Beautiful Brisket and Red Beans

     I am having people over for dinner tonight and thought I would share this recipe for a great crowd-pleasing meal. The first time I saw this combination, fixed this way I thought, "Yeah, right!". After seeing it mentioned in another cookbook I had to try it. The odd thing about this recipe is you cook the beans and brisket together in the same giant pan. I know, CRAZY! It really works though and works really well.
     I usually serve brisket, beans, potato salad or macaroni and cheese, bread and cole slaw. You can make these yourself or farm these out for other party people to bring. Have another friend bring dessert or make banana pudding the night before and you are done. If you aren't catching the great joy-you can fix every side the night before. Your brisket and beans cook themselves so you can straighten your house, get cleaned up and spend the whole day shopping. Yay!!
     If you have ever wanted to have a large crowd for dinner but were apprehensive about doing it, don't be. This is sure as shootin'. If there are any leftovers, serve them the next day in tortillas and you will have great brisket tacos. Our H.E.B. sells good tortillas that they make but if you have a panaderia close it's worth the trip.

Beautiful Brisket and Red Beans

8-10 lb. brisket, untrimmed
2 lb. bag dried pinto beans
3-10 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
Seasoned Salt
Ground Red Pepper
Black Pepper
60 oz. water

You will need a really big pan. A turkey roasting pan or a "giant" disposable aluminum pan is necessary. Spray the pan with no stick spray and set it aside. Rinse your beans and remove any debris in the water. Drain the beans and pour them into the bottom of your prepared pan. Open your brisket and start on the "red" side. (The fat side of your brisket will be more white and the meat side will be red.) Sprinkle the seasoned salt, red pepper and black pepper on your brisket and rub them into the meat with your hand. (Don't worry about the amount of spices, just sprinkle generously.) Take half of the brown sugar and rub it into the brisket. Pick up your brisket and turn it into your pan on top of the beans with the red side side down. The white side of your brisket should be facing up from inside your pan. Sprinkle your spices on and rub them in just like you did for the red side and repeat with the brown sugar. Sprinkle any leftover sugar into the pan. You should have sugar all over your brisket at this point. Pour your tomatoes into the pan. Do NOT pour it really fast and wash the sugar and spices off the brisket. Make sure one can of the tomato solid matter is spread all over your brisket on top of your sugar and spices. Take one of your empty tomato cans and fill it with water. Pour this into your pan. Repeat this five more times. This will give you 60 oz. of water to cook your beans. Just pour this water around your brisket, not over it. Seal your pan with foil. Turn your oven to 400 degrees and let your brisket rest until the oven is ready. Bake the brisket at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn your oven to 225 degrees and cook your brisket for 1 1/2 hours per pound.
Note: You should figure 1/4-1/2 lb. of meat per person. So my 9 lb. brisket will feed 18-36 people. I usually figure the men at 1/2 and women at 1/4 and have never run short.
Pre-measure your brown sugar and put it on a plate. You can't touch the sugar package after your hands have meat on them. I pick up my spice containers with a paper towel when I season the white side as I already have meat on my hands.
Your pan will be heavy! If you are using a disposable pan, BE CAREFUL, it could collapse. Slide a cookie sheet under the pan and carry with it, not the aluminum pan.
    
     I hope some of you will try this and let me know how it works out. Call your friends and family and give this a chance. You should be able to get brisket and beans for around $30.00. That's way less than you would have spent at any restaurant to feed 2-4 people and our feeding a whole gang. Enjoy!