How To Smoke A Brisket Texas Style Food

TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Set the brisket on a large sheet of plastic wrap.
• In a medium bowl combine the dark brown sugar, chili power, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, dry mustard, and cumin thoroughly.
• Rub the mixture onto the brisket and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap.
• Place on a baking sheet and let marinate refrigerated at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Remove the meat from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
• Soak mesquite wood chips in a large bowl of water for 1 to 2 hours.
• Remove, drain and set aside.
• Prepare a smoker with charcoal and the wood chips according to the manufacturer's instructions to 180 to 200 degrees F.
• Place the water pan in the smoker and add water to the fill line, about 2/3 full.
• Place the unwrapped brisket on the lower rack off the direct heat, close the lid, and cook, regularly stoking the fire and adding additional chips, until an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees F, about 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for 20 minutes before carving the meat against the grain.
• (Alternately, prepare a stove-top smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place the unwrapped brisket on the rack over low heat. Close the lid and smoke for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Remove the meat from the smoker and wrap in) BBQ Sauce: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add the ketchup, brown sugar, cane syrup, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, Essence, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the flavors marry, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before serving.
• Essence: Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

HOW TO SMOKE A BRISKET - TEXAS STYLE

Steps:

• Trim the Brisket : Make sure the brisket is cold for this step. I sometimes throw the still packaged brisket in the freezer for 20 mins before I plan to start trimming. The brisket has two different sides to it. The flat (lean side) and the point (taller, fatty side). You will want to reduce the fat cap to about ¼" thickness. This helps keep the brisket moist and juicy through the smoking process. You'll notice very hard and thick parts of fat on the point and underside. Remove most of this as you can. This fat will not render and is not the type of fat that compliments the flavors of the brisket.
• Brisket Rub : Evenly spread the rub over the brisket but don't overdo it. You can easily put too much rub on. You can let the brisket sit on the counter up to an hour before cooking.
• Smoker Set Up: I like to run my smoker at 250 degrees F at the start. Depending on your smoker, this may take some time. Everyone has a different opinion of what wood to smoke. I typically use oak wood for my brisket but everyone has a different opinion when it comes to smoking woods. Oak provides a medium smoky flavor that is a bit lighter than Hickory. Hickory provides a sweeter finish and is great for low and slow cooks.
• Once the smoker is at temp it is ready for the brisket. Now is the time to insert your meat thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket. Make sure the probe is in the meat and not the fat. Place the brisket in the smoker with the fat cap facing up and the point facing the heat source (more important on offset smokers). The point requires more time to cook compared to the flat, so it is best to have the point closer to the heat source.
• To keep the moisture up during the cook, I put a bowl of water in with the brisket. This helps the brisket stay moist and creates a better bark because smoke likes the cool and moist areas of meat. When you're smoking brisket for a long period, keeping the smoker humid helps ensure the brisket does not dry out. Now is the time for patience. Do not constantly go back and open your smoker to inspect the brisket. Trust your meat thermometer and leave the brisket alone. Slow and consistent heat is what makes the best brisket.After 3-4 hours of smoking I start to spritz the brisket with apple cider vinegar every hour until it is time to wrap.
• After 3-4 hours of smoking, move smoker temp to 265F.
• Keep Spritzing the dry parts of the brisket every hour.
• Brisket Stall : After about 7 hours you will notice that your brisket internal temp has been sitting the same for quite some time. Probably around 160/165 degrees F. This is normal. It is called "The Stall".The brisket is at a temperature where the fat is rendering down and creating a cooling effect on the meat. This can go on for hours depending on how much fat content is in the brisket. When this happens, the inexperienced BBQ'er starts to panic.
• Once the brisket is in the stall and a nice bark has formed, the next step is to wrap in the wax free butcher paper. This is the Aaron Franklin method and it seems to give the best results. Before I remove the brisket, I lay out two 4' lengths of butcher paper on a table. See picture below. I overlap the two pieces. I have started to use melted beef tallow and apply it over the butcher paper where the brisket will sit. This seems to aid in keeping the brisket extra tender and juicy. I then place the brisket on the butcher paper and wrap it very tightly. You do not want to leave large air gaps in the butcher paper because you could get a steaming effect. Take your time and wrap the brisket tight. Set the temp to 275F and we are in the final stretch of the cook.
• Re-insert the thermometer and place back in the smoker.
• On average I find the briskets are done around 205F but this can differ from one brisket to the next.
• Resting the Brisket: I've changed this step dramatically over the years and I think I have it mastered. I simply leave it wrapped sitting on a counter with a towel over top for about 2 hours or until the internal temp hits 150F. Once it hits this temperature, you can either put it in a warmed cooler or I put it in an oven that can maintain a keep warm temperature of 150F. You can rest your brisket for hours as long as the internal temperature does not drop below 140F. I typically let me brisket rest a minimum of 2-3 hours. The longer the better. As the brisket rests, it reabsorbs the moisture and juices making a much juicier meal.
• Cutting the Brisket : I start by cutting the flat. You want to cut about 1/4" thick slices. It is important to cut across the grain of the meat. Once you have cut about half way up the brisket, you will notice another line of fat in your slices. This is where the point meets the flat. You want to stop at this point. You will want to cut the point in half, perpendicular to the slices of the flat. One half of the point will consist of good meat and the other will consist of a lot of fatty meat. It isn't hard to identify. Cut the good side of the point in 1/4"-1/3" slices again. Remove any remaining large fat layers before serving.
• Serve Immediately!

TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• 1 Order the brisket You'll have to special-order your brisket ahead of time (the brisket already sold at the meat counter is typically not whole). You should be able to do this at almost any butcher shop or at a grocery store meat counter. Ask for a brisket that is as evenly thick as possible, with the surrounding fat trimmed to 1/4" thick (this protects the meat from drying out while cooking).
• 2 Season the meat An hour before preparing the grill, place brisket on a rimmed baking sheet. Mix salt and pepper in a small bowl and season the meat all over (it should look like sand stuck to wet skin but without being cakey). Let meat sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
• 3 Prepare your grill Meanwhile, soak 6 cups wood chips in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Leave in water throughout the cooking process. Keep remaining 2 cups chips dry. Light only 1 grill burner to medium (if using a 3-burner grill, light burner on either end). Make sure drip tray is empty, as a lot of fat will render. Place smoker box over the lit burner, add 1/2 cup soaked wood chips to box, and close grill. Adjust heat as needed to keep temperature at 225-250°F. We recommend using a stand-alone thermometer, even if your grill has one, to ensure an accurate reading. Stick it through the gap between the lid and base of the grill (or set it on the grill's upper shelf, though this is not ideal, as it requires opening the lid more frequently). The wood chips should begin to smolder and release a steady stream of smoke. How long this takes depends on how wet your chips are and the heat of your grill. To get more smoke without increasing grill heat, add a few dry chips to the soaked ones.
• 4 Maintain the heat Place brisket, fatty side up, on grill grate as far away from lit burner as possible. Cover grill and smoke meat, resisting the urge to open grill often, as this will cause the temperature to fluctuate. Adjust heat as needed to keep temperature steady at 225-250°F. Check wood chips every 45 minutes or so, and add soaked chips by 1/2-cupfuls as needed to keep smoke level constant.
• 5 Know when it's done Keep smoking the brisket, rotating every 3 hours and flipping as needed if top or bottom is coloring faster than the other, until meat is very tender but not falling apart and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 195-205°F, 10-12 hours total.*
• *Need a cheat? If you just don't want to spend your whole day at the grill, here's a fail-safe, Aaron Franklin- endorsed alternate method that will deliver similarly glorious results: Smoke brisket on grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 150-170°F, 5-6 hours. Wrap brisket in foil, place on a baking sheet, and cook in a 250°F oven until meat reaches the same 195-205°F internal temperature, 4-6 hours longer. What's important is getting that smoky flavor into the meat, and 5-6 hours on the grill should do it. After that point, you're simply getting the meat cooked through.
• DO AHEAD: Brisket is best shortly off the grill, but you can still get good results smoking it up to 3 days ahead. Let cool for an hour before wrapping in foil and chilling. To serve, reheat meat, still wrapped, in a 325°F oven until warmed through.
• 6 Dig in Transfer brisket to a carving board and let rest at least 30 minutes. Slice brisket against the grain 1/4" thick.
• Serve it with: Coleslaw, potato salad, and pinto beans.

TEXAS-STYLE BRISKET

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.

TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat smoker and add wood chips (follow your instruction manual).
• Rinse and dry the brisket.
• Apply Texas-style brisket rub.
• Place brisket in the smoker for 8 to 10 hours. Keep the smoker temperature at about 225 F to 250 F (108 C to 120 C).
• To increase tenderness, take the brisket out of the smoker once it reaches 170 F, wrap it in aluminum foil and place back in the smoker or in an oven at 180 F to 200 F for the last two hours or until the internal temperature reaches 190 F.
• Serve and enjoy.

SMOKED BRISKET SOUTH TEXAS STYLE

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.

TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BRISKET RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• Season the meat an hour before preparing the grill, place brisket on a rimmed baking sheet. Mix salt and pepper in a small bowl and season the meat all over (it should look like sand stuck to wet skin but without being cakey). Let meat sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Prepare your grill. Meanwhile, soak 6 cups wood chips in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Leave in water throughout the cooking process. Keep remaining 2 cups chips dry. Light only 1 grill burner to medium (if using a 3-burner grill, light burner on either end). Make sure drip tray is empty, as a lot of fat will render. Place smoker box over the lit burner, add 1/2 cup soaked wood chips to box, and close grill. Adjust heat as needed to keep temperature at 225 to 250°F. We recommend using a stand-alone thermometer, even if your grill has one, to ensure an accurate reading. Stick it through the gap between the lid and base of the grill (or set it on the grill's upper shelf, though this is not ideal, as it requires opening the lid more frequently). The wood chips should begin to smolder and release a steady stream of smoke. How long this takes depends on how wet your chips are and the heat of your grill. To get more smoke without increasing grill heat, add a few dry chips to the soaked ones. Maintain the heat. Place brisket, fatty side up, on grill grate as far away from lit burner as possible. Cover grill and smoke meat, resisting the urge to open grill often, as this will cause the temperature to fluctuate. Adjust heat as needed to keep temperature steady at 225 to 250°F. Check wood chips every 45 minutes or so, and add soaked chips by 1/2-cupfuls as needed to keep smoke level constant. If you just don't want to spend your whole day at the grill, here's a fail-safe, Aaron Franklin- endorsed alternate method that will deliver similarly glorious results: Smoke brisket on grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 150 to 170°F, 5 to 6 hours. Wrap brisket in foil, place on a baking sheet, and cook in a 250°F oven until meat reaches the same 195 to 205°F internal temperature, 4 to 6 hours longer. What's important is getting that smoky flavor into the meat, and 5 to 6 hours on the grill should do it. After that point, you're simply getting the meat cooked through. DO AHEAD: Brisket is best shortly off the grill, but you can still get good results smoking it up to 3 days ahead. Let cool for an hour before wrapping in foil and chilling. To serve, reheat meat, still wrapped, in a 325°F oven until warmed through.