Smoking a brisket – especially for the first time can seem like a daunting affair. What's more, a brisket can often take up to 12 hours to smoke to completion. To ensure that your smoked brisket is perfect after all this time and effort, follow these simple four rules:
Inject Your Brisket
The last thing that you want is for your brisket to dry out during the smoking process. While most people brine the meat to avoid this, dry brining brisket can add at least two days to your overall prep time. A much faster and more effective method would be to inject the brisket instead.
This involves using a meat injector to inject broth or another briny solution into the meat. You will need to inject the meat in a grid like pattern to ensure even distribution. Due to the fast acting nature of this process, you will only need to inject the brisket about an hour or so before you smoke the meat.
Use the Right Kind of Wood
If you are using a charcoal grill or smoker, then make sure to use wood chunks. These burn for longer and give off a better flavor. In the case of a pellet grill or smoker, of course, you will need to use pellets – just make sure that they are high quality so that they produce a cleaner smoke.
If you are wondering how to smoke brisket with a gas grill, you will need to use a smoker box packed with wood chips as a substitute. This way, you will not have to forego the smoke flavor and your brisket can taste more authentic.
Choose a Low Smoking Temperature
When smoking large cuts of meat like brisket, it can be tempting to set the temperature dial higher to speed up the process. Unfortunately, you will simply end up with a tough and inedible brisket if you do so. Brisket is made up of tough connective tissue and tastes best when cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time.
As a result, it is best to smoke brisket at between 225°F (107°C) and 250°F (120°C). If you are in a pinch, then you can take the temperature up to 275°F (135°C).
Use Pink Butcher Paper as Wrapping
The brisket will inevitably hit the dreaded BBQ stall – at this point it will stop cooking for a time. To speed up the process, you need to wrap the brisket before returning it to the smoker. The best wrapping to use here is pink butcher paper rather than aluminum foil. As the butcher paper is more breathable, it speeds up the cooking while maintaining the crispiness of the bark at the same time.
These are the main tips that you should follow if you want to ensure that your brisket turns out juicy, smoky, and delicious! Make sure to keep these in mind the next time you smoke a brisket.