The Best Beef Brisket Recipes

EASY BAKED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Season both sides of the brisket generously with salt, pepper, and cayenne. For best results, place brisket over an aluminum foil "rack" set over a plate and refrigerate, uncovered, 8 to 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and salt. Cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, rosemary, and apple juice. Increase heat to high and boil until liquid is reduced by about half, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer half of the apple-onion mixture into a baking dish. Place brisket fat-side up on top; cover with remaining apple-onion mixture. Cover baking dish tightly with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F (121 degrees C) and bake until fork-tender, about 2 hours 15 minutes. Check for doneness after 2 hours.
• Transfer brisket to a plate and tent with foil.
• Pour the onions and braising liquid into a large measuring cup or bowl. Skim some fat off the top. Puree with a stick blender to create a gravy.
• Slice brisket across the grain and serve with the gravy.

OVEN BAKED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• If the brisket has a thick layer of fat, trim it down to ¼-inch. Mix together rub ingredients. Rub all over brisket, wrap it in plastic wrap or place in in a sealable container and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the brisket in a roasting pan and cover the baking pan with a lid, or seal it well with foil. Bake for 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add the cayenne, vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, broth and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes until it reduces slightly. Remove from the heat.
• Take the brisket from the oven, turn it over, and pour the half of the sauce into the pan over the brisket, recover the pan (if using foil, cover the pan tightly, using towels to protect your hands from the hot pan). Reserve the rest of the sauce in the pot. Continue cooking in the oven for another 2 hours or so, or until the meat is just about fork tender. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes until the outside of the brisket has browned up and gotten a bit crusty.
• Remove from the oven, take the brisket out of the pan, and let it sit on a cutting board tented with foil (with a little moat to catch the juices!) for 20 minutes before slicing across the grain. If there is any sauce left in the pan, skim off the fat and add it to the remaining sauce in the pot, and heat it again before serving the brisket with the additional sauce for people to drizzle over their meat if they like. If you want a smother sauce you can strain out the solids, or puree it with a blender.

SIMPLY THE EASIEST BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Season the brisket on all sides with salt and pepper, and place in a glass baking dish. Cover with a layer of sliced onions. In a medium bowl, mix together the beer, chili sauce, and brown sugar. Pour over the roast. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 3 hours in the preheated oven. Remove the aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Let the brisket rest and cool slightly before slicing and returning to the dish. Reheat in the oven with the sauce spooned over the sliced meat.

BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• On a cutting board, mash the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt together with the flat-side of a knife into a paste. Add the rosemary and continue to mash until incorporated. Put the garlic-rosemary paste in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; stir to combine.
• Season both sides of the brisket with a fair amount of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Place a large roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high flame and coat with the remaining olive oil. Put the brisket in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on both sides. Lay the vegetables all around the brisket and pour the rosemary paste over the whole thing. Add the wine and tomatoes; toss in the parsley and bay leaves. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 3 to 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.
• Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Scoop the vegetables out of the roasting pan and onto a platter, cover to keep warm. Pour out some of the excess fat, and put the roasting pan with the pan juices on the stove over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by 1/2. (If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of wine or water and blend into the gravy).
• Slice the brisket across the grain (the muscle lines) at a slight diagonal. Serve with potato pancakes.
• Using a box grater or food processor, coarsely grate the potatoes and onions. Put the grated potatoes and onions together in cheesecloth or a tea towel and twist it to squeeze out the excess liquid. Put the dry potatoes and onions in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the egg whites and chives to bind the mixture together.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and coat with 1/4-inch of oil. For each pancake, take about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture and drop into the hot oil; gently flatten with a spatula so they fry up thin and crispy. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove to paper towels to drain; season with salt while the potato pancakes are still hot. Continue frying, adding more oil as needed, until all of the mixture is used up. Serve immediately with apple sauce, if desired.

THE BEST BEEF BRISKET RECIPE- ONLY 6 INGREDIENTS AND A SLOW COOKER!

