Couple of folks were curious as to how to produce a decent Texas Smoked Beef Brisket so I thought this would be the best place to discuss the subject. Feel free to jump in if you have a question or a tip to offer.
The Meat - I'd suggest USDA Choice Brisket. You can find it at most of the price Clubs as a Packer Flat or Whole Brisket. The "flats" are a bit more expensive and have less waste. Whole briskets are a bit easier to work with for the novice. Look for a brisket in the 10 - 12 lb range.
The Rub - Open any BBQ cookbook and you'll find at least 4 rub recipes. The basic rub for beef or pork is 1 part each of: paprika, salt (Kosher), sugar (white, brown or Turbinado) and black pepper. Feel free to embelish that mix with anything else you wish to add, just don't over-power the basic 4.
The Prep - Remove the brisket from its Cry-O-Vac (thick plastoc) wrapping and rinse it under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Lay it on a tray, fat side up. Season it with salt & pepper. Now grab a basting brush and some yellow mustard. Paint a coating of mustard onto the brisket - both sides. Now take your rub and shake a generous dose over the mustard. Wrap with cellophane and refridgerate overnight, or 8 hrs.+
The Smoke - This is a matter of preference. Texans like their Mesquite, some like Hickory. I use either a Brinkman Offset Pit Smoker, or a Cookshack electric smoker. If you're using a pit smoker, you want to use natural wood charcoal (some call it Cowboy or Lump) as your heat source. The flavoring wood ( Mesquite, Hickory, etc.) is added to the lump charcoal in small amounts during the smoke process. It's a good idea to pre-soak the wood chunks in water prior to adding them to the firebox.
The QUE - Brisket likes a temp of 220 - 230 degrees. Once you've established that temp, place the brisket fat side up on the smoke rack. If possible, add a pan with an inch of water below the meat...the moisture will help keep the meat from drying out. Buy yourself a decent probe thermometer which you can read without opening the smoker. Set the probe into the center of the brisket. Add your "flavoring wood" to the fire box and pop a beer - you're in for a 10 hr wait
Most meat will plateau in a smoker...meaning the temp will climb to about 165 and rest there for awhile before climbing back up again. Don't sweat it...it's normal. Don't open the door and scream at the meat...it's done when it's done.
It's Done - WHEN, the internal temp of the meat reads 185 - 190. At that stage the ouside fat will feel like Jello. Carefully remove the meat to a board/tray. Gently wrap it with cellophane and wrap that in a bath towel. Put it in a chest cooler and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Pop another beer
The reason for holding the brisket is to let the juices settle in the meat. Cut it right out of the smoker and you'll probably find it dry. When cutting the meat, go AGAINST the grain and keep the slices thin.
That's about it. The same method also works well for Pork Butt (pulled pork).
Any questions, holler.
DmdMax
