With the May 24 long weekend approaching, summer is officially on our minds. To me, nothing defines the season quite like BBQ—specifically, smoking meat for hours while enjoying a drink or two with friends and family. When it comes to BBQ, the brisket is king. This large, primal cut from the lower chest of the cow supports a significant amount of weight, making it naturally tough. however, when cooked slowly at a low temperature, it transforms into something truly delicious.
In our last issue, we slow-cooked lamb shoulder in the oven. This time, we are using a smoker, grill, or kamado set to 225°F. While there are many tutorials available to help you reach that temperature on your specific equipment, we will focus here on the preparation and smoking process.
Preparation and Trimming
The first step is cleaning and trimming the meat. I personally prefer not to over-trim; I leave at least a quarter-inch of fat to keep the brisket moist during the long cook. I also remove any silver skin or excess fat from the underside and trim the edges to ensure the brisket is as rounded as possible, which prevents thinner parts from burning.
The “Slather” and Seasoning
Next, apply a “slather” to help the seasoning adhere. While many people use yellow mustard, I prefer Sriracha. Regardless of your choice, coat the brisket thoroughly. As a former Texas chef, I follow two strict rules: use oak wood for smoking and keep the seasoning simple with salt and pepper. I use a ratio of 1.5 parts pepper to 1 part salt. Apply the seasoning liberally until the brisket is nearly black; most people use far too little. Once seasoned, let it sit in the fridge for about an hour while you prep the smoker.
The Smoke
Once your smoker is steady at 225°F, place the brisket in, fat-side up. It is vital to keep the lid closed; opening it frequently does more harm than good. Leave it undisturbed for at least the first four hours. During this time, prepare a spray bottle with cider vinegar. Around the 4-5 hour mark, you can begin checking the meat every hour and spritzing it with the vinegar.
The Stall and Wrapping
Eventually, you will hit “the stall”—a period where the internal temperature plateaus between 150°F and 175°F as moisture evaporates. This is normal. Once the “bark” (the outer crust) is dark and well-developed, it’s time to wrap the meat. I use butcher’s peach paper. Before sealing the wrap, I add three slices of butter, a half-cup of melted beef tallow, and a generous douse of cider vinegar.
Finishing and Resting
Return the wrapped brisket to the smoker until it reaches an internal temperature of approximately 200°F. At this stage, it’s about “probe tenderness”—the meat probe should slide in easily at all points. Once tender, remove the brisket and let it rest in a cooler for 60 to 90 minutes.
Finally, slice the brisket into pieces roughly 1/2” thick and enjoy. We have also posted an accompanying video tutorial for this recipe on our social media pages.
Enjoy your brisket!
Best regards,
