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1. CLASSIC TEXAS BBQ BRISKET
Need
Digital meat probe
Foil
Prep Time
Begin preparation the day before
Wood Flavouring
Add a handful of a strong flavoured wood chips for the first 1-2 hours of cooking
Cook Time
Will vary between 9-18 hours depending on what cut is used
45 mins for resting
Temperature Zone
LOW: 105-135°C (220-275°F)
Internal Temperature
93-98°C (210°F)
Remove at 95°C as the temperature will increase during resting period
Unless it has been slow cooked, brisket is a tough cut of meat. Brisket is loaded with connective
tissue called collagen that makes the meat tough and chewy. It is only when the collagen has
been transformed into gelatin that the meat will become tender. The gelatin provides an all-
important “mouth feel” of juiciness. Collagen begins to convert to gelatin at 60°C (140°F) internal
temperature, but the conversion is most rapid at temperatures over 82°C (180°F) internally. It
is common when cooking brisket to “stall” between 65-70°C (149-158°F). This is thought to be
because at this temperature the meat “sweats” and the evaporation of surface moisture cools the
meat.
An oven proof digital meat probe is recommended for cooking as an internal temperature of
93-98°C (210°F) must be reached to fully cook the brisket. Typically brisket is removed when
internal temperature hits roughly 95°C (203°F) as the temperature will rise further when the meat
rests.
What little juices there are in a brisket are normally lost to the cooking process. Hence brisket is
often served with barbecue sauce. Cooking the meat in foil with moist heat (braising) is preferred.
This way it conserves the juices and utilizes the heat better than just cooking in a smoker.
INGREDIENTS
Beef brisket (Get the biggest you can! 3kg minimum)
Dry rub (use your own or refer rub recipes further along)
Cumin
1 can of beer (Stout or Porter)
PREPARATION
Perforate the brisket using a large fork, piercing the brisket all over.
DRY RUB
Use a dry rub of your liking. Apply the rub liberally to all sides of the meat.
Cover with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator from 4 hours to overnight (to allow all flavours to
fully permeate the meat).
Keep the brisket as cold as you can before cooking. The longer it spends “on smoke” before the
internal temperature hits 65°-70°C (150°-160°F) the better.
COOKING
Pre heat your smoker to LOW: 105-135°C (220-275°F).
Sprinkle the rub and cumin over the brisket and once 120°C is reached, quickly sear the brisket
in the Hark smoker, fat side down for 2-3 minutes. Then, smoke the brisket fat-side up for
