Texas-Style Barbecued Brisket

By TeeSquared

From Steven Raichlen’s“The Barbecue Bible”

This recipe is for a charcoal grill. I’ve also made this using a water smoker with very nice results.

Ingredients

• For the Meat:
• 1 beef brisket (5-7 lbs.), preferably with a nice fat layer of ~1/2”
• 6-8 cups wood chips or chunks (mesquite preferred), presoaked for at least an hour
• 1 large disposable foil pan, large enough to hold the brisket
• For the Rub:
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

1. Rinse the brisket under cold running water, and blot dry with paper towels.

2. Combine the rub ingredients in a bowl and mix well using your fingers. Rub the mixture into the brisket on all sides, then wrap the meat in plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-8 hours or overnight.

3. Take out the meat, unwrap and place in a foil pan. Let the meat come up to room temperature for about an hour. Set up the grill for indirect grilling. You’ll want a relatively low temperature, so open the bottom vents no more than halfway. Same for the lid vents. When ready to cook, fire up the coals. Once they’re ready, toss about one quarter of the presoaked wood chips or chunks onto the coal, then preheat the grate for 5 minutes or so with the cover on. Scrape and clean the grill, then place the brisket in its foil pan on the unheated side of the grill (or in the center, if you’re using those cool charcoal holders). Cover the grill, making sure the cover vents are no more than halfway open.

4. Smoke cook the brisket until tender enough to shred with your fingers. For a small brisket (5-7 lbs.) this will take anywhere between 5 and 8 hours. Baste the brisket from time to time with the juices that accumulate in the foil pan. You’ll need to add some fresh charcoal every hour or so. Same for the wood chips or chunks.

5. Once the brisket is fork tender, remove the pan from the grill and allow the meat to rest for 15-30 minutes. I cover it loosely with foil during this time, but I’m not sure if that adds anything. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and slice it very thinly against the grain. Transfer the sliced meat to a platter, pour the accumulated juices over the top, and serve.