Steps:

• Slice the onions and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour the broth over the onions.
• Place the brisket in a large bowl and cover the top and bottom with 2/3rds of the onion mixture. Place brisket, fat side up, in the slow cooker.
• Spread the dijon mustard over the top of the brisket and sprinkle the remaining 1/3rd of onion mixture over the top.
• Set slow cooker on low for 9 hours.
• When brisket is cooked, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and place it in a large roasting pan. If using, sprinkle brown sugar over brisket. Set the brisket on the top 1/3rd of the oven and turn the broiler on high for about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on the brisket as it can easily burn.
• Remove from the oven and set aside for at least 30 minutes before cutting.
• Allow the drippings to cool completely. Skim the fat off the top of the drippings and discard.
• Pour onions and remaining broth in a high-speed blender and blend on high for 1-2 minutes. Taste and add any additional salt or pepper if needed.
• To serve, pour over brisket or place in a small side bowl for dipping.

AUTHENTIC TEXAS-STYLE SMOKED BBQ BRISKET

Steps:

• Trim. Trim off most of the fat cap but leave about 1/4" (6.3 mm). Until you get the hang of trimming fat, you might cut off some of the meat in the process. No harm, no foul. Some cooks attempt to remove some of the fat layer between the flat and the point by slicing them apart from both sides, but not slicing all the way through so they remain attached. Go for it, if you like. Either way, when you're done trimming fat, clean the meaty side of any silverskin, a shiny, thin, tough membrane. Set aside some fat for making burnt ends, described below. I always freeze some of the fat and grind it for my burgers if I think the meat needs more fat. I also render some fat over low heat in a pan, and freeze that too. I use beef fat to paint my steaks just before searing.
• Separate. You can remove the point at this stage, especially if you want to turn it into those luscious chunks of beef candy called burnt ends. Purists cry heresy, but separating the point and flat gives you a flat that is pretty uniform in thickness so it will cook more evenly. Plus, you can apply flavorful rub to all sides of the flat, and you will get an all-around smoke ring. You can cook the point and flat side by side.
• Inject (optional). I almost always inject briskets with beef broth. This meat takes so long to cook that the extra moisture helps keep it from dehydrating, and the salt helps the meat hold onto moisture and enhances flavor. Use broth only. No need to add spices, juices or other flavorings. All we want here is moisture. We don't want the fluid to mask the flavor of the meat. If you have a hypodermic syringe for injecting meat, now's the time to use it. Pump in about 1 ounce (28 g) of beef broth per pound of raw meat by inserting the needle parallel to the grain in several locations about 1" (2.5 cm) apart and backing it out as you press the plunger. Do it in the sink, and be careful so you don't get squirted in the eye.
• Season. If you have not injected salt, salt the meat about 12 to 24 hours in advance so it can work its way in, 2 to 4 hours minimum. If you have injected a salt solution, do not salt the meat.Notice the direction of the grain of the flat and remember this so you can carve the cooked brisket perpendicular to the grain. The grain will be hard to find under the bark when it is done, so some people mark it with a slice in the surface or cut off a slice to show them the way to cut later. After salting, sprinkle the Big Bad Beef Rub liberally on all areas of the meat and rub it in. Keep the meat chilled until just before you cook it. Chilled meat attracts more smoke. I strongly recommend you use a remote digital thermometer and insert the probe with the tip centered in the thickest part of the meat furthest from the heat.
• Fire up. Pre-heat your smoker, or if you are using a grill, set it up for indirect cooking. Click here to see how to set up a gas grill, here to set up a charcoal grill, or here to set up a bullet smoker like the Weber Smokey Mountain. Get the cooker temp stabilized at about 235°F (113°C). We want to cook at about 225°F (107°C), but the temp will drop a bit once you open the lid and load in the cold meat.
