Smok-la-homa Brisket

Total Time: 9 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 (10 -12 lb) beef brisket
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons apple juice (more if needed) or 2 tablespoons apple cider (more if needed)
• 1/4 cup sweet paprika
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons celery salt
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons pure chile powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 quart apple juice or 1 quart apple cider
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce (use your favorite brand)
• 4 cups wood chips, soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained (see note)

Recipe

• 1 note: mr. willrath starts smoking the brisket over a mixture of oak, pecan, and hickory, switching to apple wood halfway through; if you don’t want to do that, just use oak.
• 2 trim the outer layer of fat on the brisket so only ¼ inch remains; if there is a pocket of fat between the flat and cap, cut it out and discard.
• 3 place brisket in a foil or ceramic roasting pan.
• 4 to make the seasoning paste: add brown sugar, mustard, and garlic to a nonreactive mixing bowl; stir in enough apple juice to obtain a thick paste (how thick? like wallpaper paste).
• 5 spread half of the paste over both sides of the brisket using a rubber spatula.
• 6 let sit for 15 minutes; spread the remaining paste over the brisket (both sides) and let sit for another 15 minutes.
• 7 to make the rub: add all the rub ingredients to a small bowl; stir to mix or use your fingers to mix the rub.
• 8 sprinkle rub all over the brisket (both sides), patting it onto the meat with your fingers.
• 9 let the brisket cure in the refrigerator, covered, for 2-4 hours.
• 10 to make the mop sauce: add apple juice, vinegar, and salt to a large nonreactive bowl; whisk until salt dissolves.
• 11 set up grill for indirect grilling and preheat to low;**if using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then decrease heat to low; **if using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center, preheat the grill to low, the toss 1 cup of wood chips on the coals; **if using a smoker, fire it up according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• 12 when ready to cook, place the brisket in the center of the hot grate, fat side up, over the drip pan and away from the heat; cover the grill.
• 13 cook the brisket 3 ½-4 hours, until handsomely browned.
• 14 use an instant read thermometer to determine when it is time to wrap it in foil; internal temperature should be about 165°.
• 15 mop or baste the meat every hour with some of the mop sauce.
• 16 **if using a charcoal grill, every hour you will need to add 12 fresh coals and ½ cup of wood chips to each side.
• 17 generously brush the brisket on both sides with the barbecue sauce and tightly wrap it in heavy duty foil; return the wrapped meat to the grate, cover the grill, and continue cooking the brisket until very tender, another 3 ½ to 4 hours, for a total of 7-8 hours.
• 18 **this will be easy in a smoker, it is a little more challenging to maintain such a low heat in a gas or charcoal grill.
• 19 partially unwrap the brisket to test for doneness, taking care not to spill the juices; the meat should be very dark and very tender and have an internal temperature of about 190°.
• 20 open the foil wrapping at one end and pour the meat juices into a bowl.
• 21 transfer the brisket to a cutting board; let rest 20 minutes.
• 22 thinly slice the meat across the grain; spoon the reserved juices over the brisket; serve immediately.
• 23 you may accompany the meat with your favorite bbq sauce, but serve it on the side.