Day 80 Texas (USA)

Texas the final frontier is here at last- and it is with a mixture of relief and joy that I arrive in the "Lone Star state" on day 80 of my journey around the world. Texans put their own spin on popular Mexican dishes like Tacos and Burritos but it is their barbecued briskets and baby back ribs that take centre stage. Today's menu consists of a Texas style Barbecued Brisket, the key ingredient being its own homemade sweet and sour barbecue sauce.

The first step was to rub the brisket with paprika and salt. Onion, celery and carrots were roughly diced and scattered around the brisket which was placed in a large oven- proof roasting pan. A couple of cups of broth were poured over, the pan covered and left in the oven at 350 degrees for about 3 hours.

The next step was to discard the excess fat and shred the brisket( the meat was so soft - all I used was a fork). A little olive oil was heated and bacon rendered in it along with red pepper, onion and a jalapeno. A can of tomatoes and minced garlic were added in and cooked for another 10 minutes or so. The final step was to combine it with the shredded meat and homemade barbecue sauce and simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

The barbecue sauce was made with ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, dark brown sugar, chopped garlic, lemon juice, cider vinegar and oil cooked together over medium heat for 10 minutes.

The pulled meat and sauce was ladled onto toasted buns - the perfect way to end a long journey....