Labor Day Dining | Authentic Texas Smoked Brisket Recipe
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Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer the last glorious long weekend to fire up the smoker. While ordering takeout from a trusted local pitmaster is always an option there is an immense sense of pride in conquering a whole packer brisket yourself.
In Texas barbecue is almost exclusively about beef. Central Texas style keeps the preparation remarkably simple yet incredibly difficult to execute perfectly. The brisket is seasoned with nothing more than coarse kosher salt and heavily cracked black pepper then smoked low and slow over post oak or pecan wood for up to sixteen hours.
The secret is patience. The fat must render completely while the lean slices remain tender. By understanding the rich traditions and nuanced techniques behind American barbecue you can build a feast that your guests will talk about long after the summer fades.
Ingredients
- 1 whole packer brisket (14 to 16 lbs), untrimmed
- 1/2 cup coarse Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 cup heavily cracked coarse black pepper
- Post oak or pecan wood chunks for smoking
- Pink butcher paper for wrapping
Instructions
Trim the Brisket: Cold brisket is much easier to trim. Remove the hard deckle fat entirely. Trim the fat cap down to an even quarter inch thickness across the entire top so it renders properly during the long smoke.
Mix the Rub: In a shaker combine equal parts by volume of coarse kosher salt and heavily cracked black pepper. This simple dalmatian rub creates the legendary Texas bark.
Apply the Rub: Pat the brisket dry. Apply an even heavy coating of the salt and pepper rub to all sides of the brisket pressing it gently into the meat. Let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the smoker.
Fire the Smoker: Bring your offset smoker or pellet grill to a steady 250°F using post oak or pecan wood for clean blue smoke.
Smoke the Brisket: Place the brisket fat side up in the smoker. Smoke undisturbed for the first 3 hours to set the bark. After 3 hours spritz the edges with water or apple cider vinegar every hour if they look dry.
Wrap the Brisket: When the internal temperature reaches about 165°F and the bark is deeply mahogany and set wrap the brisket tightly in pink butcher paper. This powers through the stall while preserving the crust.
Finish the Cook: Return the wrapped brisket to the smoker. Continue cooking until the internal temperature hits 203°F in the thickest part of the flat and a probe slides in with zero resistance like soft butter.
The Essential Rest: Remove from the smoker leave it wrapped in the butcher paper wrap it in an old towel and place it in a dry cooler to rest for at least 3 hours. This allows the juices to redistribute and the collagen to finish converting to gelatin.
Slice and Serve: Unwrap and slice against the grain into pencil thick slices. Serve immediately with cheap white bread raw onion and pickles.
Chef's Pro Tips
How Much to Order or Cook
A proper brisket loses forty to fifty percent of its raw weight to trimming and fat rendering. A twenty person cookout requires starting with an enormous sixteen to eighteen pound packer brisket to yield enough for everyone.
Schedule Your Cook and Rest
Barbecue cooks unpredictably. Schedule your smoking session to finish at least three hours early. Park it in a dry insulated cooler. It will safely hold its temperature and actually improve in tenderness as it rests.
Slice Against the Grain
The flat and the point have grains running in different directions. Separate the two muscles when carving and ensure you slice perpendicular to the grain on both sections for maximum tenderness.