When you try the brisket biryani at Southern Junction, you’ll swear that every bite is perfection. But that’s not how it started.
“It was around 2005. I was smoking brisket and burned it. Just completely ruined it. It was almost one big chunk of charcoal,” says Ryan Fernandez, owner of Southern Junction, a ‘Texish Smokehouse’ on 365 Connecticut St. “So I chopped it up and tossed it into the biryani I was making at the same time. It was actually good! And it got me thinking, is there something more to this?”
Smoking BBQ alongside traditional Indian food was nothing new for Fernandez. He was born and raised in India until moving to Texas and eventually Buffalo. His cooking style is a very much a product of these lived experiences.
Biryani is a rice dish with spices, vegetables and usually a type of meat. For this portion of Ryan’s accidental brainchild, he uses the recipe that his family has been making for years—his grandmother’s.
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“It’s a regional recipe from Kerala, India, where I’m from. But from Delhi to southeast India—everyone has their own way of making biryani,” Ryan notes. “My way is how we did it in our little corner of the world.”
When it comes to biryani, you can cook the sauce with the rice or cook them separately and then bring them together at the end. Ryan favors the latter because it gives him the opportunity to cook down tons of onion and methodically layer them in for a real flavor punch in every spoonful.
“Something that is particularly unique about our brisket biryani is that it has beef in it,” he says. “Kerala is one of the few places in India where they eat a lot of beef. India is typically not known for any kind of beef consumption. So that gets some head turns.”
Speaking of beef, the brisket half of this dish is quite the undertaking. It cooks for almost two days. Then Ryan and his team at Southern Junction trim it, rest it, smoke it and rest it again.
“Cooking brisket still terrifies me. I come in every morning and hope it rested fine,” Ryan jokes.“I don’t know if that will ever leave me.”
There are many variables when it comes to cooking this cut of meat, starting with each piece of brisket being completely different. Some will be skinny and some will be fatty, requiring each to be cooked at different temperatures. The seasoned firewood in the smoker is another factor. Based on the brisket, the wood will need to be stacked in a particular way to ensure it gets the desired smokiness.
But after turning out 700 pounds of brisket a week, Southern Junction has it down to a smoky science.
“BBQ is simple. Don’t rush it. When it’s ready, it’s ready,” Ryan says.
The brisket eventually gets added to the biryani during cooking, but you’ll also get some freshly chopped pieces added to the top when you order it. It’s a deliciously onion-y and beefy accompaniment to your main dish.
Have we mentioned this is a mere side dish at Southern Junction? If you think this is packed with family history, culture and ingenuity, just wait until you try the rest of the menu…
