| A brisket is known to be the toughest cut of meat | | | | out of the refrigerator one hour before you want to |
| from a cow, though when | | | | put it on the |
| prepared and cooked correctly it can be the best | | | | smoker. Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker. |
| tasting and most tender meat you | | | | The fat will release oils into the |
| will ever eat. In this section, I will teach you how to | | | | brisket to help keep it moist while cooking.I use a |
| choose, prepare, and | | | | wood smoker with a firebox to provide indirect heat |
| barbeque a brisket, Texas style, to achieve the best | | | | for outdoor cooking. I |
| results possible. Please notice | | | | have found this method to be the best, but there are |
| the other smoker recipes located in the index on the | | | | many more smokers available |
| right side of the page.Choosing A Good Brisket To | | | | to choose from such as water smokers, propane |
| SmokeA brisket is composed of two parts, the flat | | | | smokers, and charcoal smokers.I use mesquite for |
| and the point. The flat section usually | | | | smoking briskets because it provides a delicious |
| has less fat on it while the point should have | | | | smoke flavor, |
| considerably more. The fat on top of | | | | burns hotter so less wood is used, and that is how |
| the brisket is called the "fat cap" and should be white | | | | we do it in Texas. Many people |
| in color. The thickness of fat | | | | do not use mesquite, which is fine, and I have included |
| on top should be at least 1/4 of an inch thick, and | | | | a section for wood selection |
| thicker is ok. When purchasing a | | | | to provide you with information about the different |
| brisket, make sure the meat is a deep red color, | | | | types of wood that are good to |
| which will represent freshness, and | | | | use for smoking purposes.To achieve the best results, |
| make sure it has plenty of fat incorporated throughout | | | | I cook the brisket at 225 degrees for about 1 hour and |
| the meat, not just on top. | | | | |
| The combination of the deep red color and the white | | | | 15 minutes per pound. Many variables also affect |
| fat of a brisket is called | | | | cooking time and temperature |
| marbling, and it is the key to choosing a good brisket | | | | such as how many times the smoker is opened, how |
| to bbq. Since the brisket is | | | | close the brisket is to the fire |
| such a thick cut of meat, the fat located throughout | | | | box, etc, but sticking to 225 degrees/1 hr. 15 mn. will |
| the meat will help to keep the | | | | work. Many people believe |
| brisket moist while smoking.Make sure the brisket has | | | | that when the internal temperature of the brisket |
| not been frozen. A frozen brisket will not display a | | | | reaches 180 degrees, it is done. |
| deep | | | | This is both true and false. When the internal |
| red color, the fat may be darker instead of white, and | | | | temperature of the brisket is around |
| the brisket will not turn out as | | | | 180, the fat in the brisket really begins to marbleize. |
| tender and juicy as a fresh one after smoking it.When | | | | The brisket will maintain this |
| I choose a brisket, I lift the brisket in the middle to see | | | | temperature for a while, and this adds to the |
| how limber it is. I have | | | | tenderness of the brisket.I always use a mop sauce to |
| seen briskets that are stiff as a board, and some that | | | | baste the brisket while it is smoking. This will keep the |
| bend over each side of my | | | | outside of the brisket moist and tender. It is important |
| hand. The stiff ones more than likely have been | | | | to keep the lid closed while |
| frozen, and I have noticed that they | | | | smoking the brisket to reduce heat loss, so I baste the |
| may not always be as tender as a brisket that is | | | | brisket with the mop sauce |
| more limber. Some people disagree | | | | about every 45 minutes to 1 hour.A great way to |
| with this test, but I am a firm believer because of the | | | | keep briskets moist while smoking them is to use a |
| results I get.The weight of the brisket should be | | | | mop consisting |
| between 8 and 11 pounds. A larger brisket | | | | of apple juice mixed with olive oil. It gives the brisket a |
| takes longer to cook, and the flat may become | | | | great flavor, which is not |
| tougher or stringy because of the | | | | overpowering, while keeping the brisket moist from |
| longer cooking time.Preparing The BrisketAfter | | | | the oil. An easy way to apply |
| choosing the perfect brisket, I start my preparation | | | | this mop is to put it in a spray bottle and simply squirt it |
| process the night before I | | | | on the brisket.After 7 hours a brisket usually will not |
| want to smoke the brisket. First, make sure you have | | | | absorb much more smoke. An option for |
| plenty of work space and a | | | | finishing a brisket is to wrap it in aluminum foil, and |
| clean area to prepare the brisket on. The brisket | | | | place it in an oven at 225 |
| should have fat on it no more than | | | | degrees for the remaining cook time. I rarely use this |
| 1/4 inch thick. Thicker fat will not allow the smoke to | | | | method because I enjoy |
| penetrate into the meat | | | | smoking the brisket for the full time, but I have used it, |
| located under the fat. If the fat is too thick, trim it | | | | and it works.SLICING THE BRISKETALWAYS slice |
| down until you reach the 1/4- | | | | the brisket against the grain. Doing this will make the |
| inch thickness.After trimming the brisket, I rub the | | | | cuts of meet |
| brisket down with mustard. The mustard | | | | very tender. To do this, remove some fat from the |
| creates a sticky substance on the meat for the rub to | | | | top of the brisket to see the |
| stick to, and it also adds a | | | | direction of the grain in the meat, and slice against it.I |
| great flavor when combined with the rub. Massage | | | | separate the point from the flat before I slice the |
| the mustard into every portion of | | | | brisket because the grain |
| the meat, including the fat, so that it covers the brisket | | | | generally runs the same direction in the flat, and it is |
| nicely. You do not want the | | | | easier to see when it is |
| mustard layer to be too thick; it should be just enough | | | | separated. The point is a little harder to correctly slice |
| to create a paste for the rub | | | | because the grain in it runs in |
| to stick to.I choose to use a rub on my briskets | | | | different directions. After some practice at carving the |
| instead of a marinade because I have found | | | | brisket, you will know which |
| that marinades penetrate only about 1/2 inch deep into | | | | direction the grain runs, and you will find it much |
| the meat. You should use | | | | easier.Add your favorite barbeque sauce.Perfect your |
| whichever method you like best, but I am going to | | | | smoking techniques, and you will win a barbeque |
| describe the rub method. | | | | competition in no |
| Marinade and rub recipes can be found by clicking on | | | | time!HAVE A GREAT BARBEQUE!Aaron Ralston, |
| either of the links.After fully covering the brisket in | | | | also known as The Smoker King, is the owner of |
| mustard, apply the rub on the brisket. When done | | | | Outdoor |
| correctly, the rub should form an evenly distributed | | | | Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs at Check out |
| layer of seasoning on the | | | | today to learn |
| brisket.Wrap the prepared brisket in Clingwrap, or a | | | | many great barbeque and cooking recipes and |
| similar material to seal it, and then | | | | techniques. |
| refrigerate it overnight.Barbeque TimeTake the brisket | | | | |