Real Texas Brisket Smoked Southwest Recipes

Steps:

• Trim the fat cap on the brisket to about 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch. Coat the brisket with a light coating of the yellow mustard. Mix the sugar and spices together to form the rub for the brisket. Apply the rub to both sides of the meat.
• Place the brisket in a preheated 194 to 205 degree F smoker until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 185 to 195 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours per pound. Once the internal temperature is reached, remove the brisket from the smoker and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, trim the brisket: Set the brisket flat side down, so the leaner side is underneath and the rounded, fatty point side is on top. Wherever you find a thick sheath of fat on the top surface, trim it to within 1/4 inch of the meat. Now look at the side of the brisket: There's a large pocket of fat between the point and the flat. Using the point of the knife, cut some of it out, but avoid cutting directly into the meat. Turn the brisket so the flat faces up. There's a lump of fat on one side: Again, trim it to within 1/4 inch of the meat. Be careful not to overtrim. It's better to err on the side of too much fat than too little. While you're at it, trim off any thin, sharp corners of the flat part of the meat, so the brisket is slightly rounded.
• Season the brisket: Place the brisket on a rimmed sheet pan and generously season the top, bottom and sides with salt, pepper and, if you like your brisket spicy, red-pepper flakes.
• Create a platform for cooking the brisket by cutting a flat piece of cardboard the size and shape of the brisket. (There's no need to make it any larger; the brisket will shrink considerably during cooking.) Wrap the cardboard template in 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Using an ice pick, a metal skewer or other sharp implement, poke holes in the foil-covered cardboard at 1-inch intervals. The idea is to create a perforated platform for the brisket. Set the brisket flat on the foil-covered cardboard, lean side down. (This prevents the lean bottom of the brisket flat from drying out and burning, while the holes still let in the smoke.)
• Light your grill, smoker or cooker (such as a Big Green Egg) and heat it to 250 degrees. If using a kettle grill, start with less charcoal than you would for grilling a steak: A third to a half chimney starter will do it. If using a smoker, place a large heat-proof bowl of water in the smoke chamber. (This is optional, but it creates a humid environment that will keep your brisket moist and help the smoke adhere to the meat.) Add wood as specified by the manufacturer to generate smoke. If using a kamado-style cooker, set up a top-down burn: Load the fire box with lump charcoal, interspersing it with wood chunks or chips. Light 3 or 4 coals on top in the center; gradually, they'll burn down, igniting the coals and wood beneath them.)
• Transfer the brisket on the foil-lined cardboard to the smoker. If using an offset smoker, position the thicker end toward the firebox. Cook the brisket until the outside is dark and the internal temperature registers about 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. This normally takes 6 to 8 hours. Refuel your cooker as needed, adding wood to obtain a steady stream of smoke. If the outside of the brisket darkens too much, loosely lay a sheet of foil on top. (Don't bunch it, or the meat will steam rather than smoke, resulting in a pot roast-like consistency.)
• Wrap the brisket: Lay 2 overlapping sheets of pink (unlined) butcher paper or parchment paper on your work surface. Each piece should be about 3 feet long. You want to create a square about 3 feet on each side. Wearing heatproof rubber or silicone gloves (or carefully using tongs), transfer the brisket to the center of this paper square. Fold the bottom section over the brisket. Fold in the sides and roll the brisket over so it's completely swaddled in paper. (It's a little like making a burrito.) Note the orientation: You want the fatty point of the brisket to remain on top. Carefully set the wrapped brisket back on the foil-lined cardboard and return it to the cooker.
• Continue cooking the brisket to an internal temperature of 200 to 205 degrees (it will be deeply browned and very tender), another 2 to 4 hours, bringing your total cooking time to 8 to 12 hours, depending on your cooker and the size of your brisket. (Start monitoring the internal temperature at the 8-hour mark.) Additional tests for doneness include the jiggle test: Grab the brisket with a gloved hand and shake it; the meat will jiggle like Jell-O. You could also try the bend test: Lift both ends and it will bend easily in the middle, or place a gloved hand under the center of the brisket and the ends will droop.
• You can eat the brisket now. But there's one more optional step that will take your brisket from excellent to sublime: Let it rest. Place the wrapped brisket in an insulated cooler to rest for 1 to 2 hours, allowing the meat to relax and the juices to redistribute.
• To serve the brisket, unwrap it over a sheet pan to catch any juices trapped in the paper. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board (ideally, one with a well), lean flat section down. Cut the brisket in half crosswise, separating the flat section from the point section. The corner of the flat furthest from the sliced side may be tough and dry. Make a diagonal cut to remove it. Dice it and serve as burnt ends to thank onlookers for their patience. Look for the grain of the meat. Using a serrated knife or sharp carving knife, slice this section as thickly or as thinly as desired. (Texas tradition calls for slices that are the thickness of a pencil.) If your brisket has somehow come out tough, slice it paper-thin, which will make it seem more tender.
• Now slice the point section: Again, trim off and discard any obvious large lumps of fat. Slice the meat across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices (or as desired). Arrange the slices on a platter or plates and spoon the reserved meat drippings over them. It's nice to serve the meat by itself so you can appreciate the complex interplay of salt, spice, smoke, meat and fat. Texas tradition calls for sliced factory-style white bread. If you opt for barbecue sauce, serve it on the side.

