Course. Dinner. Entree.

Cuisine. American.

Makes. 12 servings if you are cooking a whole packer brisket weighing about 12 pounds
untrimmed, after trimming and shrinkage during cooking, it will yield about 6 pounds of
meat. When purchasing, calculate about 1 pound of raw untrimmed meat or more per
person. You'll end up with about half a pound per person.

Serve with. A classic Texas beer like Lone Star.

Recommended side dishes. Texas butter beans, skillet cornbread, candied

jalapenos, classic coleslaw, old fashioned potato salad.

Preparation time. 10 minutes to apply the salt and rub. If you can, let the salt soak in for
(dry brine) 2 to 4 hours minimum, but 12 to 14 hours is better..

Cooking time. allow 12 to 18 hours if you wrap with paper or foil at about 160°F, 16 to 20
hours if nekkid. Remember it is not the weight of a piece of meat that determines cooking
time, it is the thickness, and the orneriness of the particular steer whose flesh you are
honoring. There are too many variables to give precise cooking times. Once you have done
the same cut on the same cooker several times, you'll be able to predict cooking time more
accurately. But you have an out. When the meat is cooked, it needs to be wrapped in foil,
then in a towel, and held in a faux cambro (a plastic cooler), for 1 to 4 hours. I discuss the
concept of "holding" below. Here is a typical schedule of events for a brisket cooked at
225°F to be served for a 6 p.m. dinner.

12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dry brine.

11 p.m. Fire up and bring the smoker up to temp.

12 a.m. Apply rub and put the meat on the smoker.

10 to 11 a.m. Color is deep brown, internal temp hits about 160°F, and the stall starts.
Wrap tightly in pink butcher paper or foil.

3 p.m. Temp reaches 203 to 207°F, meat jiggles and is done. Move to a faux cambro and
hold.

6 p.m. Temp hits about 140°F. Time to unwrap, slice, and serve.

Ingredients
1 whole packer brisket, about 12 pounds, untrimmed, USDA Choice grade or higher

1 ounce beef broth per pound of raw meat for injecting, plus about 1/4 cup for the Texas
Crutch

1/2 teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt per pound of meat after trimming

1/2 cup Big Bad Beef Rub

4 cups (about 8 ounces) wood chunks or chips 

Sauce, optional. 2 cups Texas Barbecue Mop Sauce (you can make this days in advance)
for a packer.
About the brisket. I cannot stress this enough: When shopping for brisket, go for the
highest grade you can find, and hand pick the slab with the most fat striation visible. Pay no
attention to the fat cap. You will trim most of that away. But marbling is important. Go for
USDA Choice, USDA Prime, or Certified Angus Beef. If it is not labeled, chances are it is
USDA Select. Avoid it. Brisket is the classic example of "garbage in, garbage out." Please
don't write to me and say you can't figure out why your brisket was tough if you did not buy
USDA Choice or better. 

Beware. Corned beef is brisket that has been corned, which means it has been preserved
with salt and flavorings. It is not suitable for this recipe! To make Texas brisket, you need
raw beef. However, if you love corned beef, click here for a recipe showing you how
to make your own corned beef, or click here to make corned beef hash, here for corned beef
and cabbage, here for an amazing recipe for smoking corned beef to make pastrami, or here to
see how to make Rockin' Reuben pastrami sandwiches.

Method
1) Trim off most of the fat cap but leave about 1/4". Until you get the hang of trimming
fat, you might cut off some of the meat in the process. No harm, no foul. Some cooks
attempt to remove some of the fat layer between the flat and the point by slicing them
apart from both sides, but not slicing all the way through so they remain attached. Go
for it, if you like. Either way, when you're done trimming fat, clean the meaty side of
any silverskin, a shiny, thin, tough membrane. Set aside some fat for making burnt ends,
described below. I always freeze some of the fat and grind it for my burgers if I think
the meat needs more fat. I also render some fat over low heat in a pan, and freeze that
too. I use beef fat to paint my steaks just before searing.

Optional. You can remove the point at this stage, especially if you want to turn it into
those luscious chunks of beef candy called burnt ends. Purists cry heresy, but
separating the point and flat gives you a flat that is pretty uniform in thickness so it will
cook more evenly. Plus, you can apply flavorful rub to all sides of the flat, and you will
get an all-around smoke ring. You can cook the point and flat side by side. Just keep in
mind that the flat is thinner and will finish sooner.

2) Pump (Should I inject brisket?). I almost always inject briskets with beef broth.
This meat takes so long to cook that the extra moisture helps keep it from dehydrating,
and the salt helps the meat hold onto moisture and enhances flavor. Use broth only. No
need to add spices, juices or other flavorings. All we want here is moisture. We don't
want the fluid to mask the flavor of the meat. If you have a hypodermic syringe for
injecting meat, now's the time to use it. Pump in about 1 ounce of beef broth per pound
of raw meat by inserting the needle parallel to the grain in several locations about 1"
apart and backing it out as you press the plunger. Do it in the sink, and be careful so you
don't get squirted in the eye.

