Do you want to make authentic Texas smoked brisket like a true pitmaster? Anyone with experience with the grill knows the effort and knowledge it takes to smoke a perfect brisket. We can assure you that if you follow our tips closely, you will end up with a great brisket on your hands. Getting to that perfect brisket takes into consideration many factors like the quality of the meat, the temperature of your smoker, the quality of the wood, and most importantly, your personal experience in smoking. So, let’s get started.
Tips for Smoking a Perfect Brisket
The Meat
Before we get into sharing our brisket smoking tips, here is what you need to know
about your hunk of beef. You want a packer cut from your butcher for your brisket. A packer will have two sides; the leaner rectangular portion is called the flat side, and the fattier, more bulky end is the point. When picking out your brisket, look for the fat content running through the meat. You are going to want to choose one that has an ample amount of fat fibres running through it. And remember, always follow the one-hand clean and one-hand dirty rule when handling that raw brisket.
To smoke a brisket evenly, you have to trim some of the fat from the fat cap. You can leave the thickness to about a quarter of an inch. If you don’t, the fat will not render, and you will have an uneven cook. Also, you shouldn’t trim off all the fat as the meat is exposed to the smoke, and you don’t want to dry things up. This is where experience comes in. Get rid of the fat and dense portions of the deckle (the thick band of fat that runs through) and use the quarter-inch rule to be safe.
The Rub
Salt and Pepper. That’s right!
About half and a half will be fine. Don’t use too much rub. Remember, you want an even coat rub. You want to slather mustard as a binder to help the rub stick, although let us tell you after 12 hours in the smoker, you’re going to be tasting none of that. Let your rub rest on your meat; if it is cold, let it come to room temperature. Yes, we know you’ve heard that certain places put it in cold, but to get an even smoke, trust us on this.
The Smoking
You need about 12 hours to cook a 10-pound brisket. Before putting your brisket in, make sure you have a clean smoke running. Your smoker should be running at an internal temperature of 240 ºF. This is where you need to be patient and pay attention. We are going to make this simple for you.
- Cook your brisket at 240ºF for 4 hours straight with its point towards the fire and the smoker lid closed. Keep the lid closed; remember, if you’re looking, you ain’t cooking. Put a water pan inside your smoker to keep things moist.
- Open and check. Your meat should be a dark mahogany color. Ideally, your smoker temperature should have been running at 240ºF. Spritz the meat before closing the lid and cook your brisket for another 4 hours. Remember to spritz every hour.
- At this point, your meat should have reached the stall. Internal temperature should be about 165ºF, and your outside should look moist. The moisture on the outer surface will prevent the meat from burning. If the bark of your brisket is showing cracks or the underside of your flat feels firm but floppy, it’s time to wrap your brisket. Wrap it up in foil or butcher paper. Wrapping reduces cook time and prevents your meat from drying out and getting too dark. If you wrap it with butcher paper, you will help maintain the crunchy bark. If you decide to wrap with foil, you will sacrifice some bark for ultra-tender meat and reduce the cooking time drastically. Once wrapped, cook undisturbed for 3 hours until probe tender, 203-205ºF internal temp.
- Pick your brisket up using a towel or gloves, don’t burn your fingers. What you are feeling is tenderness. You have a tiny window between underdone and severely overcooked, and if you have followed all the steps correctly, your brisket should be done right with a dark smoky color and the right tenderness. Let it rest for at least 2 hours or until you can handle this without burning your fingers. Yes, things are going to be very hot.
The Slicing
If you want to serve it Texas-style then you have to cut the point and the flat separately to have an even distribution of lean and fatty slices. Whether slicing the flat or the point you’re going to be slicing against the grain. Once you make that first slice, you should be able to see a smoke ring. Your fat should be rendered, the meat should look smokey and caramelized. Your meat should be tender and juicy. Serve it with our awesome Truboy BBQ sauce.
Texas Style BBQ Delivery Anytime, Anywhere
If you are craving some brisket and don’t want to go through the hassle of making one from scratch, all you need to do is simply order smoked brisket online. That’s right, now you can order authentic Texas-style BBQ from anywhere and what’s even better is we offer free delivery on all orders exceeding $250. All you have to do is reheat, slice, and serve. Try our halal brisket today. Visit our website and order now.
