Yum, yum. There's just nothing better than barbecue brisket!
I know that I'm a little late sharing this secret to making a great barbecue brisket since we're well past July 4th but, we do have Labor Day fast approaching so here you go....
First of all, you must find a brisket that is tender. You can tell if it's tender by picking it up on one end. If it goes limp or flops downward, you have a winner. If it sticks straight out, it's going to be tough.
You will want to season it with a dry rub. I usually use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning. Yes, that's a Louisiana/Cajun seasoning on Texas Brisket - go figure. Trust me, it's good on it. Besides, you're going to smoke it so you really won't have that much seasoning flavor.
Now, it's Burt's turn. He's the Smokin King! He usually uses mesquite wood that's been soaked in water at least an hour. Mesquite wood imparts a sweet, smokey flavor into the meat. He brings the fire temperature up to 180 degrees and places the brisket - fat side up, on the grill of the smoker. As the meat cooks, the fat juices cook through the meat, making it tender and juicy.
You must have a smoker. This will not work on a regular grill. He monitors the smoker, checking the temperature, shutting or opening the flue, and adding more wet wood for the next 6-8 hours. Yes, it takes that long but, we're not done yet...
Once the meat has smoked 6-8 hours, we bring it in and cover it with foil. We then place the brisket in a 180 degree oven for about 8-10 more hours. No need to worry about over cooking it. It's protected in foil and just continues to get more and more tender.
About the time you absolutely can't stand it any more and have to get some, and the neighbors have started lining up outside your front door with empty plates, and your whole house smells like a barbecue restaurant, it's done.
Take it out of the oven and unwrap the foil. It will look like a big black slab of meat. Be careful, it's very tender. When you cut into it, you'll think you're cutting butta with a hot knife. We call that "fork tender". Look for that pink smoke ring around the slices. If it's there, you know you've done a great job and it will be delicious!
