Smoked Texas Brisket

Hey Y'all,

Being from Texas, Grilling and BBQ is ingrained in our DNA. Today I will give you some tips on smoking some of the best Brisket you've ever had! I have adapted this recipe from the famous Salt Lick right outside of Austin, Tx. You may have seen in on the Travel Channel, so you know, no big deal.

UPDATE 2021:
I have learned a ton since I posted this 7 years ago so if you stumbled upon this, (1) thank you for looking, and (2) I plan on updating a brisket instructable later on!

I picked up this smoker from the local store. This is what I am used to and most of the people I grew up with had smokers similar to this kind. I am sure you could use the electric smokers or the big green doodad but I will talk about the steps using this kind of smoker.

You should also pick up a big chimney for your coals! No more messing around with 'self lighting' coals or lighter fluid. You do not want the flavor of the lighter fluid tainting your delicious meat.

Get yourself a >10 pound brisket, like angus or grass fed, with the fat cap ON! Too many places cut this off and it is essential for the cooking process. You can trim away later but to get that succulent lip smacking brisket we know and love, you need the fat cap.

Make a rub with a 2:1:1 ratio of Salt:Freshly Ground! black pepper:something hot ( I like cayenne pepper).

Rub the brisket with copious amounts of the dry rub. It may seem like a lot but this is thick dense meat and you need a lot of salt and spice to penetrate and permeate the whole thing. Wrap it up in cling film, set on a big enough tray and place in the fridge overnight

Also soak a few pounds of wood chips overnight, like oak, hickory or mesquite. If you wanna go with what the dude says on the show, soak some pecan shells along with the wood. I did!

Starting early in the morning, load the upper part of the chimney with the coals and the bottom with some scrap paper. If you drizzle the paper with some cooking oil like canola or veggie (not olive oil, though) it will burn slower and will help get the coals rolling.

Place the fat side down with the thick end towards the fire box and about midway on the grill.

Place some wood chips on the hot coals, about a handful. Do Not do them all at once because they will all burn out and the smoke won't penetrate the brisket. You need that good smoke ring. Check the coals and add more as needed. I was adding more about every two hours. Add wood chips and pecan shells if you got them every hour.

Tips:

Get the Cowboy type coals if you can find them, not briquettes.

Do your best to "seal" the crevices of the grill with aluminum foil to try and keep as much smoke in the grill as possible. Check out the picture to see what I mean.

The rule of thumb in smoking is 75 minutes/pound. However, check the brisket ~3 hours prior to being done, just in case. For example, a 10 pound brisket would take about twelve and a half hours.

Maintain the grill at about 225F.

Internal target temperature of 165F.

Allow the brisket to rest for at least half an hour. You want all the juices to redistribute inside itself and not spill all over your cutting board and be lost if you cut into it too early.

After you have let the meat rest, slice the meat against the grain for the best texture and tenderness. Make some sides and enjoy!!

I hope you try this recipe out for yourself, family or friends. This would be a great main attraction for a 4th of July BBQ. Your prep and patients will Definitely be rewarded.

If you are interested in this, try it out or just like what you see, vote for me in the BBQ contest. Thanks.