3) Salt and rub. If you can, salt the meat about 12 to 24 hours in advance so it can
work its way in, 2 to 4 hours minimum. Notice the direction of the grain of the flat and
remember this so you can carve the cooked brisket perpendicular to the grain. The grain
will be hard to find under the bark when it is done, so some people mark it with a slice
in the surface or cut off a slice to show them the way to cut later. After salting, sprinkle
the Big Bad Beef Rub liberally on all areas of the meat and rub it in. Keep the meat
chilled until just before you cook it. Chilled meat attracts more smoke. I strongly
recommend you use a remote digital thermometer and insert the probe with the tip
centered in the thickest part of the meat furthest from the heat.

4) Preheat. Fire up your smoker, or if you are using a grill, set it up for indirect

cooking. Click here to see how to set up a gas grill, here to set up a charcoal grill, or
here to set up a bullet smoker like the Weber Smokey Mountain. Get the cooker temp
stabilized at about 235°F. We want to cook at about 225°F, but the temp will drop a bit
once you open the lid and load in the cold meat.

5) Cook (How long do I cook brisket?). Put the meat on the cooker. On a smoker with
a water pan, put the meat right above the water. Place the oven temp probe on the grate
next to the meat. Add about 2 cups (4 ounces) of wood right after the meat goes on.
When the smoke stops, add 4 ounces more during the first 2 hours, which usually means
adding some every 30 minutes or so. Keep an eye on the water in the pan. Don't let it
dry out. After 3 hours, turn the meat over if the color is different from top to bottom.
Otherwise, leave the meat alone. No need to mop, baste, or spritz. It just lowers the
temp of the meat and softens the bark. 

6) Texas Crutch (Should I wrap brisket?). The meat's internal temp will move
steadily upward to somewhere around 150 to 170°F, and then it will enter the stall.
Once in the stall, the temp will seem to take forever to rise. The stall can last 5 hours
and the temp may not rise more than 5°F! When the meat hits the stall and temp stops
rising, take it off and wrap it tightly in a double layer of heavy-duty foil. We have
learned that the more airspace around the meat, the more juice leaks out of the meat.
Crimp it tight and put the wrapped meat back on the smoker or move it to an indoor
oven at 225°F. This step, called the Texas Crutch, slightly braises and steams the
meat, but most importantly, it prevents the surface evaporation that cools down the meat
and causes the stall. If you wrap the meat at 150°F, it will power right through the stall
and cut your cooking time significantly.
7) Hold (How do I keep smoked brisket warm?). When the meat temp hits 195°F,
start poking it. Poke it with a thermometer probe. It should slide in and out with little
resistance if it is done. Poke it with a finger or pick it up and jiggle it. If it goes wubba
wubba and wiggles like jelly, it is done. This usually happens somewhere between 195
and 205°F, usually at around 203°F. Now make your faux cambro: get a plastic beer
cooler, line it with a towel, blanket, or crumpled newspaper, and put the meat, still in
foil, into the cooler on top of the lining. If the foil is leaking fluids put the meat in a
large pan first. Leave the thermometer probe in the meat. Close the lid and let the hot
meat sit in the cooler for 1 to 4 hours until you are ready to eat. If you can, wait til it
drops to 150°F to slice it. If you have a tight cooler, it should hold the meat well above a
safe serving temp of 140°F for several hours. Click here for our cooler reviews.

8) Make This Recipe for Burnt Ends (Yes You Should!)

Burnt ends are amazingly flavorful bite-size crispy meat cubes. Originally they were
simply edges and ends that were overcooked and trimmed off and munched by the
kitchen staff. If there were any leftover, they were given away for free. Then, in 1970,
in his marvelous book American Fried, Calvin Trillin wrote the following about Arthur
Bryant's restaurant in Kansas City "The main course at Bryant's, as far as I'm concerned,
is something that is given away for free -- the burned edges of the brisket. The
counterman just pushes them over to the side as he slices the beef, and anyone who
wants them helps himself. I dream of those burned edges. Sometimes, when I'm in some
awful overpriced restaurant in some strange town -- all of my restaurant-finding
techniques having failed, so that I'm left to choke down something that costs seven
dollars and tastes like a medium-rare sponge -- a blank look comes over my face: I have
just realized that at that very moment someone in Kansas City is being given those
burned edges free."