• Cook. Put the meat on the cooker. On a smoker with a water pan, put the meat right above the water. Place the oven temp probe on the grate next to the meat. Add about 2 cups (4 ounces (113 g)) of wood right after the meat goes on. When the smoke stops, add 4 ounces more during the first 2 hours, which usually means adding some every 30 minutes or so. Keep an eye on the water in the pan. Don't let it dry out. After 3 hours, turn the meat over if the color is different from top to bottom. Otherwise, leave the meat alone. No need to mop, baste, or spritz. It just lowers the temp of the meat and softens the bark.
• Wrap (optional). The meat's internal temperature will move steadily upward to somewhere around 150 to 170°F (55 to 77°C), and then it will enter the stall. Once in the stall, the temp will seem to take forever to rise. The stall can last 5 hours and the temp may not rise more than 5°F! When the meat hits the stall and temp stops rising, take it off and wrap it tightly in a double layer of heavy-duty foil. We have learned that the more airspace around the meat, the more juice leaks out of the meat. Crimp it tight and put the wrapped meat back on the smoker or move it to an indoor oven at 225°F (107°C). This step, called the Texas Crutch, slightly braises and steams the meat, but most importantly, it prevents the surface evaporation that cools down the meat and causes the stall. If you wrap the meat at 150°F (65°C), it will power right through the stall and cut your cooking time significantly.
• Burnt ends (optional). Burnt ends are amazingly flavorful bite-size crispy meat cubes. Originally they were simply edges and ends that were overcooked and trimmed off and munched by the kitchen staff. If there were any leftover, they were given away for free. Then, in 1970, in his marvelous book American Fried, Calvin Trillin wrote the following about Arthur Bryant's restaurant in Kansas City "The main course at Bryant's, as far as I'm concerned, is something that is given away for free -- the burned edges of the brisket. The counterman just pushes them over to the side as he slices the beef, and anyone who wants them helps himself. I dream of those burned edges. Sometimes, when I'm in some awful overpriced restaurant in some strange town -- all of my restaurant-finding techniques having failed, so that I'm left to choke down something that costs seven dollars and tastes like a medium-rare sponge -- a blank look comes over my face: I have just realized that at that very moment someone in Kansas City is being given those burned edges free."
• Temp it. When the meat temp hits 195°F (95°C), start poking it. Poke it with a thermometer probe. It should slide in and out with little resistance if it is done. Poke it with a finger or pick it up and jiggle it. If it goes wubba wubba and wiggles like jelly, it is done. This usually happens somewhere between 195 and 205°F (90 and 96°C), usually at around 203°F (95°C).
• Cheating. Here's my technique, strictly illegal in BBQ competitions, but very welcome in my family. In a frying pan, render about 1/4 pound of the beef fat that you trimmed from the brisket. Or cheat and use bacon fat or duck fat. You can do this over hot coals. Cut the brisket point into 1/2" to 3/4" (12 to 19 mm) cubes. Set aside any pieces that are too fatty or just eat them. Put the cubes in the pan and gently fry the cubes until they are crunchy on the outside, turning them a few times. Drain the fat and add about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of your favorite BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the drippings from the foil used for the Texas Crutch. Put the pan back on the cooker in a hot spot and close the lid. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Let the cubes absorb most of the liquid and start to sizzle, but don't let them burn. When they're done, keep them warm in the faux cambro with the flat.
• Faux Cambro. Cambros are insulated boxes used to keep food warm for extended periods of time. To create a home made version, get a plastic beer cooler, line it with a towel, blanket, or crumpled newspaper, and put the meat, still in foil, into the cooler on top of the lining. If the foil is leaking fluids put the meat in a large pan first. Leave the thermometer probe in the meat. Close the lid and let the hot meat sit in the cooler for 1 to 4 hours until you are ready to eat. If you can, wait til it drops to 150°F (65°C) to slice it. If you have a tight cooler, it should hold the meat well above a safe serving temp of 140°F (60°C) for several hours. Click here for our cooler reviews.
