Barbecued Brisket

Trim any excess fat from 1 flat brisket. Rub both sides of brisket thoroughly with Dry Rub. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day prepare a grill so that it will smoke slowly for about 6 hours or about 1 hour per pound. Start brisket on grill with the fattest side up. Cover grill. Mop with Mop Sauce frequently during grilling. Turn brisket about every hour.

Serve with warm Barbecue Sauce.Barbecued Brisket
1 (4 to 5 pound) fresh beef brisket
1 (5 ounce) bottle liquid smoke
3 teaspoons garlic salt
2 teaspoons onion salt
2 teaspoons celery salt
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
Heavy-duty aluminum foil

Line a 12 x 9-inch or larger baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing enough foil to cover meat. Turn brisket fat-side down and pour entire bottle of liquid smoke over meat. Sprinkle the 3 salts over meat. Turn brisket over (fat side on top) and seal with foil. Marinate overnight.

Next morning pour off marinade; bake in a 225 degree F oven for 5 hours. Let cool. Pour off gravy and refrigerate until cold.

Slice meat with meat slicer on a thin setting or use an electric knife. Layer in casserole dish the brisket and barbecue sauce; repeat several times. Cook an additional 30 to 45 minutes in a 300 degree F oven until warm.

Yields 8 to 10 servings.

 

Dry Rub
2
tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons
chili powder
2 tablespoons meat tenderizer
1 tablespoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon
garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in small bowl.

Mop Sauce
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef consommé
1 can water
1/3 cup vinegar
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons meat tenderizer
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf

Bring beef consommé and water to boil in medium-size saucepan. Turn down heat. Add remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Remove from heat.

Barbecue Sauce
1 1/2 cups Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup steak sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup catsup

Place all ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat.

Barbecued Brisket

1 (4 to 5 pound) fresh beef brisket
1 (5 ounce) bottle liquid smoke
3 teaspoons
garlic salt
2 teaspoons
onion salt
2 teaspoons
celery salt
1 (18 ounce) bottle
barbecue sauce
Heavy-duty aluminum foil

Line a 12 x 9-inch or larger baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing enough foil to cover meat. Turn brisket fat-side down and pour entire bottle of liquid smoke over meat. Sprinkle the 3 salts over meat. Turn brisket over (fat side on top) and seal with foil. Marinate overnight.

Next morning pour off marinade; bake in a 225 degree F oven for 5 hours. Let cool. Pour off gravy and refrigerate until cold.

Slice meat with meat slicer on a thin setting or use an electric knife. Layer in casserole dish the brisket and barbecue sauce; repeat several times. Cook an additional 30 to 45 minutes in a 300 degree F oven until warm.

Yields 8 to 10 servings.

 

 
BRISKET FLATS
Recipe courtesy Lynn and Richard Kancel
1 (4-pound) brisket
Barbecue Rub
2 cups BBQ sauce, your favorite
Prepare brisket with heavier coating of rub. Don’t trim fat (gives meat flavor and tenderness). Prepare Smoker the same way you did for the ribs. When the smoker reaches 220 degrees, place your brisket inside and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 4 hours, or when brisket is almost black. Wrap the brisket in foil. Don’t spritz the brisket with apple juice. Place the brisket back into the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, about 2 more hours. ***Cook meat around 1 1/2 hours per pound. (For a 4 pound flat, cook for about 6 hours). Let cool slightly and trim any fat. Then brush on room temperature BBQ sauce, slice and serve.

Source:  www.bbqguide.com
 


BARBECUED TEXAS BEEF BRISKET
Recipe courtesy Gourmet magazine
Dry Rub:
1/2 cup paprika
3 tablespoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 (7 1/2 to 8-pound) untrimmed whole beef brisket

Mop:
12 ounces beer
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno chilies
1 cup purchased barbecue sauce (such as Bull's-Eye)
1 tablespoon chili powder
Dry Rub: Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Transfer 1 tablespoon dry rub to another small bowl and reserve for mop. Spread remaining dry rub all over brisket. Cover with plastic; chill overnight.
Mop: Mix first 6 ingredients plus reserved dry rub in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat 5 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup mop into bowl; cover and chill for use in sauce. Cover and chill remaining mop. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place brisket, fat side up, in a Dutch oven or other heavy baking pan large enough to hold the brisket. Roast brisket in pan for 3 to 4 hours, basting with mop every 20 minutes, until tender. Transfer brisket to platter; let stand 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool 1 hour. Wrap in foil; chill. Before continuing, reheat brisket, still wrapped, in 350 degree oven about 45 minutes.) Combine barbecue sauce and chili powder in heavy small saucepan. Add any accumulated juices from brisket and bring to boil, thinning sauce with some of reserved 1/2 cup mop, if desired. Thinly slice brisket across grain. Serve
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
Source:  www.bbqguide.com


