The components of beef from which a cut is made are given names. One of the greatest cuts is brisket, which is taken from the breast region. One of the various methods advised for preparing it for your table is slow and low-temperature smoking. The flesh is harder than other cuts of beef, so it may take many hours to smoke it completely.
Smoking brisket has been the subject of several discussions throughout the years. Some claim that the meat should be slathered with seasonings before being smoked and then allowed to soak them up for the night. Others think it’s ideal to smoke the briskets first, then add the rub after the meat is chopped and served.
Other unsettled issues on brisket smoking are whether or not to wrap it up in a foil after smoking. Other people suggest that covering the meat in a towel after cooking is the best way to prevent the oils and juices from flowing off the meat. Instead, they remain trapped and reabsorbed by the meat.
Follow this recipe for the best way to handle such matters.
Briskets are easy to smoke and do well in any smoker you smoke them in. Whether you are using a charcoal, gas, or electric smoker, you are assured of great results if you smoke the beef cuts as instructed.
An electric smoker, however, is most suitable for this process. This is because of the long time taken to fully smoke the meat. With it, you don’t have to worry about heat control and the addition or removal of charcoal to put the heat under check. Most electric smokers are digital, therefore burn on the set temperature from the beginning to the end.
After smoking your briskets, you can serve them alongside salads, beans, or other side dishes. For this recipe, we will be serving potato salad beside the smoked beef.
Smoked Brisket Recipe
Special Insights
The amount of brisket you purchase should be enough to serve the number of people available for the meal. If the following recipe states a lesser number of servings than you intend to make, you can multiply the ingredient measurements proportionally to suit your needs.
If you intend to serve fewer people than mentioned in the recipe, decrease the suggested ingredients’ to avoid leftovers.
The time spent depends on the meat’s weight. Assign 50 minutes to 1 hour of smoking for every pound. This means that about 10 hours should be spent smoking 10 pounds of briskets and so on.
To tell whether your briskets are ready to serve, check their internal amount of heat. The ideal temperature should be about 225 to 230°F.
Required Equipment
- Wood chips (hickory or mesquite)
- A smoker (electric)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander (ground)
- 1 tablespoon oregano (dried)
- 2 tablespoons black pepper (coarsely ground)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 6 pounds of brisket (uncured)
- 100 grams of brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Apple cider vinegar (unfiltered and raw)
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
Preparation time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Smoking period: 8 to 10 hours
Number of servings: 6 people
Smoking Instructions
- Take your briskets out of the package.
- Get rid of the moisture on it by wiping using paper towels
- If it has a tough membrane or silver skin surrounding it, use a knife to trim it thinly. This allows easy penetration of the rub and smoke into the meat.
- Take a sheet pan and place your brisket on it.
- In a big basin or bowl, add the dry ingredients to create a mixed seasoning. Stir them with your hands or cooking spoon until they are well mixed.
- Coat the meat with the seasoning on all sides.
- Wrap the seasoned brisket inside an airtight packaging and refrigerate it. Let it marinate for 1 to 3 hours. You may use the time to prepare your preferred side dish.
- Set the electric smoker at a temperature of 225° F. Let it preheat as the refrigerated meat is brought to room temperature.
- Mix water and apple cider vinegar in a cooking pan. Place the solution under the grate.
- Place the wood chips in a smoker box and wait for the smoke to form
- Take your marinated briskets and place them on the cooler side of the grate, away from the wood chips.
- Set the smoker’s timer at 5 hours.
- Close the door. You may open it from time to time to refill the water and vinegar pan with the solution. The wood chips should also be added now and then.
- At the 4th hour of smoking, stick an instant-read digital thermometer in the brisket and read the internal temperature. It should be between 180° F and 205° F. Let it smoke for an extra hour till a temperature of 225° F is achieved.
- Take your meat out of the smoker, wrap it in foil and let it rest for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
How to Choose the Best Brisket for Smoking?
Consider the following factors before settling for the brisket to purchase:
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Fat
Too much fat on the sides of the brisket is unnecessary. It needs to be trimmed and only remains with about ¼ inch of it.
When you buy a brisket that’s too fatty, you’ll pay more due to the additional weight. This wastes both your time and money because you’ll have to get rid of it.
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Grade
The brisket’s grade determines its quality. A low-grade one is poorly packaged and from poor-quality animals.
Prime cuts and Wagyu beef are the most recommended briskets due to their high quality.
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Flavors
Some beef cuts are packaged with additional flavors. This limits your choice of seasoning ingredients and you don’t get to experiment with them as much as you’d like.
Uncured briskets are natural and non-flavored. They are the best for smoking.
Find out which are the best woods for smoking brisket
Conclusion
Beef briskets require special attention, dedication, and patience during smoking. They are derived from a hard and fatty area of beef, therefore a few adjustments are necessary before smoking them.
Pay attention to the time required for smoking a certain amount of brisket. The precise measurements of seasoning ingredients should also be checked.
High-quality briskets will save you time during their preparation and smoking.
Another thing to be attentive to is the flavors released by the wood chips used. Hickory and mesquite are considered a great choice because they release a strong smoke that complements the beef’s texture.