Another Great Smoked Brisket Recipe Southwest

SOUTHWESTERN BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Season beef with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat oil; brown beef on both sides. Meanwhile, combine the next 11 ingredients. Pour over meat. Cover and bake at 325° for 2 hours. Add red peppers and carrots; bake 1 hour longer or until meat is tender. Remove meat from the pan; allow to stand 15 minutes before cutting. To thicken juices, bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 13-15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

SMOKED BRISKET RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl or spice shaker, then evenly season the brisket on all sides. Let the brisket sit out at room temperature for 1 hour.
• While the brisket comes to room temperature, prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions for indirect cooking with a water-filled drip pan in place. Bring the temperature between 250 and 275° F. Add 3 to 5 fist-size oak, mesquite or your favorite wood chunks for smoke.
• Place the brisket in the smoker with the thicker tip closest to the heat. Leave the lid closed for at least 3 hours. Cook for a total of 6 to 8 hours until dark brown bark is formed and the internal temperature reaches 165° F after the stall (when the temp stops rising for hours around 150° F).
• Remove the brisket from the smoker and tightly wrap it with uncoated butcher paper (or aluminum foil). Place it back in the smoker and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the flat (thinner side) reaches between 200 and 205° F, about 6 to 8 more hours.
• Carefully transfer the brisket (still wrapped in the butcher paper) to a cooler to rest for at least 1 and preferably 2 hours or until the internal temp drops to 140 to 145° F. You can line the cooler with a towel to further insulate the brisket if you prefer.
• Separate the point from the flat muscle. Slice against the grain (which is different for each muscle) into 1/4" slices just before serving. Enjoy!

SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the brisket with paper towels. If needed, trim off most of the fat cap, leaving the fat cap a just a bit more than 1/4-inch (7-8mm) thick. Generously season with salt and pepper.
• Light charcoal (a chimney is our favorite method). If using a side smoker box, place the lit charcoal next to the side vent door (furthest from the grill), then stack the unlit charcoal going towards the grill (not on top of the already lit charcoal). Start with the vents open just a little bit.
• Place the brisket in the smoker and close door. After about 15 minutes, check the smokers temperature. You'll want to keep the temperature between 225°F-275°F. Adjust the vents as needed (less air to cool the temperature, more to increase the heat).
• While smoking occasionally adjust the vents to keep the cooking temperature between 225°F-275°F. Add more charcoal or briquettes is needed. If using briquettes *see head note, two or three times during the smoking, add a handful of wood cuttings or chips on top of the lit charcoal. (Don't do this too much or else the meat will be overly smoky. Once every hour to hour and half is usually perfect).Smoke for 8-12 hours, depending on the size of the brisket and average temperature you maintained while smoking. Remove from the smoker when the internal temperature reaches 195°F - 205°F in the thickest part.
• After smoking, let the brisket rest, preferably for about half an hour. (Some will rest in a room temperature cooler or cambro to give an even more tender finish). Slice the brisket only right before serving, as it will dry out fairly quickly. Serve with your favorite sauce.

YEAH, I-LIVED-IN-TEXAS, SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Soak wood chips in a bowl of water, 8 hours to overnight.
• Mix paprika, white sugar, cumin, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Rub the spice mixture over the entire brisket; refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Preheat smoker to between 220 degrees F (104 degrees C) and 230 degrees F (110 degrees C). Drain wood chips and place in the smoker.
• Smoke brisket in the preheated smoker until it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 12 1/2 hours. Wrap brisket tightly in butcher paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil and return to smoker.
• Continue smoking brisket until an internal temperature of 185 degrees F (85 degrees C) is reached, about 1 hour more.

