getting the "smoke" into beef brisket

I have been MIA for a couple of weeks.  Got knocked back by a bad cold that is still lingering on, though much improved from two weeks ago.  We went on a ski vacation to Purgatory, CO, and I spent the entire week coughing and sneezing, and nearly 4 days of the trip with my first serious bout of laryngitis.  I was reduced to writing on a legal pad with a marker to communicate to anyone.  Needless to say, it was not my best vacation ever.  But while I was there, my contribution to the Super Bowl Sunday snack-fest was another take on the little brisket sliders.  I know I have written about them before, but this particular preparation is a bit different than the last.  Since the brisket is cooked in the oven, I wanted to see if I could get more "smoke" flavor into the beef.
Toward that end, I made a wet rub of two minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, including a tablespoon or so of the sauce.  To that I added a half a tablespoon of ground cumin, half a tablespoon of ground garlic, a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of pepper, and 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika.  That got rubbed on the meat.  In the interest of minimal mess, I slide the brisket into an oven bag, and let it sit overnight in the fridge.

Since there are always more chipotles in even a small can than I typically use in a single preparation, I minced up the remaining peppers, poured them into a freezer bag, and froze them flat.  That way, when I want some chipotle, all I have to do is break off a chunk and toss the bag back into the freezer.

Sorry for the lack of pics here, but I wasn't thinking too clearly, and didn't think to pull out the camera.  I do have a photo of the test run brisket I did here in Greenville a couple of weeks before.  I haven't used oven bags much in the past, but they will make more frequent appearances from here on out.  The meat cooked up tender and brown, and there was no pan to scrub.  Two thumbs up in my opinion.

Once the brisket had marinated, I pulled it out of the fridge, cut a few slits in the top of the oven bag, and cooked it for about 4 hours in a 300 degree oven.

the end result was a tender, smoky, spicy brisket

Topped with a bit of simple vinegar slaw, and served on a pretzel roll, the meat made for a satisfying little slider sandwich.

great to eat with one hand while cheering on Pittsburgh --

too bad I couldn't cheer -- not even at a whisper...