Welcome, barbecue enthusiasts! Today, we embark on an epic culinary adventure into the heart of Texas—the world of Central Texas style backyard smoked brisket. Whether you’re a seasoned pitmaster with years of smoke under your belt or a curious beginner eager to master the art of slow-smoked beef, this comprehensive guide promises to transform your backyard into a haven of authentic, mouth-watering Texas barbecue. Get ready to impress your friends and family with a brisket that boasts a perfect bark, a tender, juicy interior, and that unmistakable smoky flavor that defines true Texas BBQ.
Why You Will Love This Central Texas Smoked Brisket Recipe
This post is dedicated to perfecting Texas-style backyard BBQ brisket. Many aspiring grill masters feel intimidated by smoking a brisket, often considered the crown jewel of barbecue. However, I promise you, it’s not as difficult as it seems. With a few simple steps and a commitment to patience, you can achieve a truly spectacular smoked brisket right in your own backyard.
The beauty of Central Texas brisket lies in its simplicity and authenticity. We’re talking about pure beefy goodness, unadulterated by overly sweet sauces or elaborate marinades. Our recipe calls for just three key ingredients for the rub: coarse black pepper, kosher salt, and a touch of garlic powder. No brown sugar, no sticky barbecue sauce – just a whole packer brisket, expertly trimmed and slowly smoked to perfection. This minimalist approach allows the rich, natural flavor of the beef to shine through, complemented by a robust smoke ring and a savory bark.
We will be focusing on a packer-cut brisket, which includes both the lean flat and the marbled point. This ensures you get the full spectrum of brisket textures and flavors. And trust me, once you master this, you’ll be dreaming about the possibilities for leftovers! Imagine mouth-watering brisket chili, savory brisket hash, or classic brisket tacos. The versatility of a perfectly smoked brisket is endless.
By following our straightforward method, embracing the “low and slow” smoking technique, and paying attention to internal temperatures, you will undoubtedly achieve backyard BBQ knighthood. This isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience that will elevate your barbecue game. And the best part? You can do this with almost any smoker – whether you use a pellet smoker, an offset smoker, or a gravity-fed smoker. While a Weber grill might be a challenge, most dedicated smokers will yield incredible results.
Essential Ingredients for Texas Brisket
The beauty of Central Texas style brisket lies in its elegant simplicity. You won’t find a long list of obscure spices or pre-made rubs here. This style celebrates the natural flavor of the beef, enhanced by a classic blend of seasoning and the deep, rich notes of wood smoke. For this unforgettable backyard smoked brisket, you only need a few, high-quality ingredients:
- A Whole Packer-Cut Beef Brisket: This is the star of the show. A packer cut includes both the flat (the leaner, wider section) and the point (the thicker, fattier section). Look for a well-marbled brisket with a creamy white fat cap, not yellowed or brittle fat. Marbling is key for moisture and flavor.
- Coarse Black Pepper: This is crucial for forming the signature “bark” on the brisket. The coarse grind provides texture and a robust peppery flavor that stands up to hours of smoking.
- Kosher Salt: Essential for seasoning the meat and aiding in the formation of the bark. Kosher salt grains are larger and dissolve slower, ensuring a more even distribution and seasoning throughout the cook.
- Garlic Powder (Optional, but Recommended): While purists might argue for just salt and pepper (often called “SP”), many Central Texas joints, and pitmasters, incorporate a touch of garlic powder for an extra layer of savory depth. It’s a subtle addition that truly complements the beef.
That’s it! Nothing more. The magic happens through the quality of the beef, the meticulous trimming, and the patience of a low and slow smoke. This simple rub creates a harmonious balance that allows the true essence of the smoked beef brisket to shine, making every bite a testament to Texas barbecue tradition.
Mastering the Art of Backyard Brisket Trimming
Before we even think about applying that delicious rub or firing up the smoker, the crucial first step to a truly outstanding smoked brisket is proper trimming. This isn’t just about making it look pretty; it’s about ensuring an even cook, preventing dryness, and maximizing flavor and yield. There are essentially three common approaches to trimming a brisket, each with its own specific goals:
1. Competition Trim: In the high-stakes world of barbecue competitions, every bite counts. A competition trim is incredibly aggressive and exacting, meticulously shaping the brisket into a perfect, often rectangular, box. The goal is pristine presentation and consistency for the judges, even if it means sacrificing a significant amount of meat and fat that would otherwise be delicious. This trim is designed to yield just a few perfect, uniform slices.
