Tony Zentgraf
Smoked Beef Brisket is synonymous with Texas BBQ, but how did that happen?
Smoked Beef Brisket (GF) is an amazing, flavorful cut of meat that is easy to cook, the key is patience to low and slow. There is one exception, The Crying Tiger – Thailand’s method of preparation requires a marinade to tenderize slices of brisket then grilled quick over a hot grill. This is discussed, later.
Whats in the Article – Smoked Beef Brisket
- Brisket Traditions
- Brisket’s Popularity Origin
- Brisket Low & Slow
- Brisket’s Versatility
- Thailand Cooks Brisket Hot & Fast
- Tales of How Hot & Fast Got its Start
- Brisket Rub & Smoke vs Braising
- Pick Up a Brisket and Give it a Try!
Brisket Traditions
Hearing the word brisket, many of you may know this cut of meat is a popular holiday meal for the Jewish culture. Served for Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah or Sabbath, brisket has traditionally been made by braising in the oven.
Brisket’s Popularity Origin
But back to how does the Jewish culture and Texas BBQ come together? As Jewish immigrants made their way from Eastern Europe in the 1800s, many settled in Texas.
During the early 1900s in Texas, Jewish delis were advertising brisket at a cheap price during holiday times.
It wasn’t until the 1950s, that a restaurant in Texas had started smoking the meat. Black’s Barbecue, claims to be the first restaurant to serve smoked brisket. From then on the art of smoking bbq meats has spread around the country.
Brisket Low & Slow
Brisket, being a tougher cut of meat, generally requires a low and slow cooking technique. Either by braising, in the oven or on your smoker, slow roasting to a high internal temperature will transform the brisket to tender & juicy taking on the flavors it is cooked with.
As the brisket slowly rises in temperature over hours, the fat and meat’s connective tissues down to deliver a tender result. Ideally 203° will produce a nice brisket. But depending on who you ask and the particular brisket this may vary from between 195°-210°.
It is fine to eat it between these temperatures, just remember the lower the temperature, the more slicable the meat will be but may be a bit on the chewy side. If you go too high the meat will become more able to shred.
Shoot for 203° on your first cook and then you will be able to gauge what you like and adjust from there. Using a knife to determine tenderness is another great way to see if it is done. Over 195° you can stick a knife into the meat and can determine doneness by the resistance you get from the meat.
Brisket rises in temperature slowly so if you keep opening the roasting pan, oven or smoker it will extend the cook. Using an wireless thermometer will help dial in the temperature of the meat.
Check out The Meatstick Chef X wireless thermometer, its short probe is great for cuts of meat that are not too thick. If you have two you can put one in the flat and one in the point to monitor both parts of the brisket!
Keep in mind, the point end of the brisket will most likely lag behind the flat temperature because of the thickness variation. No worries there either, you can utilize both in different ways, slice the point and you can slice or shred the flat.
Leftover ideas, bbq brisket with the shredded, make a sandwich or use in Brisket Barley Soup! So Good!
Brisket’s Versatility
Brisket is also used for Corned Beef which is braised with seasoning until tender or Pastrami smoked with a heavy spiced crust different than brisket.
The cut of brisket is used around the world. Many countries including the United States, it is a cheaper cut of meat, partly because it is a tough cut compared to rib roast or other cut.
Thailand Cooks Brisket Hot & Fast
Asian countries braise brisket, then sliced and served in noodle dishes. But Northern Thailand has a dish called Suea Rong Hai translated means Crying Tiger Steak.
The brisket is sliced thin 1/4″ and marinated for up to 4 hours. The marinade helps break down the meat and then grilled to medium rare.
Served with a spicy dipping sauce and an ice cold beer. The meat is meant to be eaten hot off the grill. If it is not the meat cools down and it becomes tougher to chew.
Tales of How Hot & Fast Got its Start
There are several tales (no pun intended) why it is called The Crying Tiger. One is that, the meat, when cooking looks like tiger stripes as the fat begins to cook.
Another says, brisket is such a tough cut of meat that a tiger can’t chew it. So it makes him cry.
And the one I like. A tiger had killed a cow in the jungle. He had eaten so much that he could not eat any more. But he took one last bite out of the brisket and discovered that it was the best piece of meat. He was so full that he cried because he couldn’t eat anymore.
Whatever story you believe for the Crying Tiger Steak, there is probably some truth to all of them. The next brisket I get ahold of, I am going to cut some of the flat before I put it on the smoker and make this bar appetizer. Maybe I will wait until it is not winter outside to enjoy the cold beer.
Brisket Rub & Smoke vs Braising
Brisket spice rub flavors will not penetrate the meat much but provides a great bark on the finished smoke or oven roast. Braising a brisket will help to infuse flavors of the liquid, whether it be red wine, herbs or vegetables.
Meats cook faster in a wet environment than a dry environment but that doesn’t mean that boiling will cook faster. Braising, low and slow will allow the meat to become tender over the cook.
Pick Up a Brisket and Give it a Try!
You can probably pick up some BBQ from a local restaurant in your area. But smoking one yourself gives you a great meal and leftovers to enjoy another day. Patience is the key with making brisket, whether smoking, oven roasting or braising.
Give it a try, ask your butcher at the market if they can cut you a flat, it is a good entry cook. The flat will be leaner but it can give you a taste of the process of cooking brisket. Smoked Beef Brisket (GF) will become family favorite!
ENJOY!
Smoked Beef Brisket (GF)
Print RecipeRecipe Multiplier
Brisket Rub
- ¼ cup Kosher Salt
- ¼ cup Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Granulated Garlic
- 2 tbsp Granulated Onion
- 2 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tbsp Dry Mustard
- 1 tbsp Cayenne
Brisket
- 1 ea 13-17 lb Brisket Trimmed
- ½ cup Yellow Mustard
Instructions
Brisket Rub
- Combine all ingredients listed for the rub.
- Ensure all spices are broken apart and combined well.
- Store in an airtight container for later use. Can hold excess spice rub for up to 6 months.
Preparing the Brisket
- Trim the brisket to remove excess fat. Trim to 1/4".
- Spread mustard on the brisket to allow the spice rub to adhere to the brisket.
- Spread the rub over the mustard coated brisket. Pack on the rub but not excessively.
- Place the brisket on a sheet pan with a baking rack. Refrigerate the brisket for 4-12 hours so allow the air circulation in the refrigerator to dry out the exterior of the brisket.
- Preheat the Traeger Pellet Smoker to 225° (Super smoke enabled if equipped)
- Place a remote probe thermometer into the Point (thick part of the brisket) (If you have two remote probe thermometers place in a couple of places to get a feel for how the flat and point are cooking)
- Smoke with the door closed for approximately 6 hours until internal temperature reaches 160°. May take longer than 6 hours to reach 160° depends on smoker and the meat.
- Once the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 160° remove it from the smoker and wrap the brisket.
- Place the wrapped brisket back into the smoker with the probe thermometers still inserted.
- Turn off super smoke and turn temperature up to 250°. Continue to smoke for 3-5 hours until the internal temperature reaches 204°
- Remove the brisket from the smoker, wrap the brisket in a towel and let rest in a cooler for 3 hours. This will allow the brisket to rest and retain moisture.
- Slice the brisket starting at the flat end, slice against the grain in ¼" – ½" slices.
- Enjoy!