Here's my technique, strictly illegal in BBQ competitions, but very welcome in my

family. In a frying pan, render about 1/4 pound of the beef fat that you trimmed from
the brisket. Or cheat and use bacon fat or duck fat. You can do this over hot coals. Cut
the brisket point into 1/2" to 3/4" cubes. Set aside any pieces that are too fatty or just eat
them. Put the cubes in the pan and gently fry the cubes until they are crunchy on the
outside, turning them a few times. Drain the fat and add about 1/4 cup of your favorite
BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup of the drippings from the foil used for the Texas Crutch. Put the
pan back on the cooker in a hot spot and close the lid. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Let the
cubes absorb most of the liquid and start to sizzle, but don't let them burn. When they're
done, keep them warm in the faux cambro with the flat.

9) Slice (How do I slice brisket?). Don't slice until the last possible minute. Brisket
dries out very very quickly once it is cut. If you wish, you can firm up the crust a bit by
unwrapping the meat and putting it over a hot grill or under a broiler for a few minutes
on each side. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn. Sauce should not be needed if the
brisket is juicy, but if you want sauce, just don't use a sweet one. Heat up my Texas
Barbecue Mop Sauce or heat up the jus in the foil and bring it to the table. Beware:
Taste the jus first. It might be salty. You can dilute it warm water or unsalted beef broth.
Important: Turn the meat fat side up so the juices will run onto the meat as you slice.
Slicing is a bit of a challenge because there are two muscles (the point and the flat) and
the grain flows in different directions. In this photo you can see the grain in the meat.
The point muscle sits on top of the flat muscle. The point is thin on one end (A) and
thick on the other (B). The thickness of the slab varies significantly, from 1" at the left
and right edge to 4" or more at the crown of the point.

Here are three methods for carving. (I) the easy method, (II) the Sorkin method, and
(III) the competition method.

(I) The easy slicing method

Lop off about 1" from the thick end and about 2" from the thin end, which is the tip of
the flat. These ends are likely overcooked and dry. Chop them and smother them in
sauce for chopped brisket. Then find the fat layer between the point and flat and slide
your blade between the two muscles. Separate them, and trim off most of the excess fat.
Find the grain of the flat and slice across the grain. You can also slice against the grain
of the point. Offer your guests "lean" or "fatty." Most will choose the lean, which will
leave the better, fattier, point cut for you (turn it into burnt ends!).

(II) The Sorkin slicing method

I learned this method from Barry Sorkin of Chicago's Smoque BBQ. He makes my
favorite brisket in the world. In the photos below, Sorkin demonstrates how he slices a
whole packer brisket.
Start by removing the drier thin part of the flat, and set it aside for chopping, not slicing.
Then slice the thick center part of the flat across the grain until you encounter the point
muscle on top of the flat. In the photo above, he is within one or two slices from hitting
the point. These center cut slices are the ones that most competitors use because they
produce a visually pleasing presentation of nearly identical slabs of meat.

Sorkin then goes into the layer of fat between the point and flat at the thick butt end, and
he removes much of the fat. It can be 1/2" thick or more in there, and that makes the
slices inedible.

The remaining hunk has both muscles, the point sitting on top of the flat, with the grain
going in different directions. He slices this hunk in half.

Here, the section on the right is a butt end with one cut edge. The left section, from the
center the brisket, has two cut edges.

Slice the center section as shown, from the outer edge in.

Slice the remaining butt end of the point in the same direction as you cut the flat,
continuing to cut parallel to the cut end.

Sorkin then fans the slices on a bun. Notice the line separating flat and point.

Thin parts of the flat are chopped and some of the fat from between the point and flat is
mixed in for moisture. The results are crunchy, heavily seasoned, and juicy. These bits
can also be splashed with sauce and served on a bun.

(III) Competition brisket slicing method

Some competitors prefer this method of slicing. Run a knife between the flat and the
point and separate the two muscles. Trim off excess fat. Slice each muscle separately
across the grain about 1/4" thick. The meat should hold together, not fall apart or
crumble. It should only pull apart with a gentle tug. If the first slice falls apart, cut
thicker slices. Here is a picture of a competition brisket entry by Kansas City Barbecue
Society (KCBS) President Emeritus Candy Weaver. Notice the nice even slices of flat
with the smoke ring on top surrounded by chunks of burnt ends.

 
10) Serve. If the brisket is perfectly cooked, it should be moist and juicy. You can serve
it simply sliced on a plate or as a sandwich made with Texas Toast. If you wish, drizzle
some Texas Barbecue Mop Sauce mixed with some of the drippings from the Texas
crutch on top of the meat. Taste the drippings first because they can be salty (if so, you
can dilute them with water or unsalted beef broth). Here's one of my faves: At Joe's KC
in Kansas City the serve a sandwich called the "Z-Man". It's thin sliced brisket with a
sweet KC sauce topped with melted provalone cheese, a couple of thick crunchy onion
rings, more sauce, all on a toasted kaiser roll, and slaw on the side. You want pickle
chips on it, gahead.