2. Restaurant-Style Trim: Restaurants also employ a relatively aggressive trim. They aim for uniform cook times and consistent serving sizes, which necessitates removing a fair amount of fat and irregular pieces. However, unlike competition cooks, restaurants will often utilize these trimmings for other culinary purposes, such as making savory sausages, grinding into burger meat, or rendering for tallow. This approach minimizes waste while still focusing on presentation and efficiency for commercial kitchens.
3. Backyard BBQer Trim: This is where you, the home pitmaster, come in. Our goals are different. We aren’t concerned with judges’ scoring or maximizing secondary product utilization. Instead, we want to maximize our barbecue yield and ensure the most delicious, tender results possible. A whole packer brisket is a significant investment in both cost and time, so every ounce of deliciousness counts!
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Therefore, our backyard brisket trimming philosophy is simple yet effective: we aim to remove the truly problematic pieces of fat and meat while leaving enough to ensure moisture and a beautiful bark, without being overly aggressive. Don’t lose yourself striving for an immaculate, competition-style trim; a good, functional trim will yield fantastic results. Focus on evening out the thickness and removing areas that won’t render or will burn.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Trim a Packer Cut Brisket
Trimming a packer-cut brisket is arguably the most challenging part of the entire smoking process, but with a sharp knife and a clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve, you’ll master it in no time. Proper trimming ensures an even cook and prevents certain parts from drying out or burning. Here’s how to do it:
1. **Preparation:** Remove the brisket from its packaging. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. This helps with grip and seasoning adhesion. Place it on a large cutting board, meat side up.
2. **Locate and Remove the Deckle:** Identify the large, hard chunk of fat situated between the flat and the point – this is known as the deckle. This type of fat will not render down during the long smoking process, so it needs to be removed. Using a sharp knife (a Wusthof 6″ boning knife works wonderfully for this), begin to carefully make thin, shallow cuts, gradually separating the deckle from the meat. Work slowly, taking small bits at a time, until you’ve removed the bulk of this hard fat. Continue trimming until the remaining fat in that area feels soft and pliable when you press down with your fingers, rather than firm or rubbery. The goal is to remove the unrenderable fat, leaving behind only the tender fat that will contribute to the brisket’s moisture.
This stubborn fat simply will not render down and will result in an unpleasant texture if left on, so it must go! Continuously rub the area with your fingers, feeling for that yielding fat layer that indicates it’s thin enough.
3. **Trim the Meat Side (Bottom):** Once the deckle is addressed, continue to examine the meat side of the brisket. Slice away any larger, protruding pieces of hard fat or silver skin that you can see or feel. These areas can prevent bark formation or create an uneven texture. We want a relatively smooth surface for the rub.
4. **Clean Up the Edges:** Next, locate any rough or ragged edges of the brisket. These thin, exposed edges are prone to burning and drying out during the long smoke. Trim them off cleanly. The cut doesn’t need to be thick; just aim to tidy up the perimeter of the brisket for a cleaner presentation and a more even cook.
5. **Refine the Fat Layers:** Continue to “massage” the brisket with your fingers, feeling for any remaining hard pockets of fat. As you encounter them, very carefully slice away the excess fat until that area yields to your fingers and is no longer hard. The goal is not to remove ALL fat, but rather to ensure no significant hard chunks remain that won’t render or will impede smoke penetration and bark formation. Remember, a little intramuscular fat is good for flavor and moisture!
6. **Flip and Address the Fat Cap:** Once you’re satisfied with the meat side, flip the brisket over so the fat cap is facing up. This is where we’ll aim for that ideal 1/4 inch fat layer. Visually inspect the fat cap, identifying the thickest areas. Using long, smooth strokes with your knife, slowly shave down the fat until it reaches approximately 1/4 inch thickness across the surface. This remaining fat will render down during the smoke, self-basting the meat and keeping it incredibly moist. Too much fat, and it acts as a barrier to smoke penetration; too little, and the meat can dry out.
Continue to work your way across the entire fat cap, carefully removing fat as you find it to achieve a consistent 1/4 inch thickness. The fat should feel soft and yielding under your fingers.
