As a not-so-tender cut of beef, brisket is a good candidate for smoking. Smoking takes advantage of lower temperatures, hours of cooking and a combination of charcoal and wet wood chips to produce tender meat with a smoky flavor. Coating the brisket in a dry rub or soaking in a liquid marinating mixture in the hours before smoking customizes the flavor of the meat and further increases its tenderness. While smoking a beef brisket requires attention to food safety and handling procedures, it is not overly difficult. A charcoal grill, time and the right ingredients are all you need.
Prepare the Brisket
Step 1
Mix paprika, black pepper, sea salt, sugar and chili powder or cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Adjust the ingredients and amounts according to your tastes.
Step 2
Set the meat on a large cutting board and trim visible fat down to ¼ in.
Step 3
Rub the dry rub mixture into the entire surface of the meat with clean hands.
Step 4
Wrap the brisket in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 12 hours or overnight.
Step 5
Remove the brisket from your refrigerator one to two hours before you plan to start smoking and allow it to come to room temperature.
Prepare the Cooker
Step 1
Add enough cold water to fill a soaking pot about three-quarters full, add the wood chips and soak for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Scrape and clean your grill grate, then spray it with vegetable oil.
Step 3
Set the charcoal chimney on the grill grate, stuff newspaper in the bottom section and fill the top with charcoal briquettes.
Step 4
Light the newspaper layer with a match and let the coals preheat for 15 to 30 minutes or until the flames diminish and the charcoal is a white ash color. Ensure the temperature of your grill is between 225 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit by holding an air thermometer just inside the grill.
Step 5
Remove the chimney and grill grate. Move all the coals over to one side of your grill with a long-handled spatula and scatter half of the wet wood over the hot coals. Fill an aluminum foil drip pan with hot water and set it next to the coals. Replace the grill grate.
Smoke the Brisket
Step 1
Set the brisket on the grill directly over the drip pan. Use tongs or a spatula to transfer the meat to your grill.
Step 2
Close the cover on your grill and smoke the brisket, allowing about 1 1/4 hours per pound of meat.
Step 3
Combine the apple juice and olive oil in a small bowl.
Step 4
Open the grill cover every 45 to 60 minutes, add more charcoal and/or wet wood chips if necessary and use a basting brush to baste the meat with the juice and oil mixture.
Step 5
Insert a meat thermometer in the middle section of the meat, making sure the temperature is 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit before removing the brisket from your grill. Transfer the meat from your grill to a serving platter with a spatula or tongs and let it sit for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Tips and Warnings
- The larger your brisket, the longer it will take to cook. The Smoker King website recommends a brisket weighing 8 to 12 lbs., as this should ensure that the middle of the meat will cook before the ends become dry. Rubbing yellow or horseradish mustard into the brisket before the dry rub helps the rub stay in place and provides an additional flavoring option.
- Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling the raw meat and disinfect all cooking utensils and surfaces the raw meat touches with hot, soapy water.
Things You'll Need
- Mixing bowl, small
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup paprika
- 2 to 3 tbsp. black pepper
- 1 to 3 tbsp. sea salt
- 2 to 3 tbsp. sugar
- 1 to 2 tbsp. chili powder or cayenne pepper
- Beef brisket, 8 to 12 lbs.
- Cutting board, large
- Utility or chef's knife
- Plastic wrap
- 4 cups hickory, mesquite or oak chips
- Soaking pot
- Grill scraper
- Vegetable oil spray
- Charcoal starter chimney
- 2 to 3 sheets newspaper
- 80 charcoal briquettes
- Matches
- Spatula, long-handled
- Aluminum foil drip pan
- Tongs
- Mixing bowl
- 3/4 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Basting brush
- Meat thermometer
- Serving platter
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