Steps:

• Trim fat on brisket to 1/2-inch thickness. Rub brisket with pepper and salt; place in a large disposable foil pan, fat side up. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight. Meanwhile, soak wood chips in water., To prepare grill for slow indirect cooking, adjust grill vents so top vent is half open and bottom vent is open only a quarter of the way. Make 2 arrangements of 45 unlit coals on opposite sides of the grill, leaving the center of the grill open. Light 20 additional coals until ash-covered; distribute over unlit coals. Sprinkle 2 cups soaked wood chips over lit coals., Replace grill rack. Close grill and allow temperature in grill to reach 275°, about 15 minutes., Place foil pan with brisket in center of grill rack; cover grill and cook 3 hours (do not open grill). Check temperature of grill periodically to maintain a temperature of 275° throughout cooking. Heat level may be adjusted by opening vents to raise temperature and closing vents partway to decrease temperature., Add another 10 unlit coals and 1 cup wood chips to each side of the grill. Cook brisket, covered, 3-4 hours longer or until fork-tender (a thermometer inserted in brisket should read about 190°); add coals and wood chips as needed to maintain a grill temperature of 275°., Remove brisket from grill. Cover tightly with foil; let stand 30-60 minutes. Cut brisket across the grain into slices.

Steps:

• Trim brisket leaving 1/2" layer of fat on top. Determine the direction of the grain of the meet and cut off a slice across the grain. This way when the meet is done, and covered with a dark brown crust, you'll be able to see which direction you should slice.
• Brush with 1/4 cup of lemon juice (bottle juice is fine).
• In a bowl, combine lemon pepper, oregano, celery salt, garlic salt, and seasoned salt.
• Rub brisket with 1/2 of this mixture, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• Remove brisket and let it come to room temp before cooking. Putting a cold piece of meat in a smoker is a sure fire recipe for disaster--the meet will be very bitter.
• Prepare your smoker according to the manufacturer's direction. Heat the smoker to 225°F at the cooking level.
• Place the brisket in the smoker, fat side up.
• Keep the temperature as close to 200°F as you can for the first 2-3 hours by adjusting the air intake, and adding small pieces of wood every 30 minutes. Do not adjust the out vent, it should always remain full open. You know your cooking properly when there is very little smoke coming out of the smoker, and the hot air coming out of the top vent is clear for the first foot, then it turns to a grayish white smoke. If smoke is billowing out of every opening, the smoke is cold and the air flow is too low--your brisket will taste like tar. You can let the temperature creep up to 225°F , but not much over that.
• In a small bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, and remaining lemon juice and rub mixture.
• Mop on the sauce every hour as you turn the meat. Be sure to turn the meat over and also rotate to ensure even cooking. This should be the only time you open the cooking area.
• Smoke 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours per pound, until the internal temperature is 190°F . If you go much past that, your brisket will not slice up, and you'll have pulled beef.
• Remove and wrap in aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for about 1 hour.
• Cut the point (the pyramid shaped portion) off following a natural fat layer between the point and the flat.
• Trim off excess fat.
• Slice the brisket across the grain, using the starter slice you should have done at the beginning as a guide. Slices should be 1/4" thick. If a portion of brisket is falling apart rather than slicing, don't despair. Save the shredded portions and the burnt ends. They will make the best BBQ beef sandwiches later, when chopped and mixed with BBQ sauce.

