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