How To Barbecue A Brisket That's Full of Great Flavor
If your brisket is tender, juicy and flavorful, you already know how to barbecue a brisket! If it's not, read on and you'll learn how it's done.
Beef Brisket Barbecue Basics
Buying a Brisket
It's preferable to buy a whole, untrimmed brisket. The fat layer (fat cap) melts as the brisket cooks, keeping the brisket moist and adding flavor. You don't have to cook it all at once.
Divide it in half or in quarters, freezing the extra to barbecue later. If buying a ten-to-twelve pound piece of meat just scares the dickens out of you, buy a flat cut brisket.
Or better yet, get a brisket point if you can find one. The point is a little fattier, which translates into more flavor.
Trimming The Brisket
If you decided to get a trimmed brisket flat, the preparation has been mostly done. Just check over the meat and thin down any fat deposits thicker than one-quarter of an inch.
If you bought a whole, packer cut brisket weighing twelve pounds, get ready to do a little trimmin'. Actually, all that needs to be done is to trim the fat cap down to about one-quarter inch thick - no thinner - and then score the fat diagonally.
Cut just through the fat so you can see the meat in a criss-cross pattern, the cuts about one inch apart. The scoring lets the seasonings reach the meat under the fat cap.
Should I Marinate The Brisket?
Many barbecuers swear that marinating the brisket overnight (or longer) gets flavors down deep into the meat. Beer, wine, fruit juices and water, a little oil, garlic, chopped onions, spices, herbs, salt, sugar...all of these ingredients have their place in beef brisket marinade.
And they do add flavor, but it's mainly concentrated near the surface of the brisket. Many cooks believe that acidic liquids like vinegar or lemon juice in marinades has a tenderizing effect the meat.
Seasoning With Dry Rubs
Brisket dry rubs are in my opinion 100% required when barbecuing brisket. The spice mix can be as simple as a little salt, onion powder and black pepper.
Or they can be as complex as combinations of twenty or more spices and herbs. There are many, many brisket dry rub recipes to choose from... or you can make up your own. Have a little fun and experiment!
And there's nothing wrong with purchasing a ready-to-use brisket rub from the supermarket. They certainly make things a lot easier!
There Are Many Ways to Cook a Brisket
Baking Brisket in the Oven
Cook brisket at 250F to 275F for about 45 minutes per pound. Cooked on a raised rack the brisket will have a nice crust. In a baking dish covered with foil, the meat will cook in its flavorful juices and have a softer texture.
Grill using indirect method at 250-300F for up to one hour per pound. Wrap in foil after halfway done. Remove when the internal temperature reaches 180F (firmer brisket for slicing), up to 195F-200F (fall apart tender for shredding).
Smoke at 225-240F for approximately one hour per pound. You can wrap it in foil after 4 hours, or leave it unwrapped the entire time for a chewy, flavorful "bark". Done at 180F- 200F, depending on the level of tenderness you prefer.
Brisket Temperature Information
Beef
brisket contains a lot of connective tissue and fat. The best way to
make it tender is to cook at a relatively low temperature for an
extended time.
If it's cooked at 350F, a lot of the moisture will be
forced out of the meat. A cooking temperature of 225-240F is perfect
when barbecuing brisket. In the oven, you can cook it in the 250-300F
degree range.
If you have time, try cooking it in the oven at 225F. It could take 12 to 18 hours (at 1 to 1-1/2 hours per pound), but the flavor and the texture will be out of this world!
When grilling, baking or smoking brush on mop sauce to add flavor and moistness to the meat. This ain't no barbecue sauce. A little beer, wine, vinegar oil and spices is about it. It helps.
Wrapping the barbecuing brisket in foil halfway through the cooking process ensures that the brisket will be moist when it's done. It also cooks a little quicker wrapped in foil. Oh yeah, double wrap with heavy duty foil to prevent leaks. You don't want to lose any of the juices.
Final Brisket Temperature
For slicing - 180F-190F
Falling apart tender - 190F-200F
Use a remote grill thermometer and you won't have to open up the grill or smoker to check its temperature.
For the most tender, juicy brisket let it rest after cooking. Leave it wrapped in foil, drop it (gently) into a cooler, cover it with two or three bath towels, close the lid and wait. Two hours if you can. If not, at the very least a half hour. During the rest period, the meat fibers relax and reabsorb some of the liquid it lost as it cooked.
You can finish the brisket with a basting of sauce during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking, or let everyone do this to their own liking when the brisket is served. Some may not want sauce.
Slice the brisket across the grain when cooked to slicing temperature, with the grain when cooked to fallin' apart temperature.
Oh Yeah! Let's eat! I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. But really, you just slice it, pile it on a serving platter and let the eatin' begin. You can't beat brisket sandwiches, cold beer and potato salad. You now know how to barbecue a brisket with the best of them.
