How to Barbecue Brisket – Method 2
When it comes to barbecuing brisket, one word defines the discussion of the different methods: controversy. Grill masters across the world take pride in their brisket barbecuing technique and will outright tell you so. In fact, their methods, accompanied by their secret rubs or sauces are so sacred that they would never, ever tell you. Our previous method was one way to barbecue your brisket. So, for the sake of adding diversity (where in the world of brisket barbecuing there is so much), we’ve decided to add another method.
This particular method depends entirely on utilizing the highest grade beef you can find. For this method, prime and choice are your only viable options. You’ll want the reddest, most marbled piece of brisket you can possibly locate. Some grill masters swear by this and infer that you’ll end up with a meat consistency similar to toughened leather if you even consider using a lowly cut such as select.
When prepping your brisket, you’ll want to trim the fat cap down to ¼ inch. It will help the brisket retain moisture. It is here where there’s a bit of a difference between method 1 and this method. Rather than simply applying a dry rub, you’ll want to apply a slather. This is simply a mix of rub along with a little water, or you could even put down mustard, ketchup, or cooking oil; it’s entirely up to you. Some grill masters will even “pump” their brisket. In this case, a large hypodermic is used to inject the brisket with marinade. There are several marinades on the market that can be utilized for this part of the process.
Another interesting technique that can be implemented during the process is referred to as “the Texas Crutch”. This technique allows for speeding the cooking and simultaneously moisturizing the meat. The concept is rather simple. All you need to do is smoke your brisket until it reaches an internal temperature at or near 150°F, then wrap it tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil in which you pour a bit of beef broth or apple juice and let it continue cooking in the smoker. This is performed to help avoid the dreaded “stall”. The “stall” is the point at which your beef brisket sits steadily at 160°F and never seems to climb even though the heat is constant.
Then, once your brisket has reached 195°F-205°F, you can take it out of the smoker. But it’s not ready yet. Now you’ll need to let the meat “hold” for anywhere between one and four hours. While wrapped in foil, place it in the oven at around 180°F for a few hours so the brisket can continue to cook and become moister.
Cutting your brisket in preparation for serving is also heavily debated. Always cutting against the grain is a good idea. However, brisket has two muscles (the flat and the point) which run in different directions. The easiest way to slice a brisket using this method is to slice through the fat between the flat and the point in order to separate them for individual cutting. This way you can ensure that you’re cutting against the grain on each part of the brisket. The slices should be about ¼ inch thick at most and left for 5-10 minutes before serving. If you’ve prepared your brisket properly, according to grill masters, there’s no need to mess with it any further. No need to add sauces. Don’t ruin a perfect brisket.
To find out which method of preparing brisket best suits you, contact The Market today at +966.13.845.6798 and we will be more than happy to assist you in any way we can. When it comes to barbecuing beef, we are the most knowledgeable company in Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East. Barbecuing brisket isn’t the easiest, so rely on the professionals at The Market for all your brisket barbecuing questions. We look forward to hearing from you soon!