Whats a good way to smoke a brisket and keep it tender?!
Whats a good way to smoke a brisket and keep it tender?
I'm using a side box charcoal smoker.
Answers:
Ah, a fellow smoker! (wood, that is)
Brisket is a pretty tough cut of meat to begin with, and it can be made even more so by cooking. Even slow cooking, like smoking, can dry it out and toughen it up even more. Indirect heat is important, and you have that covered already (using a side-box).
One trick I learned a long time ago--which works amazingly well--is to coat the brisket all over with some kind of edible adhesive paste BEFORE applying your dry (spice) rub. Originally, the "paste" was plain old mustard. I've made my own paste out of wasabi powder, a bit of lemon juice, and water, which is AWESOME. You just rub the thin paste all over the brisket, then liberally sprinkle on your spice rub. You'll lose much less of the rub that way.
Smoke the brisket with the fat cap (the flat fatty side) up, so the fat itself will coat and flavor the meat as it dissolves. If you're using a "mop" or a marinade, wait at least a couple of hours before you begin applying it to the meat; you want to let the spice rub form a crust first, or else it will be washed away. If your mop liquid is very sugary, OR if it contains any tomato (juice, ketchup, tomato paste), wait until the last hour or so before adding it. Sugar and/or tomato will burn and become bitter (even at relatively low temperatures) very fast.
Depending on the size of the brisket, the cooking/smoking time can vary. If your (pre-cooked) brisket is 8 to 10 pounds, figure on a minimum of 8 hours cooking time, at an average temperature of about 225 degrees F. If your smoker has a temperature range indicator, not an actual thermometer, you should go get yourself a cheap oven thermometer. You want an ideal temperature of 225, which you can regulate by allowing more or less air into the fire box.
Ive heard of soaking it overnight. Dont quote me on this. If you can find a smokey flavored marinade to soak in overnight. The flavors will stay in and keep moist.
Well, I don't eat meat anymore, but my husband liked my Zinfandel Braised Brisket. After the meat is about halfway done, put it in a roasting pan and pour an entire bottle of zinfandel on it and cover with foil. Continue smoking covered, so no more direct heat is applied. The zinfandel will tenderize it and give it a sweet-ish flavor that goes Great with a dash of A-1 later...
Italian dressing - use it to marinate and cook it in it - the best i ever had.
Go to a spotsmens store to pick up hickory wood chips they have other flavors also lay over the charcoal