By Justin Pulcher This post may contain affiliate links.
Smoked brisket has been around for years. And while it is best well-done, it is now being done in a variety of ways. There are now different styles from Texas, Memphis, and Kansas City. There's even a "Canadian" style which uses peameal bacon as the primary meat.
I think we all can agree that eat a perfectly smoked brisket is like biting into a slice of Heaven. If you are not a seasoned veteran (Pitmaster) the challenge of a brisket can be a little overwhelming. Brisket smoking is a process that requires time and patience. It is best to start with a good quality meat, so that it does not get dried out while it is being cooked.
There are many different methods of preparing brisket smoking, but the main idea behind the preparation remains the same: cooking slowly over low heat for a long period of time. I have put together a small list to help you through these challenges and put together a delicious smoked brisket.
1. CHOOSING YOUR BRISKET
Brisket is the cut of beef that will be the center of your meal. But, what do you look for? What are some tips to make sure that you get a good brisket and not one that is tough or dry? There are some factors that we should consider when choosing a brisket. The first factor is the grade. There are four grades of briskets which range from CAB (Certified Angus Beef) Certified Briskets, Wagyu, Prime, Choice, Select, and Standard. When choosing this cut of beef, you'll want to go with a higher grade if possible. Some people might think this is too expensive but in general it's worth spending more money on a better piece of meat. Here is a list of companies that I think have some of the best.
2. TRIMMING YOUR BRISKET
The trimming process for a beef brisket is to remove the excess fat, silver skin, and any membranous tissue from the exterior of the brisket. Seasoning will penetrate the meat better when is it trimmed. It is easier to trim the brisket if it is cold. The fat is a little more firm. The reason for this is to ensure that the meat cooks evenly in a smoker. The trimming process may vary between countries and regions, but should be done before cooking. Here is a video from Thermoworks.
3. YOU HAVE TO SEASON THE BRISKET
The first thing that you will need to do is have a binder. I personally use mustard. This will allow the seasoning to adhere to the meat. There are three main ingredients for the base of any rub. They are salt, pepper, and garlic (SPG). From there you can add variants to your taste. I like to use what i get from the Grill Masters Club or No Bull BBQ. Another thing people do is inject the flat with beef tallow.
4. COOKING TEMP AND TIME?
Low and slow or hot and fast? Personally, low and slow is the way to go for me. I like get the smoker to about 220 degrees. You need to give it about 90 minutes per pound post trim. Do I wrap in butcher paper or foil? Yes, I have wrapped in both but prefer butcher paper for beef. Beef will allow smoke to penetrate for a lot longer than pork. Butcher paper allows the smoke to get to the meat. There isn't an exact temp you should wrap, its more of a look. Its when the bark is to your liking. Usually around the stall 165-170.
5. WHEN DO YOU KNOW IT'S DONE?
Just like wrapping the brisket, there is not an exact temp you should pull it. Obviously you want to check your temps but this is more of a feeling of the meat. If your probe enters with total ease and it's at the recommended temp (203 degrees) to pull, pull it. Does this mean your brisket is ready? No. There is another step that involves patience!
6. RESTING THE BRISKET!
Hey, man. This is by far the hardest part. You've just invested a portion of your life making this piece of heaven what it is. You are ready to eat this thing. When your planning your brisket you've got to account for rest time. At bare minimum it needs to rest for an hour. When you take it out of the smoker, you'll want to re-wrap in butcher paper very tight and stick it in a cooler. The fat and connective tissue continues to break down making the brisket that much more tender. It will fall apart in your mouth and leave you craving for more. My pick of meat companies is Snake River Farms. They have always delivered quality brisket.
7. SLICING YOUR BRISKET!
Now that all the hard stuff is out of the way and you've cooked a perfect jiggly brisket.
All that needs to be done is to slice it up. Believe it or not there is a very wrong way to slice brisket. This can be intimidating and doing it wrong can effect the final product. You will need a sharp knife about 13" long. Separate the flat of the brisket from the point. Remove the tip from the flat. Usually the smallest part of the cut and is mostly always overcooked. You will want to slice your flat against the grain. Take long, smooth strokes of the knife to the thickness of a pencil. When it comes to the point of the brisket you want to turn it 90 degrees to keep with cutting against the grain.
If you have completed all the above steps you should come out with a product that Aaron Frankin himself would be proud of.
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