7. **Final Touches:** Once you’re happy with the fat removal and the overall shape, inspect the thin, tapered end of the flat. This area is notoriously thin and tends to burn up and dry out during the long smoking process. Go ahead and trim this very thin edge off. You can add these trimmings to your pile of scraps (which can be used for grinding into burgers or sausage) or simply discard them. Don’t worry about losing a little bit of meat here; the overall quality of your final brisket will be vastly improved. In the end, you should have a beautifully trimmed brisket, ready for its Central Texas rub.
Congratulations! You’ve just completed what many consider the most crucial and demanding step in smoking a brisket – the trim. The rest is simply a matter of time, temperature, and patience.
Now that your brisket is perfectly shaped and ready, it’s time for the signature Central Texas rub. We’re sticking to tradition with a straightforward 50/50 mix of coarse kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper. As mentioned, a subtle addition of garlic powder is perfectly acceptable and even common in many authentic Central Texas BBQ joints, adding an extra layer of savory flavor without overpowering the beef. This simple blend is key to developing that incredible, peppery bark.
When applying the rub, be generous! You want a thick, even coating across the entire surface of the brisket. We’ll be smoking with the fat side up, so start by applying a liberal amount of rub to the meat side. Ensure you get into all the crevices. Then, flip the brisket over, fat side up, and apply the rub equally generously to the fat cap. Don’t forget to season the sides of the brisket as well!
With the rub applied, your brisket is ready for the smoker. In an ideal scenario, allowing the brisket to sit with the rub for a couple of hours at room temperature, or even overnight in the fridge, can help the rub adhere and penetrate the meat slightly. However, if time is of the essence, don’t stress too much – the long smoke will do most of the work. Now, let’s get that smoke rolling!
The Art of Smoking a Packer Cut Brisket: Low and Slow Texas Style
Smoking a brisket is a true test of patience and technique, embodying the “low and slow” philosophy that defines Central Texas barbecue. This method ensures maximum tenderness, a rich smoke flavor, and that coveted, dark, peppery bark. Here’s how to perfectly smoke your packer cut brisket:
1. **Preheat Your Smoker:** Begin by getting your smoker to a consistent temperature of 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Consistency is key here; drastic temperature swings can negatively impact the cook. For wood, I highly recommend using post oak, which is the traditional choice in Central Texas and imparts a clean, subtle smoke flavor that complements the beef perfectly. However, feel free to experiment with other woods like hickory for a stronger, sweeter smoke, or pecan for a milder, nutty flavor. Choose your favorite, but ensure you have a good supply to last the entire cook.
2. **Position the Brisket:** Once your smoker is stable at 225°F, carefully place the brisket inside. Orient it with the fat side up and the point side facing the main heat source in your smoker. Smoking fat side up allows the rendering fat to slowly baste the meat below, keeping it moist and flavorful throughout the long cooking process. The point is generally more forgiving to direct heat due to its higher fat content.
3. **The Initial Smoke – Until the Stall:** Let the brisket smoke undisturbed. The golden rule of low and slow smoking is “if you’re looking, it ain’t cooking.” Avoid the temptation to constantly peek. Monitor your smoker’s temperature and add wood as needed to maintain a consistent smoke and heat. Continue smoking until the internal temperature of the brisket reaches approximately 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This phase typically takes several hours and is when the brisket develops its deep smoke ring and beautiful bark. You’ll likely encounter the “stall” during this period, where the internal temperature plateaus for an extended time. Don’t worry, this is normal and part of the process where moisture evaporation cools the surface.
4. **The Wrap:** Once the brisket reaches around 165°F and has developed a nice bark, it’s time to wrap it. Carefully remove the brisket from the smoker. Tightly wrap it in unwaxed peach butcher paper. Butcher paper is preferred over aluminum foil because it allows the brisket to breathe slightly, preventing the bark from becoming soggy while still helping to push through the stall and retain moisture. Ensure the fat side remains in the up position as you wrap. This continues the self-basting action.
5. **Finish Smoking and Reach Peak Temperature:** Place the wrapped brisket back into the smoker. Continue to smoke at 225°F until the internal temperature hits somewhere between 200 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, with 203°F often being the sweet spot. More importantly, the brisket should feel “probe tender.” When you insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the flat, it should slide in with very little resistance, much like pushing it through warm butter. This indicates that the connective tissues have broken down sufficiently, resulting in a supremely tender brisket. If you don’t have a reliable instant-read thermometer, now is the time to invest in one – it’s an indispensable tool for perfect barbecue.
