The Jazz Chef’s “Si Si Si” Smoked or Sous Vide Brisket Rub

THE COOK’S TOUR

This coffee (¡Si!), aji chile (¡Si!), and cocoa powder (¡Si!) rub is great for cooking a first-cut brisket in either a sous vide or a smoker. I shred the meat and put it on my Costa Rican-inspired arepas.

The aromas and flavor are amazing!

THE STUFF

• 1-2 dried aji amarillo chile peppers, destemmed, deveined, deseeded.
• 2 tsp finely ground coffee (Espresso grind)
• 2 tsp Pernigotti cocoa powder
• 2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1.5 tsp. roasted garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 pinch (1/8 tsp.)  ground sumac
• 1/2 tsp smoked hickory salt
• 4-5 fenugreek leaves
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp urfa biber pepper flakes
• 1 tsp achiote powder

THE GEAR

• 5″ / 12.7 cm  GLOBAL Santoku knife
• Cutting board
• Cuisinart Mini-Prep Food Processor

THE STEPS

1. Deseed the pepper pod, and remove the connective tissues, where the heavy heat is stored. Leave a bit in if you want the rub spicier, but if you want the amazing aji chile’s BIG flavor, pull it all out.
2. Add the ingredients to a coffee grinder or small electric chopper/grinder.
3. For the coffee mill/grinder, grind until the whole is combined and fine. For the chopper (in the photos), pulse grind, then chop, then grind, back and forth, until the spice mix is a powder. If you’re a masochist, you can use a mortar/pestle.

4. When finished, it will look like grains of sand:
5. Apply to a meat, or it can be stored for use for about eighteen months.

MY HEADS-UP

This spice mix is built best for a sous vide.

If you are going to put the meat into a smoker, omit the smoked hickory salt and add an equal amount of the Himalayan pink salt.  You can grill it as well, but I would vacuum seal it for 24 hours for a large brisket 2.5 lbs.+ (1.13 Kg.) , 12-14 hours for smaller ones.