Gameday can be the perfect time to master the art of smoking. Smoking can take a long time, which makes it an ideal option for day-long tailgates or game watch parties. Fans who have volunteered for cooking duties this season can impress guests with their smoking skills by following this recipe for “Texas-Style Beef Brisket” from “The Essential Kamado Grill Cookbook” (Rockridge Press) by Will Budiaman.
Texas-Style Beef Brisket
INGREDIENTS: Serves 6 to 8
1 8- to 10-lb. beef brisket
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
Dry-brining time: Overnight
Prep time: 15 to 30 minutes
Cook time: 7 hours, 30 minutes to 9 hours, 30 minutes; plus 1 to 2 hours to rest
Grill temperature: 250 F to 275 F
Smoking wood: Oak or pecan
INSTRUCTIONS:
Trim off any hard fat from the brisket and square off the edges. Trim the fat cap down to an even 1⁄4-inch thickness. Sprinkle evenly on all sides with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight.
Prepare the grill for smoking at 250 F to 275 F. Place the brisket fat-side up on the grate over the drip pan. Close the lid. If desired, wrap in aluminum foil after 5 to 6 hours or once the bark (crust) is dark brown. Turn over the brisket, close the lid, and continue cooking for 2 hours, 30 minutes to 3 hours, 30 minutes more or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 200 F. Rest the brisket, wrapped in foil, for 1 to 2 hours before serving. Cut across the grain into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices. Pour over as much of the drippings from the pan as you like, and serve.
Cooking tip: The grain in each part of the brisket — it’s made up of two different muscles, known as the flat and the point — runs in two different directions. Roughly speaking, the grain in the point runs perpendicular to the grain in the flat, so you’ll want to slice the two sections separately.
