Oklahoma Style Brisket Sandwiches

This Oklahoma-style brisket gets simmered in water for 3 ½ hours until fork-tender, then baked in a tangy-sweet sauce made with ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and the surprise ingredient: instant coffee granules.

The coffee doesn’t make the sauce taste like a diner mug. It deepens the savory flavor the same way it does in a good chili or mole, adding a roasted bitterness that balances the sweetness of the ketchup and brown sugar.

Slicing across the grain after the final bake is a must. Cutting with the grain gives you stringy, chewy strips. Cutting against it gives you tender slices that fall apart on the bun. Pile them high and put the extra sauce on the table in a gravy boat so everyone can load up.

Pro Tips

• Trim the brisket well before braising. Excess fat won’t render out during the water simmer and makes the finished meat greasy.
• Simmer gently, don’t boil hard. A rolling boil toughens the exterior and makes the meat stringy.
• The 15-minute bake in sauce adds a glazed finish and warms everything through. Don’t skip it.
• This reheats beautifully. Slice, store in the sauce, and reheat in a covered pan the next day.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of liquid smoke to the sauce for a barbecue-smoked flavor without a smoker.
• Use the braised brisket in tacos with pickled onion and cilantro instead of sandwiches.
• Swap ketchup for tomato paste and add chipotle peppers for a smokier, spicier sauce.