6. **The Critical Rest:** Once the brisket reaches its target temperature and tenderness, remove it from the smoker. This next step is absolutely critical and often overlooked: the rest. Immediately wrap the paper-wrapped brisket in an old towel and place it into a cooler (an empty, clean cooler dedicated to BBQ is ideal for this purpose). The cooler acts as an insulated warming box, allowing the internal temperature of the brisket to slowly equalize and the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. This resting period is what truly makes a brisket tender and juicy. Do not skip this! The brisket needs to rest for a minimum of 90 minutes, but ideally 2-4 hours, and can even stay warm for up to 6 hours if your cooler is well-insulated.
You do need the brisket to rest for at least 90 minutes before cutting. This allows the fibers to relax and reabsorb juices, making it incredibly tender and moist.
7. **Slicing and Serving:** When you’re ready to cut, carefully unwrap the butcher paper and behold your magnificent smoked brisket! The dark, crusty bark and the rich aroma are your reward for hours of patient smoking. Place the brisket on a large cutting board.
Remember that the flat and the point have different grain directions. It’s crucial to slice against the grain for both sections to maximize tenderness.
- **For the Flat:** Identify the grain direction. Using a long, sharp slicing knife, cut slices about a pencil-width thick, going directly against the grain. You should see beautiful, consistent slices with a prominent smoke ring.
- **For the Point:** The point is much fattier and has a different grain. Once you’ve separated it from the flat (or if you choose to slice it together), turn the cutting board 90 degrees to find the new grain direction. Slice the point a little thicker than the flat, as its richness and tenderness can handle it. Again, always cut against the grain.
What you’re going to end up with is one of the most mouthwatering, tender, delicious, and heavenly pieces of Central Texas barbecue meat you have ever had, and the satisfaction of having crafted it yourself. Serve it immediately, allowing everyone to savor the incredible flavor and texture. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, you’re in for even more delicious treats in the days to come!
Essential Pitmaster Tips for Your Best Smoked Brisket
Achieving barbecue perfection, especially with a Central Texas smoked brisket, often comes down to mastering a few fundamental principles. Keep these expert tips in mind to ensure your brisket is a showstopper:
Picking the Right Brisket: Your journey to an amazing brisket starts at the butcher. Always look for a full packer cut – this includes both the flat and the point, offering a perfect balance of lean and fatty meat. Focus on the fat: it should be creamy white, not yellowish or brittle, indicating freshness. Most importantly, seek out good marbling (the streaks of fat within the lean meat). Marbling is your secret weapon for a juicy, flavorful brisket, as it melts during cooking, basting the meat from the inside out.
The Art of Consistency: Temperature control in your smoker is paramount. We’re aiming for a steady, cool 225 degrees Fahrenheit for the entire cook. Fluctuations can lead to uneven cooking and a dry final product. Invest in a reliable smoker thermometer. And remember, the classic pitmaster adage: “If you’re looking, it ain’t cooking!” Every time you open your smoker lid, you lose valuable heat and smoke, extending your cooking time and potentially impacting the bark.
Wood Matters, Folks!: The type of wood you use significantly influences the final flavor of your smoked brisket. In the heart of Texas, post oak reigns supreme, imparting a clean, mild, and distinctly beef-friendly smoke flavor. However, don’t be afraid to experiment! Hickory offers a stronger, sweeter, and more bacon-like smoky profile, while pecan provides a milder, nutty essence. Avoid overly strong or resinous woods that can make the meat bitter.
Precision Trimming is Key: Don’t go overboard with the trimming. While removing the hard deckle fat and very thin edges is necessary, a quarter-inch of fat cap is your golden ticket. This ideal layer acts as a self-basting feature, slowly rendering and dripping over the meat, keeping it incredibly moist and helping to form that coveted bark. It’s a balance: too much fat insulates, too little leads to dryness.
Seasoning Simplicity for Authenticity: For true Central Texas flavor, we’re traditionalists. A simple yet powerful rub of coarse kosher salt and coarse black pepper (often called “SP”) is all you truly need. This blend allows the natural beef flavor to shine through and helps create a fantastic, peppery bark. A hint of garlic powder is a common, welcome addition if you’re feeling adventurous and want an extra savory note, but keep it minimal to maintain authenticity.
Fat Side Up!: When placing your brisket in the smoker, always orient it fat side up. This allows the fat cap to slowly render and drip down over the meat as it cooks, continuously basting it and locking in moisture. This passive basting is crucial for preventing the flat from drying out during the long smoke.
