A father's love

By: 
Keith Bryant
 This past weekend I was so lucky to have my dad come visit me in Idaho. At 83 he doesn’t do a lot of traveling any more but I thought getting him out of the Texas heat would be a nice change for him. As I told him on the phone let someone else mow the grass. 
 My dad had a lot of sayings when I was growing up. We made a book out of them one year for a Christmas gift. He would say to me “grass mowing is not a spectator sport.” 
 Growing up I thought our bloodline included grass mowing. I was taught at a young age if you want money go mow someone’s yard. When you get old enough to drive, buy a truck so you can put lawnmowers in it to put gas in that truck.
 One of my other favorite sayings was “it will feel better when it stops hurting.” This was common when we played little league football. 
 The little pearls of wisdom that a father imparts on you will be invaluable later in life. Fathers are the disciplinarian, teacher, and friend that we all need growing up. 
 My dad and I don’t always agree. Sometimes we even fight. But through all 53 plus years of my life he’s been there for me. He sacrificed a lot for me and my siblings and I don’t tell him often enough how much I appreciate everything he’s done. I seldom tell him how much I love him. I know that I’m the better side of myself because of him. His work ethic has always driven me in life to do better and be better and to never be afraid to try.
 Since moving to Weiser, I see everyday amazing men that remind me of my father. I am always in awe of my friend Ben, who has raised wonderful and respectful children. Great athletes, talented kids and always with a smile. Never misses a game, concert, dance or practice if possible. Giving every ounce of himself daily. That is the kind of person that I remember my father being. My hat is off to Ben for being such a great role model.
 This past Father’s Day we cooked. Since mom past away a few years ago, dad is always calling asking for advice on cooking food. A few years ago, we got him a small smoker and he has used it quite a bit. 
 The day after he got here, he went with Sharon to Cash and Carry in Nampa (he calls it the meat store) and picked out all the things he wanted me to cook the next couple of weeks. I was more than happy to accommodate. 
 He has helped me with a woodworking project I needed done and worked on my rototiller to get it running again. Dads never quit and they never stop loving you for who you have become.
Burned ends brisket
Ingredients
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1½ cups water
1 brisket point-end, approx. 7 pounds
¼ cup beef rub
2 cups cola
1½ cups BBQ sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1-2 tablespoons honey
kosher salt
Directions: 
 Preheat a smoker to 250 degrees. Place apple cider vinegar and water into spritz bottle.
 Season the brisket well with salt and then rub generously with seasoning mix
 Place the brisket into the smoker. Cook, spritzing occasionally with the cider vinegar mix until an internal temperature of 150 degrees is reached.
 Wrap the brisket tightly in foil and return to the smoker until an internal temperature of 185 degrees is reached.
 Remove brisket from the smoker, and cut into thick slices, about ¾ inch. Then cut the slices again to form cubes. If there are large seams of fat, you may want to trim these out or discard – they will not have a pleasant mouthfeel.
 Place the cola in a small saucepan over medium high heat and reduce liquid by at least half. Add the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire, soy and butter, plus salt to taste. Stir to combine.
 Place the brisket cubes in a large foil tray, then pour over the sauce, stirring to make sure all the pieces are well coated. Drizzle honey across the top, then return to the smoker.
 Increase the heat of the smoker to 275 degrees, and cook for 2-3 hours, or until the liquid has reduced and caramelized. You will see fat accumulate at the bottom of the pan as it renders – this is normal and should not be confused with the sauce liquid. Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve, otherwise the sugars in the sauce may harden.

 

Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

Connect with Us