Cooking Brisket

Cooking Brisket for Everyone

Cooking brisket isn't rocket science, but it may take some practice. A brisket is a large piece of meat known for being relatively tough due to the connective tissue that runs through it. The trick to mouth-watering tender brisket is to cook it for a long time over low heat. This is what you see on all those barbecue competition shows on television... that brisket looks good enough to melt in your mouth!

When you bring your brisket home from the market, you'll notice there is a long band of fat on the bottom of the meat. You'll want to trim this off with a sharp knife. Be sure to trim all the fat you can from the heel of the brisket. It is already marbled all the way through and doesn't need extra fat.

Season your brisket in any manner you prefer. Some people like dry rubs, others like to marinate the brisket or chop up garlic and seasonings to make a paste. Heat up your barbecue so it remains as close to 200 degrees Fahrenheit as possible. Depending on the size of your brisket, cooking time may reach up to ten hours or more for a whole piece. Lay your brisket on the grill with the fat side up. Close the lid and ignore it for an hour. Take a quick peek to see if the meat is taking on a red color from the smoke.

In order to barbecue a brisket properly, you need a grill that is a smoker. They come in different shapes, sizes and designs. Water smokers have three sections that include a firebox, a water pan and the cooking grill. An offset smoker has a firebox built off to one side of the cooking area. You can even bake a brisket in the oven successfully if you keep the heat low and let it cook slowly.

A half hour after your first check, you can quickly look again. Make sure it isn't getting too hot. If you are using indirect heat, you won't have to worry about scorching. By the next time you check it, you can baste it with a mopping sauce or marinade. Flip the brisket over so you can cover the other side, too. Let it cook in this position until the next time you check it, in about 45 minutes.

Your thermometer is your best friend when cooking brisket. You want to keep the meat at 200 degrees until the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 185 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.  Why cook brisket this low so it takes so long? The secret is the long, slow cooking method renders the fat and connective tissue in the brisket so it becomes extraordinarily tender and full of flavor.

If you have time, cook it even longer. Let the brisket rest for 20 to 30 minutes so the juices can be reabsorbed by the meat before you slice it. When it is time to cut the brisket, slice it against the grain to ensure each bite is as tender as possible.

The slices should have a distinctive smoke ring on the inside. The outer crust of the brisket should be dark brown or even black; next comes the red smoke ring and then a gray center of well-done beef.