Richard Adam’s Medina Texas BBQ Mop and Sauce

For years Richard Adams was the BBQ master for the small Texas town of Medina and the Medina Childrens’ Home.  When the community held an event he would lead the effort to ensure there was ample food for the people.  The children’s home frequently called on him to cook the brisket, sausage, etc for appreciation dinners and fund raising.  His ability to slow cook the meat with just the right amount of consistent heat (no small thing when you are cooking hundreds of briskets) with his secret mop sauce created melt in your mouth delicacy that had a unique  flavor without equal.

I was fortunate to serve as a helper on several occasions and will cherish the memory of sleepy mornings, oak smoke wafting from the coal fires, the feel of the long handled shovel as I transfered coals at the time and place Mr. Adams dictated, and the taste of cabrito cooked for the helpers.  When Mr. Adams passed away his widow graciously provided the instructions he held so close while he lived. 

Please note that these instructions were for large scale events, cut the recipe to fit your needs.

Ingredients:

• 1 big bottle of catsup
• 1 small bottle of Worchestershire sauce
• 1 onion chopped and diced
• 1/2 cup of Wesson oil
• 6 small cans of tomato puree
• dash of mustard powder
• 1 gallon of white vinegar (He always insisted that Heinz brand was the only one that would work)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the brisket by spreading a salt and pepper mixture on both sides (fat not trimmed off)
2. Pre-warm the pits to burn off any material in the pits or on the grill
3. Put big briskets on the grill fat side down approximately 8 1/2 to 9 hours before slicing time
4. Keep the tops of the pits just hot to the touch for about 5 hours
5. After 5 hours begin to cook by firing the pits a little hotter
6. Check brisket and begin to turn as needed
7. At approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours before slicing time, prepare and heat the sauce recipe by combinining the ingredients
8. At approximately 1/2 to 1 hours before slicing mop both sides of the brisket with sauce (liberal mopping sooner if cooking too fast)
9. Slice across the grain of the brisket.

NOTE:  For safety ensure you have a consistent meat temperature above 170-180 for slicing brisket and 180-190 for more tender (fall apart) brisket.  Check other instructions if you are cooking brisket on a small scale because most recommend wrapping the brisket in foil during the final hours of cooking to preserve moisture, something that is impractical on a large scale.

Enjoy.