The new Surf and Turf?  Chocolate Mole has been a staple in Central American cooking since chocolate was discovered.  The richness of chocolate with the earthy flavors from dried ancho chilies adds a unique twist on a BBQed Beef Brisket.  Use the Stout BBQ Sauce to play up all the wonderful flavors the cedar plank will add.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1EachBeef Brisket, about 5 pounds
1Cup Chocolate Ancho Rub

  Cedar Plank (Option #1)
  Fig Wood (Option #2)
  Mesqueste Charcoal

1Recipe    Stout BBQ Sauce
Smoked Beef Brisket with Chocolate Ancho Rub
Directions:

Option #1: Cedar Plank
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To prep the brisket, first rise well under cold water to remove any juices and loose fat pieces, dry well.  On a sheet tray, sprinkle half of the Chocolate Ancho Rub and place the brisket on top, dusting the remaining rub evenly over the top of the meat.  Using your hands, make sure the rub is equally coated on all sides of the brisket (1).  Cover the brisket with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for 2 hours, to infuse the flavors of the rub into the meat and come to room temperature. 
Option #2: Fig Wood Smoked
To prep the brisket, first rinse well under cold water to remove any juices and loose fat pieces, dry well.  On a sheet tray, sprinkle half of the Chocolate Ancho Rub and place the brisket on top, dusting the remaining rub evenly over the top of the meat.  Using your hands, make sure the rub is equally coated on all sides of the brisket (1).  Cover the brisket with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter for 2 hours, to bring the meat to room temperature and infuse the flavors of the rub into the meat.
Using a dome grill, prepare the BBQ by creating two small sets of charcoal piles opposite to each other at the farthest ends (2).  The idea is to have the middle of the grill free of any heat to prevent the cedar plank from burning.  After the brisket has sat for 90 minutes, start the two sets of coals (3). 
After two hours, take the cedar plank from the water bath and place over one pile of hot coals.  Leave it there for 2 minutes, to dry the outside of the wood, this will add more flavor to the meat.  Turn the plank over and set in the middle of the grill (4), making sure that no coals are under the plank.  Place the Chocolate Ancho Rubbed Beef Brisket on the center of the plank (5,6).  Cover the grill with the lid.  Using an electronic thermometer probe, place the probe in the top heat vent on the lid and turn the vent to almost closed (7).  The ideal temperature is 250 - 275° for the fire.  Over the next 4 hours, add charcoal to each pile periodically, keeping the fire going and the heat around 250-275°. 
The brisket will be dark brown and have a nice crust (8).  Remove from the fire, and let rest for 15 minutes (10) before carving thin against the grain (12).  Serve with the Stout BBQ Sauce (11).  If the plank is not burnt, you can rinse it well and it can be stored for future use.

To pair beers with recipe, I would go recommend an Amarillo IPA or a rich Chocolate Stout.  When I think of chocolate and stout, I can’t help but thing Bison’s Chocolate Stout or Young’s Double Chocolate Stout.
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If you have a smoker, you will get more flavor than a plank for this recipe.  Start a small fire using charcoal (I prefer using wood charcoal over charcoal briquette) about an hour and fifteen minutes into the brisket rest.  Once the fire is going, about 45 minutes, add two or three pieces of dried Fig wood to the top of the charcoal.  Add the Chocolate Ancho Rubbed Beef Brisket to the center of the smoker (9)and close the hood/lid.  It is important to note, keeping the hood/lid closed with out peeking at the meat will help cook the brisket more evenly, better smoke flavor, as it is lost each time the hood/lid is opened.  Keep the heat between 250 - 275° by adjusting the vents on the smoker and periodically adding another piece of Fig wood and charcoal chunks.  A water pan can also be added the smoker, placed below the brisket to help keep a moist environment and prevent the meat from drying out.
Cooking can last from 5-10 hours at this low heat, to fully breakdown the meat gelatins/collagen and how smoky your preference on the final product is.  Fig wood gives the brisket a sweet slightly woody smoky flavor.  This works well with the chocolate and ancho rub.  You can also use Cherry, Apple or Pecan woods, depending on your taste or availability.

The brisket will be dark brown and have a nice crust (8).  Remove from the fire, and let rest for 15 minutes (10) before carving thin against the grain (12).  Serve with the Stout BBQ Sauce (11).  If the plank is not burnt, you can rinse it well and it can be stored for future use.
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