SOUTHWESTERN BARBECUED BRISKET WITH ANCHO CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix first 7 ingredients in small bowl. Rub spice blend over brisket. Wrap brisket in plastic; refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• For charcoal grill:
• Remove top rack from barbecue. Prepare barbecue (low heat). Light briquettes in chimney; pour onto 1 side of lower grill rack (you'll need to light more briquettes in chimney to replenish 2 or 3 more times during grilling). Drain 2 cups wood chips. Scatter 2 cups wood chips over coals. Return grill rack to barbecue. Heat barbecue to 300°F.
• For gas grill:
• Remove top rack from barbecue. Prepare barbecue (low heat). If using 2-burner grill, light 1 burner. If using 3-burner grill, do not light center burner. Drain 2 cups wood chips. Stack 2 mini loaf pans (one inside the other); fill with 1 cup wood chips. Stack remaining loaf pans; fill with 1 cup wood chips. Place pans over flame (if using 3-burner grill, place both pans on 1 lit side). Return rack to barbecue. Heat barbecue to 300°F. (If temperature rises too high on 3-burner grill, turn off burner without chips.)
• Unwrap brisket and arrange fat side up in 11 3/4 x 8 1/2 x 1 1/4-inch aluminum pan; place pan over unlit part of barbecue. Cover barbecue. Cook brisket until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 160°F, adjusting vents or adding more charcoal as needed (if using charcoal grill) or adjusting gas levels (if using gas grill) to maintain temperature inside barbecue grill at 250°F, about 31/2 hours. Baste brisket occasionally with pan juices and add more drained wood chips as needed.
• Remove pan with brisket. Discard pan and juices. Wrap brisket tightly in 2 wide sheets of heavy-duty foil. Place in clean 11 3/4 x 8 1/2 x 1 1/4-inch aluminum pan. Return to grill over unlit side, maintaining temperature inside grill at 250°F, until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of center of brisket registers 190°F, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Transfer brisket in pan to rimmed baking sheet. Let rest at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
• Carefully unwrap brisket, saving any juices in foil. Transfer juices to small pitcher. Place brisket on work surface. Thinly slice brisket across grain; transfer to platter. Brush brisket with some of juices. Serve with any remaining juices and Ancho Chile Sauce.
• * Available in the spice section of many supermarkets and at Latin markets.

ANOTHER GREAT SMOKED BRISKET RECIPE (SOUTHWEST)

Steps:

• Marinade: In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients until well blended.
• Rub: Combine all in a bowl. Triple or quadruple the recipe and keep the rest in a zip lock bag for future briskets.
• Brisket Prep: Cut a hole in the top of the vacuum pack and drain out the blood.
• Using a funnel, pour in the marinade, working it around until all of the brisket is covered. You should still have about 1/2 the marinade left. That will be used as a basting sauce when you smoke the brisket.
• Patch the whole with duct tape.
• Marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days--overnight as a minimum.
• Remove the brisket from the bag, pat dry.
• Determine the direction of the grain and slice a piece across the grain. This will help you later when it comes time to slice and serve--it's more difficult to tell later when the brisket is cooked.
• Coat brisket generously with the rub.
• Allow the brisket to come to room temperature before putting in the smoker. I place the brisket in a low oven (200 degrees F) while I get the smoker going.
• Smoking the brisket: Fire up the smoker according to the manufacture's instructions. Bring it up to 225 degrees F.
• Place brisket in smoker at the level of the thermometer, be sure there is not direct heat hitting the brisket.
• For the first two or three hours it is best to keep the heat between 190 to 220 degrees. It can gradually get hotter up to a max of 250, but lower for longer is always better. It will take approximately 8-10 hours.
• Turn, rotate, and baste every hour. Add wood to smoker every 30 min (as required) to keep the heat at a constant temperature. I use hickory or pecan.
• Check the internal temperature, at the thickest part of the brisket after about 8 hours.
• When brisket has an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. it's done. If you go much beyond that, the brisket will shred rather than slice. Remove and wrap in aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 1 hour before slicing.
• Slice the point off the brisket. There is a natural division of fat between the point and the flat to slice along.
• Working with the flat, slice 1/4 inch slices across the grain starting at the starter slice you made before smoking.
• Determine the direction of the grain on the point, and slice across the grain just as before.

