Beef Brisket 2024 (smoked)

Notes:

The problem with cooking the whole brisket together is some portions will be approximately 1.5 inches thick and other portions may be over 4 inches thick. There is no way to keep from overcooking the thinnest portions before the thicker portions are done.

Also, depending on the meat, the flat should be cooked to between 190 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit and the point or deckle should be cooked a few degrees more (203 – 205).

Myth Busting (things I think are illogical):

Adding a water pan makes moister meat. I call B.S. – (no offense Aaron Franklin. Water pans add a little humidity, but they also add thermal mass. If your smoker has a hard time regulating temperature, a water pan may help. My pellet smoker keeps temperatures within about 3 degrees either side of the set temperature, so I don’t need one.
Injecting the meat will make it moister. B.S. – It may help you get seasonings into the meat, but the moisture probably does not distribute into the meat evenly. A lot leaks out in the refrigerator. And it won’t help you if you overcook your meat.
Cooking the flat and the point together makes the meat “self-basting”. B.S. – or maybe So What? Alton Brown proved years ago that browning the outside of the meat does not “seal in” the moisture.
Also, we are going to wrap the meat at the beginning of the stall to retain moisture and reduce the cooking time.

Overview:

I cook the flat and the deckle separately. The flat has a uniform thickness and should cook evenly. The point / deckle isn’t uniform but it is very fatty so it can withstand overcooking along the edges.

Separating the Flat from the Point:

The flat and the point are two different muscles, held together with a fat layer. The easiest way to know where to start separating the two is to look along the edge of the meat for the large, hard, white fat chunk and begin cutting inside it. When your knife reaches meat on either side, move your cut back toward the fat. You can also examine the muscle fiber direction to help find the separation between the muscles. If you miss, slightly, don’t worry. It will still taste great.

Trimming the pieces:

We are going to try to expose most of one side of the meat and leave at least 1/4″ of fat on the other side. The fat side will rest against the grill and protect the meat.

Once you get the flat and point separated, you want to cut off most of the hard white fat leaving no more than 1/4-inch thickness.

Also trim off anything that looks like skin or anything else unappetizing.
Score through any remaining fat to allow the seasoning to penetrate.

Seasoning:

Sprinkle heavily with Randy’s Beefy Rub or your favorite rub. I like to mix 1/2 Randy’s Beefy Rub and 1/2 BBQ Salt. Remember, most rubs are about half salt so use no more than 2 teaspoons per lb. of meat.
If you want to refrigerate the seasoned meat overnight, you can. I typically don’t have the time or the refrigerator space for that.
Seal the seasoning to the meat with a thin layer of honey. The honey will help create a dark bark on the outside of the meat. Honey doesn’t burn until about 350 degrees Fahrenheit so it works well for low temperature smoking.

Smoking Before the Stall Temp:

Smoke at 235 until the internal temperature reaches 160 – 165.
Remove the meat from the smoker.
Cut two pieces of butcher paper about 4 ft long.
I don’t think the color of the paper matters (Sorry Aaron Franklin).
Lay the paper side by side so the overall width is about 10 inches wider than the length of the brisket flat.
Spray the top layer of butcher paper with nonstick cooking spray like Pam.
Start with the fat layer at the top. Pull the paper tightly over the brisket and tuck it under.
Roll the brisket one full turn, ending with the fat side up.
Tuck the remaining paper under the brisket.
- (see YouTube for videos about wrapping brisket.)

Smoking After the Stall Temp:

Return the meat to the smoker and insert a meat probe to measure the internal temperature.
A few minutes before your meat reaches the desired temperature, turn on your kitchen oven to its lowest setting (probably about 170 degrees).
When the oven reaches temperature, turn it off.
When the meat reaches 190 degrees, probe it with a meat thermometer to check for doneness. If the thermometer pushes easily into the meat, it is done. If the meat is hard to probe, check it again every 5 degrees until it probes easily.
Remove the meat from the smoker and place it (still wrapped) in the warm oven.
- This method is easier and cleaner than wrapping the meat in towels and resting it in a cooler.
Leave the meat in the oven to rest for between 1 and 3 hours before serving.
- If you do not intend to serve the meat immediately, chill it in the refrigerator before slicing.

Finishing:

It is easier to slice the brisket if it is already chilled.
Slice the flat perpendicular to the grain about 1/4-inch thick. Other sites say the width of a number 2 pencil (which has a hexagonal height of 1/4-inch).
I also sliced the flat in half, lengthwise before packaging it in 1 lb. vacuum bags.
Chop the point in to 1″ or larger chunks.
Drizzle with honey.
Drizzle with your favorite BBQ sauce (I like BBQ Sauce – JRP’s Tangy Caribbean).
Toss the meat with a wooden spoon to coat it evenly.
Place it in a tray in the oven at 250 degrees for 30 minutes.
Toss the meat again to coat evenly.
Place it back in the oven on the top rack on Low Broil for 5 minutes.