One of the required categories in any KCBS cooking contest is brisket, and over the years I’ve developed a simple method that gives me the best quality brisket I need to win.
This is a 3 step process: you are going to smoke the brisket, then you are going to tenderize the brisket, and then you are going to finish the brisket.
First, you need to start with a 12- to 14-pound packer brisket (you can find one at a wholesale store, like Sam’s Club or Cosco)
Next, you want to trim the breast, trim any large fat deposits from the tip end, trim half of the vein of fat connecting the tip and flat, but do not trim the fat off the top.
It is now ready for your shot and seasoning. First, you want to season the entire brisket – pepper, salt, and garlic will work for this. Next you need to inject the brisket and place it in a 2.5 gallon Zip Lock bag and let it sit for at least 4 hours (but overnight is preferred).
For my brisket shot recipe, you can get it from my website, and the link can be found at the bottom of this article.
Once the brisket has marinated, you are ready for the first step: smoking the brisket. You are going to place the brisket in a smoker at 250 degrees for 5 hours. At this point you simply need to monitor your temperature and keep it at 250, but you don’t need to mess with the brisket. This is where a lot of people overthink the process and make mistakes. You don’t need to keep opening your smoker to “check” or display it, just leave it alone and let it smoke. After 5 hours, the internal temperature should be between 160 and 170 degrees.
Now is the time to tenderize the brisket. You want to take the brisket out of the smoker, place it back on the foil pan, and add 1/4 inch of apple juice or beef broth (or a combination of the two). Apply more seasoning to the top of the brisket, cover the pan with foil, and return it to the smoker for another 3 hours.
After 3 hours, check the internal temperature of your skirt, it should be around 200 degrees. If it’s not at 200 internal, put it back in your smoker and recheck every 45 minutes until it’s up to that temperature. Once your brisket is at 200 degrees internal, remove it from the smoker, fan the foil on top, and let it steam for 15 minutes.
Now it’s time to finish the brisket. You will close the foil around the tray, wrap a towel around the entire package, and place it in a dry cooler to rest for about 2 hours. This process will allow the brisket to re-squeeze and soak up some of the pan juices.
And now your perfectly smoked, tender and juicy brisket is ready to slice, serve and eat.