Smoked Beef Brisket
Neil Nijjer is a private chef in North Vancouver, Canada, who loves using fresh West Coast ingredients.
This smoked beef brisket recipe is all about keeping it simple (just three dried spices mixed salt, black pepper, granulated garlic) and mustard, and doing it low ‘n’ slow. Allow plenty of time for this recipe. The average cooking time is around 1.5 hours per pound because we don’t wrap this brisket. Remove any hard fat from brisket and keep on what works for you. It’s home cooking and not competition so don’t worry about making it look good.
Editor’s note: Like barbeque, smoking must be done outdoors. However, smoking is different from barbeque in that smoked foods are cooked over low indirect heat with smoke from wood chips. This slow cooking keeps the meat juicy and the result is tender and flavorful. Here, the author recommends using a smoker with hickory wood pellets for the smoked beef brisket.
More outdoor cooking ideas for meat, potatoes and vegetables:
Slow-Roasted Barbecued Cabrito
Ingredients
- Full brisket, 4.5 to 7.2 kg (10 to 16 pounds) trimmed of hard fat
- Dijon or other brown mustard, as needed
- 71 to 118 ml (⅓ to ½ cup) mixed salt, black pepper, and granulated garlic
Preparation
- Prepare a smoker with hickory wood pellets. Heat smoker up to smoke setting recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Rub the meat with just enough mustard so the rub will have something nice to bind on to. Add the seasoning mixture but don’t rub it in, just press it on if you need to. Insert the probe. Place the brisket in the smoker and let it sit at smoke for 2 hours.
3. Increase smoker temperature to 107-121°C (225-250°F) and let it cook. When the meat reaches around the 150 degree mark the temperature may stall and sit there for a while. Let it continue to cook. Start probing the meat when the meat reaches 90°C (195°F) and let it get to 96°C (205°F) before you start thinking of pulling it out. It’s at this temp you’ll make the choice of removing it or leaving it in to get up to 93°C (220°F) if it’s still too firm. Every smoker is different, so it’s important to do what works best for you. Once you are satisfied with the texture, remove the meat, slice, and serve.
Neil Nijjer
Neil Nijjer is a private chef in North Vancouver, Canada, who loves using fresh West Coast ingredients. Neil began cooking as a child, watching and helping his Dad in the kitchen. His passion to feed the masses began early, from feeding the neighborhood kids to hosting big Fijian family parties. Neil started @the_o_g_kitchen to share his unique take on cooking classic comfort foods and Island-style curries in hybrid masala blends.
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