Smoked Beef Brisket

I got on an airplane for the first time since the first week in March. The experience for me was positive. My flight was nearly empty and the workers were extremely cautious about making sure that passengers kept socially distant and kept their masks on in the terminal and in the plane.

Once I arrived at my destination, however, the atmosphere was very different from where I have been living. I flew to Texas and immediately noticed that people were not as concerned about keeping their distance from each other. I had to stop by the grocery store on my way home, and even though everyone had on a mask, the store had more people in it than I have seen in it in months.

Texas is spiking with the number of positive cases of the corona virus and I saw why. I bought my food and got out as quickly as I could. I bought a brisket, because beef is much cheaper here than back East.

I trimmed the excess fat from my brisket down to a quarter of an inch thick. The brisket was so large that I had to cut it in half so that it would fit in my smoker and on the grill.

I seasoned the brisket with Himalayan salt, garlic, onion, hot smoked paprika, and mustard powder. I would have used chipotle chili powder as well, but I was out of that ingredient.

After getting my charcoal started on my grill, I put the two pieces of brisket on the pit using indirect heat with the fat side up. I let it cook at around 350 deg F to absorb some smoke, render some of the fat, and to develop a crust.

After three hours, I moved the brisket to my electric smoker. I had water in a pan underneath the meat to keep it moist. I also had hickory wood chips in the wood bin.

I smoked the brisket for an additional four hours at 225 deg F. I usually smoke my briskets for 8 hours total, but the meat was ready about an hour earlier.

I let it sit for a few minutes before I cut it so that all if the juices wouldn’t run out. It came out in excellent shape. I had the quarter inch smoke ring around the meat and a crust.

I took pictures of it and sent it to my family members who are staying quarantined in their homes. One of my sisters sent her husband by my house to get some as soon as it was ready. She told me that I could pass it out the door and not let my brother-in-law inside the house if I was uncomfortable with his presence because of the virus.

I fixed her a generous plate and sent it by her husband. Since he had on a mask, and I did too, I let him stand at my front door while I was wrapping the meat.

I promised my oldest sister that I would bring her and her family some meat after I vote today. I have plenty of brisket, which is enough to share. I also bought some andouille sausage and put it on the pit after I took the brisket out of the smoker.

I have been craving some good smoked beef brisket, and my meal hit the spot.

Enjoy your day!