Bacon Barbecued Brisket Flat Food

BACON-BARBECUED BRISKET FLAT

Steps:

• Place the brisket in a 9-by-13-inch disposable aluminum foil drip pan and generously season the top, bottom and sides of the brisket with salt, pepper and, if you like your brisket spicy, red-pepper flakes. Set the brisket with the lean side up. (The lean side is the flatter, less fatty side.)
• 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 in its pan to the smoker and smoke for 1 hour.
• Using tongs, flip the brisket so the fat side is on top. Neatly drape the top of the brisket with half the bacon slices. Cook the brisket until the bacon is deeply browned, about 3 hours. Refuel your cooker as necessary, adding wood as needed to generate a steady stream of smoke. Remove the browned bacon slices (and feel free to snack on them as a reward for your patience). Shingle the remaining uncooked bacon slices over the top of the brisket, overlapping them slightly.
• Continue cooking the brisket until the bacon and top of the brisket are deeply browned and the internal temperature registers 200 to 205 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, another 3 to 4 hours. There should be a nice pool of bacon and brisket fat in the bottom of the pan. Refuel your cooker as needed.
• You can eat the brisket immediately, but it will be moister and more tender if you let it rest in the drip pan, covered with foil, in an insulated cooler for 1 hour.
• To serve, transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Cut across the grain into 1/4-inch slices, or as thickly or thinly as you desire, slicing the bacon along with it (or serving it on the side). Spoon any juices from the cutting board over the brisket, along with any pan drippings, to taste. Form sandwiches with bread or serve it on the side. Here, too, barbecue sauce is optional, but if you serve it, try the meat by itself first to appreciate the interplay of smoke and spice.

SMOKED BBQ BRISKET

Steps:

• Mix together the spices in a small bowl. Rub the entire brisket with the spice mixture, place on a baking sheet, cover and let stand in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.
• Prepare the smoker according to manufacturer's directions. Place the brisket in the smoker, fat side down, and smoke for 4 to 5 hours or until extremely tender. Baste with the mop every 30 minutes.
• Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan, season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

OKLAHOMA JOE'S SMOKED BRISKET FLAT

Steps:

• Combine all the spices in a bowl, mix well. Pat the spice rub onto the meat, making sure to heavily season the entire surface area of the brisket. Cover or wrap the brisket and let it sit at room temperature while getting the smoker or charcoal grill fired up. Do not leave at room temperature for longer than 1 hour.
• The grill is ready when the charcoal has burned to a white ash. If using a grill instead of a smoker, arrange the coals on 1 side of the grill, leaving an area large enough for the brisket to cook indirectly with no coals directly underneath the meat.
• When the grill has reached 200 to 225 degrees F, scatter 1/4 of the wood chips over the coals, close the grate, put the brisket on the grill and close the lid.
• Maintain a 200 to 225 degree F cooking temperature inside the grill, adding coals every 2 hours or as necessary. Add wood chips and spray the brisket with apple juice every time you add new coals. Try not to lift the lid of the grill at any other time.
• When the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 165 to 170 degrees F on an instant read meat thermometer (after about 4 to 5 hours), remove it from the grill and double wrap in aluminum foil to keep the juices from leaking out. Return the brisket to the grill (or smoker) The brisket is finished cooking when it is very tender and reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees F, about another 1 to 2 hours. Let rest for 45 minutes, then unwrap and slice. Serve with BBQ sauce on the side.

OVEN BARBECUED BEEF BRISKET I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees).
• Sprinkle both sides of brisket with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place in a large covered roasting pan.
• Cook covered with no water at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) allowing 1 hour per pound.
• Before last hour of cooking, remove brisket and slice. Return slices to pan and add barbecue sauce mixed with water. Cover meat with sauce, cover, and cook 1 hour longer.