... continued from Cover When it comes to time in the smoker, there are a few disagreements here too. In my opinion, if you can’t do a full packer in 10–12 hours, you may be doing something wrong. Your temperature may be too low or the heat just isn’t getting to the meat. Some people will keep their brisket in the smoker for 24 hours or longer. I don’t see the point of this. It can only take smoke up to a certain point. It’s not going to get any more flavor. You’re just pulling out more moisture. You’ll get a thick bark on it for sure — and if you like a thick bark, it might be for you. But I like a tender bark with that quarter-inch smoke ring. That right there gives you a bit of everything. That said, you can get a little extra crispiness without smoking for 24 hours. Just take the brisket out of the foil pan for the last 40 minutes of the smoke and go directly to the grate. You do have to be careful about losing liquid, so keep an eye out and a spritzer handy (more on that in a second). Then after the 40 minutes, wrap up the brisket in butcher paper and continue the cooking until you reach the desired temperature (see recipe on Page 3). So what do you do when you’re smoking a brisket for 10–12 hours? I never walk away from my smoker. I grab a lawn chair, my computer, and leave the back door to the house open. On top of that, I always have my spritzer bottle filled with apple juice at the ready. I want to keep moisture on the brisket and I’ll spray it every hour. When you walk away, you’re just inviting something to happen. It might sound like a lot of work to man the smoker all day, but it’s worth it, and not just for the end result. I know some guys prefer to use vertical smokers rather than horizontal (which I use). With a vertical smoker, the wood burns directly under the brisket. The beef fat is very flammable, and it can ignite in the blink of an eye as it drips onto the wood. In a matter of seconds, the meat can burn to a crisp. This is also a great reason to smoke in a tray in a horizontal smoker. As the fat renders, it stays in the pan, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally igniting it. Even better, as the fat renders and mixes with the broth (I always add two cups of broth to the pan
before smoking), you’re left with an au jus that is perfect for dipping brisket sandwiches or just using as a baste.
What do you do if your packer is too big and it really hangs over the sides of the foil pan? In my experience, I always expect that the packer will hang over the side. As it cooks, it will shrink. But I always put the thickest part of the brisket toward the firebox. You don’t want it right on the firebox. The pan should be centered in the smoker. If I see the flat portion of the brisket getting done quicker, I’ll drop the smoker temperature by 10–15 degrees. Then I’ll wrap the flat portion in foil for the rest of the smoke, leaving the rest exposed. Now, if you want to separate your brisket’s point from the flat before the smoke, you can do that too. You just want to pay attention to where you’re slicing. Fold the brisket in on itself, so the fat layer is in the middle. You want to find a white layer of connective tissue. This is where you should make your cut. Slice into the brisket, and it will split apart with ease. Another quick tip as you’re prepping the brisket is to find the grain. Look at the grain of the meat. This will help you when you cut into it later. Some people will cut straight into the meat. One of two things can happen when you do this: Either the meat will just fall apart as you cut it, or it will be tougher to chew. What you want to do is cut at a diagonal against the grain. This will keep the meat together and give you a tender cut that’s easy to bite into. Sitting with your brisket for 10–12 hours is hard work, even when you’re keeping yourself occupied. But it’s work that pays off in the end. When you cut into that brisket and share it with family and friends and you see smiles on their faces as they take that first bite, you know you’ve done good. That right there is what makes it worth it — that and saving yourself a good sized portion! –Danny McTurnan
Dan’s Smoked Brisket Rub A New Level of Earthy Flavor!
Ingredients
Directions
• • • • • • • •
1 tbsp kosher salt 2 tsp garlic powder
1. In a bowl, mix all ingredients, then add to your prepared brisket. For best results, add your rub the night before and let your brisket rest before placing it in the smoker the next day!
2 tsp ground instant coffee
1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp black pepper
grillingandsmokingassociation.org 2
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