Dive into the heart of Texas barbecue as we guide you through the steps of creating an authentic Texas-style brisket right in the comfort of your backyard using a kettle smoker. With its distinctive blend of spices, the perfect bark, and that unmistakable smokiness, this Texas-style brisket recipe is sure to transport you to the Lone Star State with every savoury bite. Get ready to elevate your grilling game and impress your guests with a flavourful masterpiece hot off the kettle smoker.
Ingredients
- Brazilian grain-fed brisket
- Cattleman's Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub
- 100ml water and 100ml apple cider vinegar, mixed into a spray bottle
Method
-
Trim your brisket:
- Before firing up the kettle smoker, carefully trim excess fat from the brisket, leaving about ¼ inch for an even cook.
- Make it as aerodynamic and rounded as possible
- Get the kettle on:
- Set up your kettle smoker using the Snake Method for optimal smoking. Arrange charcoal briquettes in a line along one side of the kettle, leaving a small gap between them.
- Place wood chunks over the briquettes, allowing them to smolder and produce the desired smoke. The Snake Method ensures a slow and steady burn for extended smoking periods.
- Place some lit charcoal on one end of the smoke, leave the lid off so that the airflow allows the fire to light properly and when it is, pop the lid on, open up the vents and allow the kettle to come up to the desired 120C temperature
- Apply your rub:
- Generously apply the Cattleman's Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub to your trimmed brisket, making sure to cover every inch. If you don't have the rub, use 50/50 sea salt and coarse black pepper.
- Allow the seasoned brisket to sit for a few minutes before getting it onto the kettle
- Have a smoke:
- Place your seasoned brisket on the smoker and let it smoke for several hours. Keep a watchful eye as the outer layer, known as the bark, forms a beautiful mahogany crust. This stage is crucial for infusing the brisket with that signature smoky taste.
- After an hour and a half start spraying the brisket on the edges with your water and vinegar mixture. Repeat this every hour and a half herein.
- Foil boat:
- Around 7-hours in you are going to hit the stall which is when the brisket temperature plateaus because the rate of the water evaporating out of the brisket dips.
- At this point, take your brisket out of the smoker, and place it on a large sheet of foil. Shape the aluminium foil into a boat and wrap it tight to the edges. This technique helps to retain moisture, ensuring a juicy and flavourful end result without damaging the bark
- Let it cook:
- Continue to spray the brisket every hour and a half.
- Keep a close eye on the internal temperature, and tenderness. Around 88C - 95C is when it should be ready to pull of the smoker.
- Check the brisket for tenderness before taking it out, it should probe like a hot knife in butter.
- Rest:
- It may be tempting, but you need to let this rest for at least an hour.
- It can rest up to 12 hours - thats what the best smokehouses in Texas do, you can pop it into the oven at 65C, or wrap it tight in foil and put it into a cooler.
- You need to let the juices re-absorb and relax
- Slice:
- Slice the brisket as shown in the picture above.
- When you get to the centre, rotate the brisket 90degrees, and slice the other way.
Congratulations, you've successfully mastered the art of crafting an authentic Texas-style brisket using a kettle smoker. Embrace the smoky perfection, and enjoy the rich flavours of your Texas-style brisket. Enjoy with Mac and cheese, pickles, and barbecue sauce. We personally love it with The Roasterie Cof-Fee-Que Coffee Barbecue Sauce.
