavors — or something hoppier for contrast, like a Golden Road Wolf Pup IPA.

Our tip: Put your brisket in the slow cooker fat side up, so that the fat can melt over the meat, slowly basting it throughout the long cook time.

Servings: 8 to 10

Barbecue Brisket Sliders

Ingredients

- 4 to 5 lb flat cut beef brisket
- ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar, divided
- 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp black pepper, divided
- 6 oz lager-style beer
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 24 slider buns

Directions
  1. In a bowl, whisk together ½ cup of brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the black pepper, and then gently rub it into all sides of the brisket.
  2. Place the brisket in the bowl of your slow cooker fat side up.
  3. Add the beer, garlic, vinegar, ketchup, 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of the black pepper, cayenne pepper, and worcestershire sauce.
  4. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook the brisket for 4.5 to 5 hours, or until it’s fork-tender and flaking. Set the meat on a cutting board to rest, reserving the barbecue sauce.
  5. Place the barbecue sauce in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring, until it thickens.
  6. Slice the fat cap off the top of the brisket and discard. Flip the brisket over, lean side up, and slice it against the grain. Note: The meat will fall apart or shred as you slice, and that’s just what you want!
  7. Place the meat in a bowl or on a platter, and pour barbecue sauce over it. If you have leftover barbecue sauce, put it in a small bowl or ramekin.
  8. Serve the meat warm on slider buns with a little coleslaw — and the extra barbecue sauce for the folks who like it messy.

Creamy Coleslaw

Ingredients

- ½ head green cabbage
- ½ head red cabbage
- ½ red onion
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions
  1. Julienne both of the cabbages and the red onion and place them in a medium bowl
  2. Add the mayonnaise, horseradish, sugar, and vinegar, and then season with salt and pepper to taste
  3. Serve room temperature or cool