First off, let me tell you that what I will be producing here took me many years to perfect. Many great tasting but leather tough briskets were made before I was taught how to do this by my BBQ Mentor several years ago.

This does require a smoker. A smoker is a BBQ pit with a firebox off to the side so you are not cooking directly over the fire. (Indirect heat) Most good sporting stores will have these and they will cost anywhere from $200 - $400 depending on size and weight. Don't bother trying to do this on a Weber. (sorry) As for wood, I live in mesquite country and that is what I prefer but oak, hickory or ANY fruit wood will work great. (Cherry, apple, etc...) I've tyried them all and I prefer mesquite or oak.




Brisket selection

I like a 12 lb. to 13 lb. brisket. They are easier to handle and take a little less time than does a 20 lb. brisket. The smaller briskets usually come out better as well. One side of the brisket will be a FAT side and the other will be meat side. DO NOT TRIM THE FAT! This is a cheap cut of meat down here. We paid .39 per lb. on special but typically, you see it at about 1.50 per lb.


We bought a 12.55 lb brisket for this cook-out and planned to feed 17 people. (I have a pretty large family)

Here goes:

Step 1: MARINATE



Using an aluminum pan, place the brisket in it (fat side up). Heavily season with a dry rub. If you have no dry sub for BBQ'ing, use a mixtrure of salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic, and dried parsely. Once the dry rub has been applied, pour one can of beer and one can of coke. If you are a tee totaler, use two cans of coke. This is important as the acid in the coke helps break down the meat tissue. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours. (we normally do it for 24 hours)



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Step 2: SEARING



With the smoker running at 275 degrees F, place the brisket in FAT SIDE DOWN and cook for 2 hours. This will drain some excess fat of and sear the meat for the smoke job that is coming. No need to save the marinate juice as you will not need it again.

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Step 3: SMOKING



Apply more dry rub to the brisket while it is on the smoker. Turn the brisket to FAT SIDE UP, apply dry rub to fat side and smoke for 45 minutes per lb. at between 250 F to 275 F. (9 hours for this 12.55 lb. brisket) If the temp. creeps up to 300 F for a little while, don't freak out, just regulate it back some but don't let it get above 350 at all. It won't ruin the brisket but it will make a charred crust that is not pleasing to look at or taste. (grin)

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Step 4: FINISHING



At this point, you have put the smoke into the meat. The brisket will still be tough as leather but the smoke taste is now throughout the entire brisket.

To finish the brisket, take it off the pit and double wrap it in HEAVY DUTY aluminum foil. Place it in the foil FAT SIDE UP and before you seal it, pour a new can of coke and 1/2 cup of water into the foil. Apply more dry rub AFTER you have put the coke and water in. Seal the foil and finish cooking for 30 minutes per lb. (6.5 hours for this brisket) Do NOT try and use the foil pan that you did the marinate in as you will not get a good seal but rather use double foil. You will typically have to splice two pieces of foil together to a get a single piece big enough to wrap the brisket. And remember, you DOUBLE wrap the brisket.

You can finish the brisket in the oven. The smoking is completed and since it is sealed it does not mater if you use oven heat or smoker heat. I do it both ways. If we are out in the back and there is a good fire going in the pit, I will use the pit so I do not heat the kitchen. If I have other things to do or it is at night where I can not tend the fire in the pit, I will finish it in the oven.

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Step 5: DONE and time to SLICE




Remove the brisket and allow it to cool for an hour or two. Once it has cooled but is still warm, remove the brisket from the foil and place on a cutting board. Slice the brisket and place slices back into the aluminum pan that you used to mirinate the brisket. (washed of course)

Once it is sliced, pour some of the juices that were left in the foil after you removed the brisket on top of the sliced brisket.



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And there you have it. This method produces a brisket that needs no knife for cutting. Very, very tender with a great smoked flavor.

By the way, this one was great. We ate it last night!




--PaulB

Well that was a waste of time... Maybe none of you have a BBQ pit or something. Oh well.

Hi Paul

I read your post and I thought it looked delish, but I don't have a smoker/pit etc down here to use and I can't figure out what a brisket would be in Aussie terms

Thanks for posting it though, it looks delish

Fiona

wow Paul, makes me wish I did have a smoker, great pics! Made me drool!

Brisket is kinda like corned beef isn't it?

This looks really good! I do have a smoker and I love Texas Brisket, I will have to try this recipe.

I bet a stovetop smoker would work. It uses wood and gourmands swear by it. Much cheaper and smaller than a $200-400 pit.