BARBEQUE BRISKET
Recipe Courtesy of Rita's Burgers
3 large carrots, diced
2 large onions, diced
8 ribs celery, diced
2 quarts plum tomatoes
1 pint water
1-10 pound brisket, trimmed of most fat
1 cup barbeque sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill bottom of roasting pan with carrots, onion and celery. Add half of tomatoes and water. Place the brisket on top. Cover brisket with the other half of the tomatoes. Cover pan with aluminum foil and slow roast in oven for 2-1/2-3 hours.
When brisket is tender, remove from oven. Remove vegetables and tomatoes and add to barbeque sauce, puree. Slice the brisket, place it in the puree and place back in oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve
Source:  www.bbqguide.com


BRISKET ROASTED WITH RED WINE, LEEKS, TOMATO AND PEPPERCORNS
(recipe courtesy of Ann Volkwein and Lynn Kearney)
1 (5-pound) brisket or shoulder roast
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons plus fresh thyme leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 whole leeks, cleaned and cut into ½-inch rings
3 cups red wine
1 (16-ounce) can tomatoes, whole
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
Whole thyme leaves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a heavy pot or Dutch oven heat olive oil and sear the brisket until lightly browned on all sides. Remove meat from pan and let cool for several minutes. In a small bowl, combine rosemary, 2 tablespoons thyme and garlic. Rub the seared brisket all over with the herb mixture. Place leeks in the bottom of the Dutch oven and place brisket on top. Pour wine and tomatoes around brisket and sprinkle with peppercorns. Bake, covered, for 3 hours, basting frequently. Make sure the meat is fork tender when you remove it from the oven. Cool, place in refrigerator overnight and remove congealed fat from surface.
To make sauce: Remove meat. Reduce the liquid in the Dutch oven by half. Strain the liquid into a saucepan and heat to a simmer. Whisk in fresh thyme leaves and salt and pepper, to taste. Return brisket to sauce and reheat before serving. Serve over egg noodles or potato latkes.
Yield: 8 servings, with leftovers
Prep Time: 8 hours 0 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Source:  www.bbqguide.com

CHAR'S CAJUN BEEF BRISKET
Things you will need:
1 Beef brisket (about 5#)
1 small bottle of liquid smoke
1 can of 7-up or Sprite
Cajun Seasoning (enough to cover both sides of brisket)
1 large onion, chopped (for stove top only)
1 large bell pepper, chopped (for stove top only)
2 TB minced/chopped garlic (for stove top only)
1 gallon sized zip lock bag
1 TB garlic butter (Land O' Lake roasted garlic butter) (for stove top only)
Place brisket (thawed) in bag with Cajun seasoning, 7-up/Sprite, and liquid smoke. Zip and shake well. Marinade 48 hours in fridge, turning every few hours to ensure flavorings to seep in. There are two ways I cook this -- one is baking it -- just place the brisket and liquid in a baking dish and slow bake at 325 till meat is fork tender -- the other is stove top or electric pot. Brown just the meat in 1 TB garlic butter, add water as needed. Add veggies and simmer till brisket is fork tender. Slice and enjoy!
Note: BBQ Cajun Brisket: Prepare for baking as above, leave out fluid, add veggies. Cover with 1 jar of Kraft's Thick and Spicy Honey BBQ sauce. Follow same baking directions. Delicious!
Source:  www.bbqguide.com

Below is a transcript of a posting on a BBQ message group, in part:

All messages are transcribed verbatum.

I do not use water or steam only the natural juces in the brisket. Here is my method of doing a brisket. Step 6 keeps the meat moist try this method and your brisket will come out tender.
To smoke a brisket that melts in your mouth there are 5 steps that you need to take;


1. When you buy your brisket make sure that it is fresh and has not been frozen, check date of packing.


2. Get your brisket with at least 1-1/2 inch of fat on backside, (more on this later). Brisket weight is a matter of opinion, I try to limit size to no more than 10 pounds this will feed 8-10 people with leftovers that your guests will try to take home, don't let them brisket sandwiches with sliced onion is to die for. I always do at least 2 when I cook.


