Oh, brisket. It's such a wonderful food tradition that works on almost any holiday in Texas -- July Fourth, Christmas, Easter and Passover.
It takes time to get it right, but it's so worth it and always a crowd-pleaser.
Try this simple recipe and follow a few simple techniques:
* Make sure you start with quality meat from your favorite local butcher shop.
* If you prefer more crust on brisket, use your favorite grill rub to coat the brisket before smoking.
* A meat thermometer is a must. It will help guarantee the brisket does not get over-cooked.
* Check for doneness with a wooden skewer. It should slide in and out of the meat with ease.
* I prefer to use oak as the smoking wood.
* There are fancy gadgets like
smartphone-enabled Bluetooth thermometers
that will allow you to monitor the meat temperature from afar.
Smoked Brisket
Ingredients:
4 pounds trimmed brisket flat
7 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons pepper
Directions:
Evenly coat the brisket with salt and pepper.
Prepare grill or smoker to 225 F. Once it reaches 225 F, allow the grill to maintain this heat for at least 30 minutes before beginning. Adjust as necessary to keep the temperature between 225 and 250.
Insert the meat thermometer into the brisket. Place brisket on the grill.
Smoking time is about 10 1/2 hours, but once the internal temperature reaches 195 F, probe for doneness. If the meat is still 'tight,' wait another 15 minutes and probe again.
When you remove the brisket from the heat, you can wrap it in foil and store in a cooler for up to 3 hours before serving.
Makes 6-8 servings.