• Slice (How do I slice brisket?). Don't slice until the last possible minute. Brisket dries out very very quickly once it is cut. If you wish, you can firm up the crust a bit by unwrapping the meat and putting it over a hot grill or under a broiler for a few minutes on each side. Watch it closely so it doesn't burn. Sauce should not be needed if the brisket is juicy, but if you want sauce, just don't use a sweet one. Heat up my Texas Barbecue Mop Sauce or heat up the jus in the foil and bring it to the table. Beware: Taste the jus first. It might be salty. You can dilute it warm water or unsalted beef broth. Important: Turn the meat fat side up so the juices will run onto the meat as you slice.
• Slicing is a bit of a challenge because there are two muscles (the point and the flat) and the grain flows in different directions. In this photo you can see the grain in the meat. The point muscle sits on top of the flat muscle. The point is thin on one end (A) and thick on the other (B). The thickness of the slab varies significantly, from 1" (2 cm) at the left and right edge to 4" (10 cm) or more at the crown of the point.Here are three methods for carving. (I) the easy method, (II) the Sorkin method, and (III) the competition method.
• (I) The easy methodLop off about 1" (2 cm) from the thick end and about 2" (5 cm) from the thin end, which is the tip of the flat. These ends are likely overcooked and dry. Chop them and smother them in sauce for chopped brisket. Then find the fat layer between the point and flat and slide your blade between the two muscles. Separate them, and trim off most of the excess fat. Find the grain of the flat and slice across the grain. You can also slice against the grain of the point. Offer your guests "lean" or "fatty." Most will choose the lean, which will leave the better, fattier, point cut for you (turn it into burnt ends!).
• (II) The Sorkin slicing methodI learned this method from Barry Sorkin of Chicago's Smoque BBQ. He makes my favorite brisket in the world. In the photos below, Sorkin demonstrates how he slices a whole packer brisket.
• Start by removing the drier thin part of the flat, and set it aside for chopping, not slicing.
• Then slice the thick center part of the flat across the grain until you encounter the point muscle on top of the flat. In the photo above, he is within one or two slices from hitting the point. These center cut slices are the ones that most competitors use because they produce a visually pleasing presentation of nearly identical slabs of meat.
• Sorkin then goes into the layer of fat between the point and flat at the thick butt end, and he removes much of the fat. It can be 1/2" thick or more in there, and that makes the slices inedible.
• The remaining hunk has both muscles, the point sitting on top of the flat, with the grain going in different directions. He slices this hunk in half.
• Here, the section on the right is a butt end with one cut edge. The left section, from the center the brisket, has two cut edges.
• Slice the center section as shown, from the outer edge in.
• Slice the remaining butt end of the point in the same direction as you cut the flat, continuing to cut parallel to the cut end.
• Sorkin then fans the slices on a bun. Notice the line separating flat and point.
• Thin parts of the flat are chopped and some of the fat from between the point and flat is mixed in for moisture. The results are crunchy, heavily seasoned, and juicy. These bits can also be splashed with sauce and served on a bun.
• (III) Competition brisket slicing methodSome competitors prefer this method of slicing. Run a knife between the flat and the point and separate the two muscles. Trim off excess fat. Slice each muscle separately across the grain about 1/4" (6.3 mm) thick. The meat should hold together, not fall apart or crumble. It should only pull apart with a gentle tug. If the first slice falls apart, cut thicker slices. Here is a picture of a competition brisket entry by Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) President Emeritus Candy Weaver. Notice the nice even slices of flat with the smoke ring on top surrounded by chunks of burnt ends. Learn more about how to cook competition brisket here.
• Serve. If the brisket is perfectly cooked, it should be moist and juicy. You can serve it simply sliced on a plate or as a sandwich made with Texas Toast. If you wish, drizzle some Texas Barbecue Mop Sauce mixed with some of the drippings from the Texas crutch on top of the meat. Taste the drippings first because they can be salty (if so, you can dilute them with water or unsalted beef broth). Here's one of my faves: At Joe's KC in Kansas City the serve a sandwich called the "Z-Man". It's thin sliced brisket with a sweet KC sauce topped with melted provolone cheese, a couple of thick crunchy onion rings, more sauce, all on a toasted kaiser roll, and slaw on the side. You want pickle chips on it, go ahead.

