Smoked Brisket

Linda’s son is throwing a surprise 30th birthday party for his wife and planning to serve smoked brisket and roasted pork loin. Linda says he’s looking for side-dish suggestions and tricks to prevent the brisket from turning into shoe leather.

Taking on the toughest problem first, how do you keep the brisket from drying out? The key is low and slow. The brisket should be cooked at about 225 degrees for at least 8 and as long as 10 hours. Hotter and faster will make the meat draw up as the proteins denature and that will squeeze out the juices. A couple of other tricks help. First, I would smoke the briskets for about four hours, then wrap them in a couple of layers heavy aluminum foil to keep them from drying out. The final 4 to 6 hours (depending on the size of the roast) of cooking can take place in an oven set to 225. Second, cook the briskets with the fat side up and don’t trim any fat off prior to cooking. Third, add a source of moisture to cooking area, the barrel-style smokers come with pans for liquid, if you’re using a different kind of smoker add a cheap aluminum pan filled with water.

Did you know that ChefsLine hosted one of the top BBQ experts for an extremely interesting and informative event that is available online or for download to your MP3 player? Here is the link to the audio, with special guest star Dotty Griffith, which includes detailed solutions and tips on preparing a Texas BBQ Brisket.

As for sides, traditions happen for a reason - and in the case of BBQ, we can’t not recommend traditional coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans. Chef Adam enjoys this great Bob Bremer recipe, Psychedelic Coleslaw. We also have a recipe for a Garlicky Roasted Potato Salad. The great thing about both of these recipes is they can be made a day in advance, in fact the slaw and dressing can be prepped a couple of days in advance and then combined the morning of the feast.

Dotty Griffith’s menu is traditional Texas BBQ including Beef Brisket, a Texas-style shortcut, Lone Star Sauce, Potato Salad, Pinto Beans, Cole Slaw, and Double-Crust Fredericksburg Peach Cobbler.

For something a bit different, marinate 1/2 inch slices (cut lengthwise) of zucchini and eggplant and whole mushrooms in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, and rosemary for 4 hours then grill them under the pork letting it’s juices add to their flavor. Then sprinkle with a bit of grated parmesan cheese when you pull them off the fire.

~ Chef Kevin