3. Remove brisket from vacuum pack and rinse in cold water to remove all coagulated blood (will taste better after cooking).


4. Apply a generous amount of dry rub to brisket coating all surfaces,
I use a dry rub that I make myself consisting of salt, paprika, sugar(go light on the sugar will burn on brisket), black pepper and red pepper, Garlic or you can buy a commercialized dry rub Williams Food Products P.O. Box 1370 Cleveland, Texas 77327 Ph. 409-767-8462 is one that I highly recommend. Place brisket in pan and cover with saran wrap overnight minimum of 6 hours.


5. Start fire in BB-Q pit I use a homemade indirect smoker with the firebox located off to one side (you can control the heat better) you can buy a good smoker from New Braunfels smokers are one of the better brands and usually under $200.00. I use hickory, pecan, oak, and a sometimes mesquite caution do not use mesquite as your main wood only use during the last 15-20 minutes and only one or two SMALL pieces of cooking or you will have a piece of meat the dog will not eat, and guaranteed to forever taint all that you cook in the future with your pit) I Know I did it. Cook the brisket fat side up for approximately 1-1/2 hours per pound at 300 to 325 degrees F. do not turn over mess with poke with a fork etc. just drink beer and maintain temperature.


6. The last 2 hours prior to being done remove brisket and wrap in industrial strength tin foil and return to smoker for 1 hour remember to leave fat side up. After time is up remove from tin foil and cook for additional 1 hour, you can use a sauce if to baste if you want, don't use one that has a lot of sugar in it. I don't baste but prepare a sauce and let my guests put on their own.


7. Remove and let cool for 15-20 minutes if you can, cut brisket across the grain in thin slices. (Keep all guests away during this operation as they will eat it all up prior to serving and could possibly lead to a fight later on between you your significant other, dog houses are not fun to sleep in.


THE REASON FOR LEAVING THE FAT SIDE UP DURING COOKING IS THAT THE GREASE WILL KEEP THE MEAT MOIST and will not dry out.
REMEMBER WHEN YOU TO COOK MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE BY USING THE DAMPER. AND DON'T SCREW WITH THE BRISKET BY OPENING THE DOOR MOVING, POKING, OF MESSING WITH THE BRISKET.

 a REPLY to this post:

Your selection of the brisket and lots of time is what it takes to get it tender.
Try to pickup untrimmed whole brisket 10-13 pound class.
You want fat cat that at least 1/4" thick.
Cook in the 225-250* range for 16 to 18 hours and it will be tender.
Cooking a pork butt over the top of it will also work well to baste
the brisket and pork fat is good on everything.

AND:

Try marinating your brisket in Apple Cider Vinegar overnight in a non-aluminum pan. The citric acid in the AC Vinegar will start breaking down the tough connective tissue (this is what makes the brisket tough). Also remember slow and low (time and heat) is the important part of doing great brisket. If you need to monitor the temperature better, I suggest 4-6 hours in the smoker then wrap in foil and finish in the oven @ 200 degrees for approx 6 hours, depending on size of brisket. Basting the brisket with the AC vinegar with smoking will help also.
Good Luck!

Source:  www.bbqguide.com

How to Smoke a Brisket
By
Aaron Ralston 

A brisket is known to be the toughest cut of meat from a cow, though when prepared and cooked correctly it can be the best tasting and most tender meat you will ever eat. In this section, I will teach you how to choose, prepare, and barbeque a brisket, Texas style, to achieve the best results possible. Please notice the other smoker recipes located in the index on the right side of the page.

Choosing A Good Brisket To Smoke

A brisket is composed of two parts, the flat and the point. The flat section usually has less fat on it while the point should have considerably more. The fat on top of the brisket is called the "fat cap" and should be white in color. The thickness of fat on top should be at least 1/4 of an inch thick, and thicker is ok. When purchasing a brisket, make sure the meat is a deep red color, which will represent freshness, and make sure it has plenty of fat incorporated throughout the meat, not just on top. The combination of the deep red color and the white fat of a brisket is called marbling, and it is the key to choosing a good brisket to bbq. Since the brisket is such a thick cut of meat, the fat located throughout the meat will help to keep the brisket moist while smoking.