BEST BEEF BRISKET IN THE WORLD

Steps:

• 1-Place the brisket in a sealed plastic bag with 2 cups of the wine, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, 1teaspoon of the white pepper, paprika and bay leaf. Coat all the sides and allow to steep overnight in the refrigerator.
• 2-In a large, deep Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoon of the oil and sauté the onions and carrots over medium heat until softened. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• 3-Drain off the marinade and reserve. Pat the onion soup mix, flour, and salt on the meat. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the pan and brown the seasoned meat over high heat unit golden all over. Add the remaining 1-2 cups wine, beer, mushroom soup, ketchup, broth, remaining teaspoon garlic and reserved marinade and cooked vegetables. (Meat should be covered by the liquid) Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer slowly for 1 hour.
• 4-Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• 5-Turn brisket in the sauce and place in the oven for 3-4 hours or until very tender.
• 6-When slightly cooled, remove the meat and slice it. Put it back in the gravy and refrigerate it overnight.
• 7-Skim the fat and reheat in the dish in the 325F oven until piping hot. Serve brisket and gravy accompanied by noodle pudding or mashed potatoes.

BEST BEEF BRISKET RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Turn the broiler on high.
• Set the brisket in a large roasting pan. Season generously on all sides with 1½-2 tablespoons of salt and ground black pepper to taste.
• Turn the brisket fat-side up and broil for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fat cap, until there is no white fat remaining. Flip and broil for another 5-6 minutes on the second side, until browned.
• Preheat the oven to 275˚F (135°C).
• In a large bowl, stir together the beef stock, tomato purée, red wine vinegar, honey, paprika, garlic powder, and cumin until well combined.
• Make a bouquet garni: Fold a 6-inch square piece of cheesecloth in half and lay the thyme, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns in the center. Fold the sides of the cheesecloth over the herbs and roll up to resemble a cigar. Tie with 3 2-inch pieces of twine to secure.
• If the roasting pan fits on the stovetop, remove the brisket from the pan and set aside. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop and add the olive oil to the rendered beef fat in the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. (Alternatively, remove the brisket from the roasting pan and pour any rendered beef fat into a large pot. Add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering.) Add the onions and carrots and season with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, 6-8 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
• If using the roasting pan, spread the vegetables in an even layer and place the brisket, fat-side up, on top. (If using a separate pot, transfer the vegetables back to the roasting pan, spread in an even layer, and place the brisket on top.) Pour the beef stock mixture over the brisket and nestle the bouquet garni into the vegetables. Cover the pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and bake for 5-6 hours, until a fork can be easily inserted into the thickest part of the brisket.
• Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let cool for about 1 hour at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight. Resting overnight is optional, but recommended. (The brisket should rest, covered, for a minimum of 1 hour before slicing; however, the meat will be very tender and fall apart easily).
• The following day, preheat the oven to 200˚F (95°C). Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
• Remove the brisket from the braising liquid and transfer to the wire rack. Cover with aluminum foil. Transfer the brisket to the oven and bake for about 1 hour, until warmed through.
• While the brisket is warming, make the sauce. Remove the bouquet garni from the braising liquid and scoop the solidified fat from the surface (it's okay if you don't get it all; you will skim the sauce as it simmers). Strain the vegetables from the braising liquid and set aside.
• Transfer 3 cups of the braising liquid to a large, high-walled skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, and skimming the fat that rises to the surface, until reduced by about half. Transfer to a gravy boat or medium bowl.
• When ready to serve, thinly slice the brisket against the grain. Serve with the vegetables and reduced braising liquid.
• Enjoy!

THE BEST BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Trim fat on briskett.
• Soak brisket for 30 minutes in water.
• Drain.
• Sprinkle meat with kosher salt and let sit 30 minutes.
• Rinse meat well.
• Braise meat in olive oil until brown, approximately 8 minutes per side.
• Reduce heat and add onions.
• Brown.
• Add garlic.
• Remove meat.
• Add all ingredients for sauce.
• Stir well.
• Put meat back in pan and simmer covered for approximately 3 hours.
• Remove meat and reduce sauce.

THE BEST BEEF BRISKET YOU WILL EVER EAT

Steps:

