A brisket is just one of those things that you either know or you don’t. You either make good brisket or bad brisket, there is no in-between. Today, I’m sharing my method for smoking a 15 pound choice/packer brisket.
First, trim the excess fat. The fat is where a lot of the flavor comes from and you want an even thickness across your meat so that it renders easily and effectively.
Next, beat up both sides with a sharp needle-bladed tenderizing tool focusing especially on the thick areas. This is important to allow the collagen to break down faster.
After that, you’ll cover it in your dry rub for at least 24 hours. The rub is said to act as a brining process, helping to store moisture and trap the flavor ahead of being smoked.
Then, smoke for 5 hours at 225 to 250 degrees, wrap in butcher paper and allow to smoke another hour. (I smoke with either oak, mesquite or pecan. Never place directly over coals.)
Remove from the smoker and place in an aluminum pan covered with foil. Follow with 1.5 hours of consistent 300f heat in your oven. This will help to prevent fat drippings from making a mess and can be turned into Au Jus gravy.
Finally, allow the brisket to rest. Do not open the foil for at least an hour. Longer is better to let the juices draw back into the meat.
Learning how to properly cook a brisket is critical to becoming the ultimate Pitmaster. Starting with the process and methods mentioned in this article, you have a jumpstart on your quest to smoking brisket like the best.
-Mark
To taste the flavor in the picture below, Hilmar’s
Texas Best Brisket Rub is available by order! Email us at HilmarsTexasBest@gmail.com