Patience is a Virtue: Good things come to those who wait, and brisket is no exception. This is not a fast process. Rushing it with high heat will result in a tough, dry, and disappointing outcome. Embrace the “low and slow” method; it’s the only way to properly break down the tough connective tissues in the brisket, transforming it into melt-in-your-mouth tender beef.
Internal Temperature is King: While time guidelines are helpful, always cook to temperature and tenderness, not strictly by the clock. We’re looking for that magic internal temperature of 200-205 degrees Fahrenheit, but more importantly, the brisket should feel “probe tender” – the thermometer should slide in with minimal resistance. This indicates the collagen has fully broken down.
The Rest is Crucial: After smoking, resisting the urge to slice immediately is vital. Give your brisket a well-deserved rest, at least an hour to an hour and a half, ideally 2-4 hours. Wrapping it tightly in butcher paper and then a towel before placing it in an insulated cooler allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a significantly more tender and moist product. This step cannot be overstated.
Slice Against the Grain: Cutting against the grain isn’t just a saying; it’s the secret to tender slices. Brisket muscle fibers are long and tough. Slicing perpendicular to these fibers shortens them, making each bite incredibly tender and easy to chew. Always identify the grain direction before making your first cut, especially distinguishing between the flat and the point.
Tools of the Trade: Ensure your barbecue arsenal is ready. A trusty digital meat thermometer (instant-read and probe thermometers), a sharp boning/slicing knife, and plenty of unwaxed butcher paper are indispensable for a successful brisket cook.
Take Notes, Get Better: Every brisket is a learning experience. Keep a log of what worked, what didn’t, temperatures, timings, and wood types. This iterative process is how you perfect your backyard brisket game and develop your signature style.
Flavor Variations for Your Smoked Brisket
While the Central Texas style emphasizes purity and simplicity, focusing on the beef and smoke, there’s always room for creative twists if you’re looking to explore different flavor profiles. Here are a couple of popular variations that can add unique dimensions to your smoked brisket:
1. Beer Braised Brisket (Post-Smoke Finish): For a brisket that is exceptionally tender and imbued with rich, complex flavors, consider a beer braise after the initial smoke. Once your brisket reaches an internal temperature of approximately 165 degrees Fahrenheit (after the bark has set), instead of wrapping it solely in butcher paper, transfer it to a deep aluminum pan. Pour in your favorite dark beer (stouts, porters, or dark lagers work wonderfully), add sliced onions and garlic cloves around the brisket. Cover the pan tightly with foil or a lid and return it to the smoker. Continue to smoke until the brisket reaches the desired internal temperature of 203°F and is probe tender. The beer not only tenderizes the brisket further but also infuses it with malty, savory notes and creates a deliciously rich jus that can be served alongside the sliced meat.
2. Spicy Coffee Rub Brisket: If you’re a fan of bold and robust flavors with a kick, a spicy coffee rub can transform your brisket. To your standard blend of coarse kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and garlic powder, add finely ground coffee. The coffee not only contributes a deep, earthy, and slightly bitter note that beautifully complements beef but also helps create a darker, more complex bark. To introduce a spicy kick, incorporate cayenne pepper and smoked paprika into the rub. Adjust the amount of cayenne to your heat preference. The combination of coffee, spices, and smoke creates an exciting, vibrant flavor profile that’s perfect for those who enjoy a bit of adventurous heat in their barbecue.
For me, however, I remain a purist at heart when it comes to Central Texas smoked brisket. For the absolute best, most authentic results, I find that keeping it simple with the classic salt, pepper, and garlic powder rub allows the quality of the beef and the pure wood smoke to truly shine. Less is often more in the world of traditional Texas barbecue.
Frequently Asked Questions About Central Texas Smoked Brisket
In Central Texas style barbecue, post oak is traditionally the undisputed wood of choice. Its widespread availability in the region and the subtle, clean, and distinctively savory smoke flavor it imparts are perfectly suited to beef brisket, allowing the meat’s natural richness to be the star. Post oak provides a balanced smoke that isn’t overpowering. However, hickory and pecan are also excellent choices and can be used depending on personal preference or regional availability. Hickory offers a stronger, sweeter, and more robust smoke profile, which many find appealing with beef. Pecan wood, on the other hand, provides a milder, nutty, and slightly sweeter flavor. Each wood type offers a unique flavor profile, but for an authentic Central Texas experience, post oak is highly recommended.