BEST SMOKED BRISKET RECIPE

Steps:

• Start with a high quality packer brisket. Trim and remove excess fat from the fat cap. Season generously with dry rub. Heat smoker to a temperature between 225˚and 235˚. Place the brisket on the smoke rack fat side down and maintain steady temperature until the brisket reaches 150˚. Remove brisket and wrap fat side up tightly in heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Return brisket to smoker or indoor oven at 225˚to 235˚. Continue cooking until internal temp of brisket reaches 200˚ to 205˚. Remove the brisket from the heat and store in a cooler for 1 to 2 hours. After the brisket rests, remove it from the foil. Heat the smoker between 250˚ and 260˚ and return the brisket fat side up for about 25 to 30 minutes before serving.

REAL TEXAS BRISKET (SMOKED) (SOUTHWEST)

Steps:

• Trim brisket leaving 1/2" layer of fat on top. Determine the direction of the grain of the meet and cut off a slice across the grain. This way when the meet is done, and covered with a dark brown crust, you'll be able to see which direction you should slice.
• Brush with 1/4 cup of lemon juice (bottle juice is fine).
• In a bowl, combine lemon pepper, oregano, celery salt, garlic salt, and seasoned salt.
• Rub brisket with 1/2 of this mixture, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• Remove brisket and let it come to room temp before cooking. Putting a cold piece of meat in a smoker is a sure fire recipe for disaster--the meet will be very bitter.
• Prepare your smoker according to the manufacturer's direction. Heat the smoker to 225°F at the cooking level.
• Place the brisket in the smoker, fat side up.
• Keep the temperature as close to 200°F as you can for the first 2-3 hours by adjusting the air intake, and adding small pieces of wood every 30 minutes. Do not adjust the out vent, it should always remain full open. You know your cooking properly when there is very little smoke coming out of the smoker, and the hot air coming out of the top vent is clear for the first foot, then it turns to a grayish white smoke. If smoke is billowing out of every opening, the smoke is cold and the air flow is too low--your brisket will taste like tar. You can let the temperature creep up to 225°F , but not much over that.
• In a small bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, and remaining lemon juice and rub mixture.
• Mop on the sauce every hour as you turn the meat. Be sure to turn the meat over and also rotate to ensure even cooking. This should be the only time you open the cooking area.
• Smoke 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours per pound, until the internal temperature is 190°F . If you go much past that, your brisket will not slice up, and you'll have pulled beef.
• Remove and wrap in aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for about 1 hour.
• Cut the point (the pyramid shaped portion) off following a natural fat layer between the point and the flat.
• Trim off excess fat.
• Slice the brisket across the grain, using the starter slice you should have done at the beginning as a guide. Slices should be 1/4" thick. If a portion of brisket is falling apart rather than slicing, don't despair. Save the shredded portions and the burnt ends. They will make the best BBQ beef sandwiches later, when chopped and mixed with BBQ sauce.

SOUTHWESTERN BRISKET HASH

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook, undisturbed, until they start to color, about 5 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until golden, about 3 more minutes. Add the red onion and jalapeno; season with salt and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in the brisket and cook until heated through. Add 3/4 cup brisket sauce and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the Swiss chard until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, then arrange the sliced cheese on top. Cook until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 more minute.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and season with salt. Cook until the whites are set, about 3 minutes.
• Divide the hash among plates; top each with a fried egg. Heat the remaining 1/4 cup brisket sauce in the empty skillet. Drizzle on the hash. Serve with the avocado.
• Combine the brown sugar, chile powder, cumin, celery salt, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Rub all over the brisket, then transfer to a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Combine 3/4 cup ketchup, the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce in another small bowl. Pour over the brisket along with 3/4 cup water. Cover and cook on low, 8 hours.
• Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, skim off the excess fat from the sauce; stir in the remaining 1/2 cup ketchup. Reserve one-third of the brisket (about 12 ounces) and 1 cup of the brisket sauce for Southwestern Brisket Hash. Slice the remaining brisket and divide among plates. Top with some of the sauce and serve with potato salad and cornbread.
• Per serving: Calories 453; Fat 12 g (Saturated 5 g); Cholesterol 115 mg; Sodium 676 mg; Carbohydrate 16 g; Fiber 0 g; Protein 67 g