Texas BBQ Brisket Spicy Pasta
Slow-smoked brisket, a chipotle-laced BBQ cream sauce, and bright fresh cilantro create a bold, smoky twist on classic pasta.
4 servings
Tex-Mex Italian Fusion Cuisine
🟡Intermediate★★★☆☆
Jul 19, 2025
31 views
Ingredients
🥩
1 cup
beef stock
low-sodium
🥬
1 medium
yellow onion
finely diced
🥬
2 tablespoons
tomato paste
🌾
12 ounces
rigatoni pasta
dried
🥛
2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
🥛
1 cup
sharp cheddar cheese
freshly shredded
🍎
1 tablespoon
lime juice
freshly squeezed
🥛
1 cup
heavy cream
💧
1 cup
BBQ sauce
Texas-style, moderately sweet
📦
12 ounces
smoked brisket
cut into 1/2-inch cubes, Texas-style post oak smoked
📦
0.5 cup
fresh cilantro leaves
roughly chopped, plus extra leaves for garnish
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0.25 cup
pickled jalapeño slices
optional, for garnish
🥬
3 unit
garlic cloves
minced
🥬
0.5 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
🥬
0.25 teaspoon
cayenne pepper
🫒
1 tablespoon
olive oil
🌶️
1 teaspoon
kosher salt
plus more for pasta water
🌶️
1 teaspoon
chipotle chili powder
🌶️
1 teaspoon
smoked paprika
Categories:🥩protein🥬vegetable🍎fruit🌾grain🥛dairy🌶️spice🫒oil💧liquid📦other
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, season generously with kosher salt until it tastes like the sea, add the rigatoni pasta, and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente; reserve 1 cup of the starchy water before draining to help adjust sauce consistency later.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and unsalted butter in a wide 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat until the butter finishes foaming; the mix of fats raises smoke point and adds round dairy notes.
Step 3
Add the yellow onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent and the edges begin to caramelize, about 5–6 minutes—this sweetness balances the spicy sauce.
Step 4
Stir in the garlic cloves and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds; avoid browning to prevent bitterness.
Step 5
Sprinkle in the chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper, stirring for 30 seconds to bloom the spices in the hot fat for deeper, toastier flavor.
Step 6
Add the tomato paste and cook, mashing it into the pan, until it turns a rusty brick red and leaves fond on the bottom, about 2 minutes; this caramelization builds umami.
Step 7
Deglaze with the beef stock, scraping up the fond with a wooden spoon, and simmer for 2 minutes to reduce by roughly one-third, concentrating beefy depth.
Step 8
Whisk in the BBQ sauce and heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickly coats the back of a spoon; keep heat moderate to prevent cream from breaking.
Step 9
Fold in the smoked brisket and the drained rigatoni pasta, tossing to coat; splash in reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the ridges of the pasta.
Step 10
Reduce heat to low, scatter in the sharp cheddar cheese, and stir until fully melted and emulsified—low heat prevents the cheese proteins from seizing and keeps the sauce silky.
Step 11
Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then brighten with the lime juice and fresh cilantro leaves, tossing just until the herbs wilt and the citrus scent lifts off the pan.
Step 12
Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with additional fresh cilantro leaves and pickled jalapeño slices for a pop of color, acid, and extra heat.
✨Chef's Tips
- ★Reserve extra smoked brisket fat: rendering a teaspoon into the pan with the olive oil punches up smokiness and echoes the pit flavor.
- ★Under-cook the rigatoni pasta by about 60 seconds—finishing directly in sauce allows the starch to bind and thicken for a restaurant-level lacquer.
- ★If the sauce looks greasy after adding sharp cheddar cheese, whisk in a tablespoon of cold heavy cream off heat; the sudden temperature change re-emulsifies the fats.
- ★For weeknight speed, warm store-bought smoked brisket in a 300°F oven wrapped in foil while you prep; for special occasions, smoke a whole packer brisket the day before and use the point meat for extra richness.
- ★Leftovers reheat best over gentle heat with a splash of beef stock or milk—the added moisture prevents the sauce from tightening and keeps the pasta creamy.
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