XL Texas Chopped Brisket Sandwiches with Cola BBQ Sauce

A chopped brisket sandwich does not require the same kind of brisket you would prepare for a platter of carefully cut slices. What matters here is tender beef, flavorful bark, clean oak smoke, and enough rendered fat to keep the chopped meat moist after it is mixed with sauce.

The texture should fall somewhere between sliced and shredded. Small, irregular pieces allow the leaner flat, richer point, and dark bark to become evenly distributed without turning the filling into pulled beef or ground meat. The full 1-hour rest remains important because it gives the brisket time to settle and retain more of its juices before it reaches the cutting board.

Revolution Barbecue Texas Beef BBQ Rub gives the meat a strong savory character that stands up to the sauce. The Cola BBQ Sauce adds caramel sweetness, molasses, tangy vinegar, yellow mustard, and Worcestershire sauce without covering the oak smoke or natural beef flavor. Potato rolls provide the soft, slightly sweet base needed to hold the oversized portion. Sesame seed hamburger buns also work well. Dill pickles and thinly sliced sweet onion are optional, but when placed beneath the meat, they cut through the richness and bring crisp contrast to the sandwich.

Author

Glenn Connaughton

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

4 hours 10 minutes

Servings

12

Category

Main Dish

Cuisine

American

Ingredients

• 1 whole packer brisket, 12 to 14 pounds, prime grade recommended
• 1/2 cup Revolution Barbecue Texas Beef BBQ Rub
• 1 can beef consommé, 10.5 ounces
• Oak wood pellets, as needed
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup Mexican Coke from a glass bottle
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 12 large potato rolls, split, or sesame seed hamburger buns
• 24 crinkle-cut dill pickle slices, optional
• 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced, optional

Directions

1. Trim the Brisket: Trim the brisket to an even 1/4-inch fat cap. Remove the silverskin, thin edges, and any hard pieces of fat that will not render during the shorter cooking time.
2. Season the Brisket: Coat every side of the brisket evenly with Revolution Barbecue Texas Beef BBQ Rub. Press the seasoning gently into the surface so it remains in place and develops a well-seasoned bark.
3. Preheat the Pellet Grill: Fill the hopper with oak wood pellets and preheat the pellet grill to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the grill to stabilize before adding the brisket.
4. Begin Smoking: Place the brisket on the pellet grill with the fat side facing down. Smoke for 1 hour, then turn the brisket over. Continue smoking until the internal temperature reaches approximately 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the bark is dark and firmly set, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours total.
5. Wrap the Brisket: Place the brisket on 2 overlapping sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Pour the can of beef consommé underneath and around the brisket, taking care not to wash the seasoning from the bark. Wrap the brisket tightly, then add a second layer of foil to prevent steam and cooking juices from escaping.
6. Finish the Brisket: Return the wrapped brisket to the pellet grill. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches approximately 210 degrees Fahrenheit and a temperature probe slides into both the flat and point with very little resistance, about 1 1/2 to 2 additional hours.
7. Rest the Brisket: Remove the brisket from the pellet grill and carefully open the foil. Vent the brisket for 10 minutes to release excess heat and slow the cooking process. Close the foil again and continue resting for another 50 minutes, giving the brisket a full 1-hour rest before chopping.
8. Make the Cola BBQ Sauce: While the brisket rests, combine the ketchup, Mexican Coke, apple cider vinegar, molasses, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and prepared chili powder in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
9. Simmer the Sauce: Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat and keep the sauce warm until the brisket is ready. The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it sits.
10. Chop the Brisket: After the full 1-hour rest, carefully transfer the brisket to a large cutting board. Separate the point from the flat if needed. Cut the brisket across the grain into strips, then chop it into irregular pieces approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size. Mix the lean flat, fattier point, and dark pieces of bark together. Do not shred the brisket.
11. Sauce the Brisket: Place approximately 6 pounds of chopped brisket in a large pan or mixing bowl. Pour the warm Cola BBQ Sauce over the meat and fold everything together until evenly coated. Add a small amount of the cooking juices collected in the foil if the mixture needs more moisture. The brisket should be moist and glossy without swimming in sauce.
12. Arrange the Rolls: Place the bottom half of each potato roll on the work surface with the cut side facing up. Set the matching top half directly on top of the bottom roll with its cut side also facing up.
13. Add the Optional Toppings: Place the optional dill pickle slices and thinly sliced sweet onion on the exposed cut side of the top roll. Leave them off any sandwiches being served without toppings.
14. Scoop the Brisket: Spoon a generous XL portion of sauced chopped brisket over the pickles and onion. For sandwiches without toppings, spoon the brisket directly onto the exposed top roll.
15. Flip the Sandwiches: Lift the loaded top roll, place the bottom roll over the brisket, and hold both halves firmly together. Flip the entire sandwich upright so the rounded top of the roll faces up.
16. Serve the Sandwiches: Serve immediately while the brisket is warm, juicy, and freshly sauced.