The general rule of thumb for smoking a brisket is to embrace a “low and slow” cooking process. You should aim to maintain a steady smoker temperature of approximately 225 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the entire cook. As for timing, a common estimate is about 1 to 1.5 hours per pound of meat. However, it is absolutely crucial to cook to temperature and tenderness, not strictly by the clock, as every brisket is unique. A packer-cut brisket is typically considered done when its internal temperature reaches between 200 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. More importantly, it should feel “probe tender,” meaning an instant-read thermometer or skewer slides into the thickest part of the flat with very little resistance, much like it would through soft butter. This indicates that the tough connective tissues have broken down sufficiently, resulting in a tender and juicy final product.
Proper trimming is a critical step for a successful smoked brisket. The goal when trimming a packer cut brisket for backyard barbecue is to remove excess hard fat and silver skin while preserving an even layer of fat cap, typically about ¼ inch thick, to keep the meat moist during the long smoke. Begin by removing the hard, unrenderable fat, known as the “deckle,” found between the flat and the point. Carefully slice away any large, uneven fat deposits or silver skin on both sides of the brisket that would prevent proper bark formation or smoke penetration. Also, trim off any excessively thin, overhanging edges of the meat, particularly on the flat, as these are prone to burning and drying out. The idea is to create a relatively uniform shape and thickness across the brisket to ensure it cooks evenly and consistently. Don’t be too aggressive; a good layer of renderable fat is essential for moisture and flavor.
Resting the brisket after it comes off the smoker is one of the most crucial steps for achieving ultimate tenderness and juiciness, and it should never be skipped. When the brisket is hot off the smoker, the muscle fibers are tight, and the juices are very active and pressurized within the meat. If you slice it immediately, these juices will simply rush out, leaving you with a dry and less flavorful brisket. Resting allows the internal temperature to slowly equalize, the muscle fibers to relax, and the precious rendered juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. This process ensures that when you slice into your brisket, every piece is tender, moist, and packed with flavor. A minimum rest of 90 minutes is recommended, but 2-4 hours is ideal, often done by wrapping the brisket in a towel and placing it in an insulated cooler.
“The stall” is a common phenomenon in low and slow barbecue, especially with larger cuts like brisket. It occurs when the internal temperature of the meat plateaus, typically between 150°F and 170°F, and can remain there for several hours despite the consistent heat of the smoker. This happens due to “evaporative cooling,” similar to how sweating cools the human body. As moisture on the surface of the brisket evaporates, it cools the meat, preventing its internal temperature from rising. While it can be frustrating, the stall is a natural part of the process. It’s often during this phase that the brisket develops its deep, dark bark. Wrapping the brisket in butcher paper (the “Texas Crutch”) is a popular method to push through the stall by trapping moisture and heat, allowing the temperature to rise more quickly.
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Central Texas Smoked Brisket Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 Beef brisket packer cut
- 1/3 cup Kosher salt
- 1/3 cup Coarse black pepper
- 2 tsp Garlic powder Optional
Instructions
- Remove the brisket from its packaging and pat dry with paper towels.
- Trim the hard deckle fat, remove silver skin, and reduce the fat cap to about ¼ inch thickness. Trim off any excessively thin or ragged edges of the meat.
- Prepare the rub by mixing equal parts of coarse black pepper and kosher salt, adding a touch of garlic powder if desired.
- Apply the rub generously and evenly over the entire brisket, ensuring good coverage on all sides.
- Preheat your smoker to a stable temperature of 225°F, using post oak wood for authentic flavor (or your preferred smoking wood).
- Place the brisket in the preheated smoker with the fat side up and the point facing the main heat source.
- Smoke the brisket until its internal temperature reaches approximately 165°F and a good bark has formed.
- Carefully remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap it tightly in unwaxed peach butcher paper, keeping the fat side up.
- Return the wrapped brisket to the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the meat reaches around 200-205°F and it feels probe tender.
- Remove the brisket from the smoker once it’s probe tender.
- Wrap the paper-wrapped brisket in a towel and place it in an insulated cooler to rest for at least 90 minutes, ideally 2-4 hours.
- Once rested, unwrap the brisket.
- Place it on a large cutting board, identify the grain, and slice both the flat and the point against the grain into pencil-width slices for the flat and slightly thicker for the point. Serve immediately and enjoy!