BEST WOOD FOR TEXAS BRISKET RECIPES

Steps:

• Set the brisket on a large sheet of plastic wrap. In a medium bowl combine the dark brown sugar, chili power, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne, dry mustard, and cumin thoroughly. Rub the mixture onto the brisket and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap. Place on a baking sheet and let marinate refrigerated at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove the meat from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
• Soak mesquite wood chips in a large bowl of water for 1 to 2 hours. Remove, drain and set aside.
• Remove the meat from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
• Prepare a smoker with charcoal and the wood chips according to the manufacturer's instructions to 180 to 200 degrees F. Place the water pan in the smoker and add water to the fill line, about 2/3 full. Place the unwrapped brisket on the lower rack off the direct heat, close the lid, and cook, regularly stoking the fire and adding additional chips, until an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 185 to 195 degrees F., or until the meat is tender, about 4 to 5 hours. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for 20 minutes before carving the meat against the grain.
• (Alternately, prepare a stove-top smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place the unwrapped brisket on the rack over low heat. Close the lid and smoke for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Remove the meat from the smoker and wrap in a large sheet of heavy aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and roast until tender and an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 185 to 195 degrees F., or until the meat is tender, about 2 to 3 hours. Remove the meat from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes before carving the meat against the grain.)
• Serve with Barbecue Sauce on the side for dipping.
• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, cane syrup, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, Essence, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the flavors marry, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Steps:

• 1. Trim the brisket – Separate the point from the flat or have your butcher do it. Trim the exterior fat from the point. Trim the exterior fat on the flat down to 60 mm. HOT TIP – Separating the flat from the point by following the fat seam with a sharp boning knife. 2. Inject the brisket – Use a meat syringe to inject 1½ cups of the beef stock into the brisket flat and point. Inject the stock evenly across the cuts of meat in about a 2.5 cm grid pattern. 3. Season the brisket – Pat the surfaces of the brisket pieces dry. Wipe the surface with a thin coat of high temperature cooking oil. 4. Set up the smoker – Place a water pan in your Oklahoma Joe’s® Smoker filled three-fourths full. Stack 6 small wood splits in the fire box. Pour a chimney starter full of lit charcoal on top of and around the wood. Preheat to 135°C at the level of the cooking grate. 5. Smoke the brisket – Place the brisket pieces on the smoker and monitor the internal temperature with a remote probe thermometer. Put a half cup of beef stock in a spray bottle and spritz the brisket at the start and every hour until wrapped. Smoke the brisket until it is at least 70°C internally AND has a dark, almost black, exterior. This can take anywhere from 5 – 8 hours depending on the size of your brisket. 6. Wrap the brisket – Place the flat on two sheets of foil. Place the butcher paper on top of this. Roll the foil and paper edges together towards the flat, sealing it up in a delicious meat cocoon as shown below. Wrap the point in a single sheet of foil. Place both back into the smoker to finish cooking. 7. Rest the flat – When the flat has an internal temperature above 95°C AND is tender like butter when inserting a probe or toothpick, take the flat off of the smoker and let it rest for 1 hour in a warm cooler or a hot-box. You can use an empty microwave in a pinch. 8. Make the burnt ends – When the point has an internal temperature above 95°C AND is tender like butter when inserting a temp probe or toothpick, it is ready to make into burnt ends. Cut the point into 2.5 cm cubes. Season the cubes with more beef rub and place them in a small pan, such as a half-sized steam pan. Pour 1 cup of beef stock into the pan and put this back into the smoker for 30-45 minutes. 9. Sauce the burnt ends – Mix any stock left in the pan with an equal amount of Texas style BBQ sauce and brush it onto the burnt ends. Put them back into the smoker for 15-20 minutes when you slice the brisket flat. 10. Slice brisket flat – Use a long sharp knife to slice against the grain of the brisket flat, cutting it into pencil-width sized slices. Serve with burnt ends.