Steps:

• You are going to need a large pit BBQ with a cover to completely cook outside- or you can finish this off in the oven.
• Completely cover the brisket with the steak seasoning- don't be stingy- and pat in well or"rub" as we do here in Texas.
• Seasoning layer should be thick.
• Place brisket over coals located on one end of pit or in BBQ and sear all sides of brisket, watching for flame ups, for 2 hours.
• Use heavy duty foil and completely wrap brisket, placing in a pan that brisket fits comfortably Move pan to the side of the pit without the coals- or to your oven, set at 325 degrees- and let cook for 3 hours, replacing coals to keep temp in your pit at about 325-350 degrees.
• Remove pan and let brisket set for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
• Be sure that you slice against the grain of the brisket or it will be tough.
• There will be lots of wonderful au jus in the foil, be sure to pass that with your brisket and serve with pintos, cornbread and slaw.

Steps:

• Marinade: In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients until well blended.
• Rub: Combine all in a bowl. Triple or quadruple the recipe and keep the rest in a zip lock bag for future briskets.
• Brisket Prep: Cut a hole in the top of the vacuum pack and drain out the blood.
• Using a funnel, pour in the marinade, working it around until all of the brisket is covered. You should still have about 1/2 the marinade left. That will be used as a basting sauce when you smoke the brisket.
• Patch the whole with duct tape.
• Marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days--overnight as a minimum.
• Remove the brisket from the bag, pat dry.
• Determine the direction of the grain and slice a piece across the grain. This will help you later when it comes time to slice and serve--it's more difficult to tell later when the brisket is cooked.
• Coat brisket generously with the rub.
• Allow the brisket to come to room temperature before putting in the smoker. I place the brisket in a low oven (200 degrees F) while I get the smoker going.
• Smoking the brisket: Fire up the smoker according to the manufacture's instructions. Bring it up to 225 degrees F.
• Place brisket in smoker at the level of the thermometer, be sure there is not direct heat hitting the brisket.
• For the first two or three hours it is best to keep the heat between 190 to 220 degrees. It can gradually get hotter up to a max of 250, but lower for longer is always better. It will take approximately 8-10 hours.
• Turn, rotate, and baste every hour. Add wood to smoker every 30 min (as required) to keep the heat at a constant temperature. I use hickory or pecan.
• Check the internal temperature, at the thickest part of the brisket after about 8 hours.
• When brisket has an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. it's done. If you go much beyond that, the brisket will shred rather than slice. Remove and wrap in aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 1 hour before slicing.
• Slice the point off the brisket. There is a natural division of fat between the point and the flat to slice along.
• Working with the flat, slice 1/4 inch slices across the grain starting at the starter slice you made before smoking.
• Determine the direction of the grain on the point, and slice across the grain just as before.

Steps:

• Prep your pit with your favorite wood.
• I prefer pecan for the mellow flavor.
• Optimum cooking temperature will be between 200 to 250 degrees.
• Trim excess fat from brisket and place in smoker.
• Let it slow smoke for 2 hours or until you have a good smoke ring around it.
• Remove from smoker and rub it down with a stick of butter and then rub in the brown sugar.
• Wrap in tin foil and place back in the smoker cooking at 1 hour per pound while maintaining slow smoked temperature.
• If the temperature is too hard to control then you can cook as above for the first two hours or until you get a good smoke ring, add butter and brown suger, wrap in tin foil and cook in oven at 225 degrees for the remaining cooking time.

Steps:

• Thoroughly combine all dry rub ingredients. Rub mixture into the meat, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Store leftover mixture in an airtight jar or in freezer.
• Allow brisket to come to room temperature, and then arrange in a smoker. Put the brisket on the grill fat side up.
• You want a good steady low fire with a temperature between 200/225 degrees F at the meat level with cooking time at about 1 1/2 to 2 hours per pound. There is a ratio to the smoking - total cooking time = smoking time + last eight hours wrapped double in heavy-duty aluminum foil over a smokeless fire.
• Remove wrapped brisket from smoker and let stand for at least 15 minutes before opening and slicing. If necessary, you can throw this in an ice chest immediately after coming off the grill and it will stay "Hot" for several hours. Slice diagonally across the grain and trim off fat. Serve with American Kitchen Classic Texas Style BBQ Sauce - recipe #482550.