Finger Lickin’ Smokin’ Brisket
19 April, 2020
Smoking meats tends to scare people away, especially if you are new to grilling. I am at the point where almost everything I grill is done in my smoker grill, even those high heat meats. Why? I find that my smoker maintains the moisture in meat better than your average gas grill. There are multiple different ranges of smokers - gas, electric, wood chips, wood pellets with electric or self monitored temperature systems. I ,myself, am a lazy smoker, so I invested in a Treager Grill a couple of years ago. They have all different sizes and models, and it is an electric wood pellet grill. You fill up the wood pellet bin, set the temperature, and then walk away! A lot of companies make small smoker grills, so if your in an apartment, you could fit one on a small balcony or patio. I ended up getting a second small Traeger smoker grill for camping, and its a nice size for one to two people.
The next thing you will need if you want to be a true “Smoker of the Meats” is a quality instant thermometer. My go to company for my thermometer needs is the Thermoworks company. Their normal Thermapen is a great every day cooking thermometer. They also make a great grill/oven set, that has a base that stays where you are cooking the meat and a remote that you can carry around the house with you that updates you on the temperature progress.
Ingredients for the Best Brisket (Yep! there are only two…..)
One brisket, size of your choosing.
A large jar or bottle of pork BBQ rub
Prepping the Meat
Alright, so this is where you have to get yourself a little bit organized. You need to plan this cook out at least the day before. Clear a surface and lay out a piece of plastic wrap. Place your Brisket on top of the wrap, and sprinkle the pork rub all over, and then flip it over and smother the other side with the rub. Press the rub into the meat to get as much to stick to the surface as you can. Make sure you also get the sides of the meat covered in rub as well, and then wrap it in the plastic wrap (you may need to double up the wrap depending on the size of your brisket). Place the meat in the fridge overnight, or up to 24 hours.
How Long Does it Take to Smoke your Brisket?
The answer is it depends. Most smoking recipes give you time frames, but every cut of meat is a little different, so you will have a different cooking time every time. So, instead of thinking of time, think of temperature. Keep in mind, the larger the piece of meat and/or the lower the cooking temperature, the longer the cook time. This 3.5 lb brisket took about 5.5 to 6 hours. This is where a quality thermometer comes in handy! I like to use one that you can leave in the meat while monitoring the temp outside of the grill. Make sure you position your thermometer as close to the center of of the thickest cut of the meat as possible. This is going to be the last part of the meat that comes to temp. You want to make sure you don’t serve raw brisket!
What Temperature do you Smoke Something At?
Typically smoking temperatures range from 180-275 degrees Fahrenheit. When in doubt, I say go with 225 degrees. The only time I go higher is if I am cooking a turkey. Then I usually take the temperature up to 275 degrees. For this recipe the temperature is simple. 225 the whole time! Do not be concerned if your temperatures fluctuate plus or minus 30 degrees. If it gets above 250 or below 200, you should check your wood/fuel supply or your temperature setting.
Lets Put It All Together Now!
Set your grill temperature to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, and let the grill smoke and season for about 10-15 minutes. Once the temperature is stable, place the brisket (Make sure the plastic wrap has been removed!) fat side up on the grill. The side you lay it on is really based on preference. Most recipes call to put the fat side on the grill, but I prefer to leave it on top so the fat naturally bastes the meat as it cooks. Stick your thermometer into the center of the meat and let it cook.
Once the temperature of the meat gets to 160-165 degrees (This took about 2.5-3 hours on my brisket), take the brisket off of the grill and wrap it in a large piece of heavy duty tinfoil. Make sure you wrap it tight with the seam on the top. The idea is to make a capsule to keep all of the juices involved in the cooking environment. Put the thermometer back into the meat, but this time put it in through the top, so the hole in the tinfoil doesn’t allow and liquid to leak out of the tinfoil pouch.
Cook for about another 2-3 hours, or longer if you have a large brisket. The key is you want to get the meat to 204-205 degrees. Once you think you are there on the temperature, insert your instant read thermometer into a couple different places in the meat, so you can just give yourself a double down on ensuring the brisket has cooked enough and will be tender throughout. Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest in the tinfoil, until you have all your sides ready, and you are prepared for the ceremonious cutting/parading of the brisket (I have obviously been watching too much Game of Thrones…….).
Slice the brisket about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness, and make sure you slice perpendicular to the grain of the meat.
Now that you all have the keys to being a smoke master, you have plenty of time to practice until you are allowed to invite your friends over for socializing again. I expect you to perfect your skills! Make sure you have some yummy barbecue sides! We went with some homemade mac and cheese and some broccoli slaw.