• 1. Trim the fat cap on the brisket down to about 1/4-inch.
• 2. Chef's Note: What's a Fat Cap? Untrimmed beef brisket, is referred to as a full packer brisket, and is made of at least two muscles. The flatter leaner portion is defined as the flat. Whereas the thicker more marbled portion is referred to as the point or the deckle. One side of the brisket is covered in a layer of fat called the fat cap.
• 3. Using a nice sharp knife cut a crosshatch pattern into the fat cap.
• 4. Rub about a tablespoon of kosher salt into the cuts in the fat cap.
• 5. Chef's Note: My dry rub does not include any salt; however, most commercial dry rubs do. So, if you are not using my rub, skip this step. I choose to add the salt separately for two reasons: One, it allows me to control the amount of salt. Two, by applying the salt separately, it gives the salt first crack at the beef.
• 6. Apply a generous portion of the dry rub, and rub it into the cuts.
• 7. Chef's Tip: The rub should look like sand on wet skin: Evenly distributed, but not clumped.
• 8. Wrap tightly in foil, and allow to rest in the refrigerator overnight. This gives the ingredients a chance to know each other.
• 9. In the morning (real early) remove the brisket from the fridge, and allow it to sit on your counter for about an hour. This will take the chill off the beef before placing it in the heat source.
• 10. Gas Grill: You don't want the brisket to be over a direct flame, so I usually turn off two of the three burners on the grill, and just heat the box with one burner. I'll then place the brisket over the unlit burners.
• 11. Electric Smoker: All electric smokers have their own set of instructions. Follow them, and keep the temp to 225f (107c).
• 12. Oven: Set the temp, and place the brisket in a baking tray, fitted with a wire rack. This will allow the rendered fat to drip into the bottom of the tray.
• 13. Chef's Tip: If you're using a charcoal or gas grill, and you want some of that smokey taste, simply soak some apple wood, or similar wood chips in water overnight. Then wrap in some aluminum foil, poke some hole in the foil and place over the hot portion of the grill. The chips will smoke and infuse the meat with their flavor.
• 14. Chef's Note: Fat cap up or down? Now that's a question that can start a bar fight, double quick. I've cooked briskets both ways; however, for this method, let's not argue and keep the fat cap up.
• 15. Chef's Note: You have two things to keep track of: The temperature of the box, and the temperature of the brisket. If you're using an electric smoker or an oven, the automatic settings should take care of the box temperature. If you're using a gas or charcoal grill, you'll need to keep a steady eye (both eyes when possible), on the temp. It will vary up and down, but try to keep it between 220f/230f (104c/110c).
• 16. For the first three hours, leave the brisket alone, and just make sure the temperature stays pretty much steady.
• 17. In the fourth hour begin taking the temperature of the brisket with a digital probe. We're looking for a temp of 150f (66c).
• 18. Chef's Note: The dreaded STALL: When the brisket hits about 150f (66c) moisture rises to the surface of the beef and cools it by the process of evaporation. What happens is that the temperature doesn't rise for hours, and this confuses a lot of novice cooks, who will panic, and begin trying to compensate by raising the temperature in the box. WRONG THING TO DO.
• 19. By the time the brisket's internal temperature hits 150f (66c), it should look something like this.
• 20. Chef's Tip: The Texas Crutch: When the brisket hits that magic number of 150f (66c), remove from the box, and tightly wrap in a double-layer of foil, along with a half a cup of liquid (beer, wine, broth), and then place back into the box.
• 21. Chef's Note: The Texas Crutch prevents the cooling of the brisket by evaporation, and speeds up the process quite a bit.
• 22. Watch the temperature of the brisket over the next few hours (about four hours), and when the temperature hits 200f/205f (93c/96c), remove from the heat.
• 23. Chef's Note: The final step: A faux Cambro.
• 24. Leave the brisket tightly wrapped, and place in an insulated box (like a Colman cooler), or you could leave it in an oven (wrapped) at about 175f (80c). For an hour or so (no more than 4 hours). The faux cambro, or holding helps tenderize the brisket by allowing carryover cooking which helps melt tough connective tissue.
• 25. Chef's Note: Using the faux cambro, or holding method allows you to remove the brisket from the box, and "hold" it until your guests are ready to eat.
• 26. Chef's Tip: When you're checking the internal temperature of the brisket after it's been wrapped in foil, choose a point near the top to insert the probe, and use that same hole each time you check. Putting the hole high up prevents the juices from leaking out, and maintains the integrity of the wrap throughout the cooking process.
• 27. When the guests are ready, remove from the cambro, unwrap, and cut nice thick slabs, always against the grain.
• 28. Chef's Tip: Serve with coleslaw, potatoes, or whatever sides you want. Plus you can use the accumulated juices from the foil wrap as an au jus. Enjoy.
• 29. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.