Make sure the brisket has not been frozen. A frozen brisket will not display a deep red color, the fat may be darker instead of white, and the brisket will not turn out as tender and juicy as a fresh one after smoking it.

When I choose a brisket, I lift the brisket in the middle to see how limber it is. I have seen briskets that are stiff as a board, and some that bend over each side of my hand. The stiff ones more than likely have been frozen, and I have noticed that they may not always be as tender as a brisket that is more limber. Some people disagree with this test, but I am a firm believer because of the results I get.

The weight of the brisket should be between 8 and 11 pounds. A larger brisket takes longer to cook, and the flat may become tougher or stringy because of the longer cooking time.

Preparing The Brisket

After choosing the perfect brisket, I start my preparation process the night before I want to smoke the brisket. First, make sure you have plenty of work space and a clean area to prepare the brisket on. The brisket should have fat on it no more than 1/4 inch thick. Thicker fat will not allow the smoke to penetrate into the meat located under the fat. If the fat is too thick, trim it down until you reach the 1/4- inch thickness.

After trimming the brisket, I rub the brisket down with mustard. The mustard creates a sticky substance on the meat for the rub to stick to, and it also adds a great flavor when combined with the rub. Massage the mustard into every portion of the meat, including the fat, so that it covers the brisket nicely. You do not want the mustard layer to be too thick; it should be just enough to create a paste for the rub to stick to.

I choose to use a rub on my briskets instead of a marinade because I have found that marinades penetrate only about 1/2 inch deep into the meat. You should use whichever method you like best, but I am going to describe the rub method. Marinade and rub recipes can be found by clicking on either of the links.

After fully covering the brisket in mustard, apply the rub on the brisket. When done correctly, the rub should form an evenly distributed layer of seasoning on the brisket.

Wrap the prepared brisket in Cling wrap, or a similar material to seal it, and then refrigerate it overnight.

Barbeque Time

Take the brisket out of the refrigerator one hour before you want to put it on the smoker. Place the brisket fat side up on the smoker. The fat will release oils into the brisket to help keep it moist while cooking.

I use a wood smoker with a firebox to provide indirect heat for outdoor cooking. I have found this method to be the best, but there are many more smokers available to choose from such as water smokers, propane smokers, and charcoal smokers.

I use mesquite for smoking briskets because it provides a delicious smoke flavor, burns hotter so less wood is used, and that is how we do it in Texas. Many people do not use mesquite, which is fine, and I have included a section for wood selection to provide you with information about the different types of wood that are good to use for smoking purposes.

To achieve the best results, I cook the brisket at 225 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes per pound. Many variables also affect cooking time and temperature such as how many times the smoker is opened, how close the brisket is to the fire box, etc, but sticking to 225 degrees/1 hr. 15 min. will work. Many people believe that when the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 180 degrees, it is done. This is both true and false. When the internal temperature of the brisket is around 180, the fat in the brisket really begins to marbleize. The brisket will maintain this temperature for a while, and this adds to the tenderness of the brisket.

I always use a mop sauce to baste the brisket while it is smoking. This will keep the outside of the brisket moist and tender. It is important to keep the lid closed while smoking the brisket to reduce heat loss, so I baste the brisket with the mop sauce about every 45 minutes to 1 hour.

A great way to keep briskets moist while smoking them is to use a mop consisting of apple juice mixed with olive oil. It gives the brisket a great flavor, which is not overpowering, while keeping the brisket moist from the oil. An easy way to apply this mop is to put it in a spray bottle and simply squirt it on the brisket.

After 7 hours a brisket usually will not absorb much more smoke. An option for finishing a brisket is to wrap it in aluminum foil, and place it in an oven at 225 degrees for the remaining cook time. I rarely use this method because I enjoy smoking the brisket for the full time, but I have used it, and it works.

SLICING THE BRISKET

ALWAYS slice the brisket against the grain. Doing this will make the cuts of meet very tender. To do this, remove some fat from the top of the brisket to see the direction of the grain in the meat, and slice against it.

I separate the point from the flat before I slice the brisket because the grain generally runs the same direction in the flat, and it is easier to see when it is separated. The point is a little harder to correctly slice because the grain in it runs in different directions. After some practice at carving the brisket, you will know which direction the grain runs, and you will find it much easier.

Add your favorite barbeque sauce.

Perfect your smoking techniques, and you will win a barbeque competition in no time!

HAVE A GREAT BARBEQUE!