Beef brisket is often regarded as the pinnacle of low and slow smoking. It is a big, tough cut that requires patience, time, and careful temperature management because it is packed with fat and dense connective tissue. However, when prepared properly, that tough slab becomes butter-soft, incredibly delicious meat encased in a crisp, dark pepper bark.
Smoking a brisket on the barbecue is a daily ritual that goes beyond simply preparing a meal. You get a rich, wood-fired flavor that is impossible to duplicate in an oven when oak wood is used to roll soft smoke over indirect heat.
Ingredients
For the Beef Brisket
- 1 whole SaltBru Premium Beef Brisket (roughly 4kg to 5kg, trimmed)
- 3 tbsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 3 tbsp coarse 16-mesh black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard (used as a binder)
Optional Wrapping Spritz
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water or beef stock
Method
Step 1: Trim and Season
While the SaltBru Beef Brisket is still cold in the refrigerator, begin by cutting it. Cut the top cap’s firm white fat into a smooth, half centimeter-thick layer. Any thin, loose portions of beef that could burn if cooked for a long time should be removed.
In a shaker, combine the garlic powder, coarse black pepper, and salt. Season liberally on all sides after lightly coating the entire brisket with yellow mustard to serve as a binder. To guaranty that you get that traditional black bark, aim for dense, uniform covering.
Step 2: Fire Up the Smoker
Prepare your smoker or kettle braai for indirect low-and-slow cooking. Keep the dome’s temperature constant between 110°C and 120°C. To produce a clear, thin blue smoke, add pieces of well-seasoned oak wood to your blazing embers.
Step 3: Smoke Low & Slow
Over indirect heat, place the brisket fat-side up on the grates. Let the oak smoke do its job by closing the lid. After the first three hours, softly mist the edges with the apple cider vinegar mixture every hour to keep the surface moist. Smoke until a dark, mahogany crust forms on the outside, about 6 to 8 hours.
Step 4: Wrap and Finish
Lift the brisket from the grid after the internal temperature reaches between 75°C and 80°C and the bark is firmly developed. Tightly wrap it in sturdy pink butcher paper or aluminium foil, spritzing a little within. Put the covered brisket back in the smoker and cook it until the temperature is between 93°C and 96°C, or when an instant-read thermometer slides into the thickest section like soft butter.
Step 5: Rest and Serve
After taking the brisket off of the burner, place it in a cooler or insulated box with its paper wrapping and let it rest for at least two hours. Every bite remains absurdly juicy because resting enables the rendered lipids to re-distribute into the meat fibres. When ready, cut into thick slabs by unwrapping and slicing against the grain. Warm up and serve right away!