Grilling Brisket

Grilling Brisket Over Indirect Heat

Grilling brisket over indirect heat is the easiest way to achieve that mouthwatering goodness you expect. How do you get indirect heat on a barbecue? It isn't as hard as you may think.

If you have an offset barbecue grill with the heat box on one side, you cook over indirect heat all the time. If you have a standard grill, you can still use indirect heat. On a charcoal grill, place the briquettes all on one side or you could divide them so you have a few on each side, leaving the middle without any. Remember to check your coals throughout cooking and add new ones as needed. When you place your brisket on the grill put it on the opposite side. If you have a gas grill, you only want to turn on a portion of your burners. Use a drip tray to keep fat from dripping onto the coals and starting a new fire beneath your food.

Indirect grilling is the best way to cook tougher meats during long cooking times. The lid should always be closed to create an oven-like atmosphere so the meat heats evenly on all sides. An accurate thermometer should be available so you can monitor the inside temperature of the grill so the meat does not get overdone or cook too quickly. The whole point is let the meat cook slowly so the tough connective tissues can melt, leaving behind the moist, tender meat.

Just like you would pay attention to the cut of meat you pick out when grilling brisket, you also want to pay attention to the charcoal you use (if you don't have a gas grill). Lump charcoal will give your food the best flavor. It is made of natural wood. You can tell it apart from briquettes because the pieces actually look like chunks of wood. There are no additives or fillers in lump charcoal. Many places that carry briquettes also sell it. Most people opt for charcoal briquettes. What you may not know is briquettes may contain borax, coal dust, furniture scraps or petroleum binders. This is what gives briquettes that odd smell when you set them on fire. The choice is up to you. Many professional barbecue competitors win using standard briquettes, so use whatever you prefer. As long as you master the skill of keeping your coals at the right temperature, either way you'll end up with a nice meal.

When grilling brisket, check it regularly. Each hour, along with checking the meat's progress, you'll want to add more coals and soaked wood chips to your smoker box during the first half of cooking. This will ensure that your fire is always just hot enough and won't die off in the middle of grilling your brisket.

About the time you've added the last of the new coals, double wrap your brisket tightly in heavy duty foil. This will keep the meat nice and moist as it finishes its last few hours of cooking. When it is finally done, let it rest; the longer, the better. You want all those juices you reserved in that foil wrap to have time to be absorbed back into the meat.