Step 1

Read carefully. There are some special items needed for this recipe. In addition to the brisket and spice rub, make sure you read over the equipment list above: you need heavy duty foil, butcher paper, and a leave-in probe thermometer.

Step 2

Choose your brisket: Go to a quality butcher or a high-end grocery store. Ask the butcher for a choice grade flat cut brisket (or a full-packer, if you are all in). If they only have prepackaged cuts, make sure it is Choice grade. Find the one with the biggest fat cap you can find. Bend the brisket to see if it folds in half easily (if it's vacuum sealed, skip this, bending won't tell you much.) The fat cap should be white, not yellow.

Step 3

Assemble the spice rub. In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt. DO NOT USE TABLE SALT. (If that's all you have, use half the amount.) Add 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper and 2 tablespoons garlic granules.

Step 4

Prepare the brisket. Set out a rimmed half baking sheet and a cooling rack. Cut open the packaging and pat the brisket with paper towels to dry it off. Place it on the baking sheet, fat-side up.

Step 5

Dry brine. Rub about one third of the seasoning over the fat cap and edges, carefully patting it onto the meat. Flip the brisket over and sprinkle the remaining dry rub all over the sides and top of the brisket. If the spices fall onto the baking sheet, scoop it up and rub it in.

Step 6

Make sure every part of the meat is seasoned, top, bottom, and sides. Make additional rub if you haven't covered every part of the brisket. The ratio is 2 parts kosher salt to 1 part pepper, to 1 part garlic. Lift the brisket and slide the cooling rack underneath the meat, so that the brisket is sitting on the cooling rack, which is nestled in the baking sheet.

Step 7

Refrigerate. Transfer the brisket to the refrigerator to chill, UNCOVERED. This helps dry out the edges so you get an amazing crispy "bark." It does not make your brisket dried out, I promise it will still be moist (if it has enough fat). Chill overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.

Step 8

Let the brisket rest out of the fridge. Take the meat out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prepare to smoke.

Step 9

Instructions for wood chip smoker foil packets. Use large sheets of heavy duty foil to make four 4 packets, each filled with about 2 cups dry wood chips. See photos. Seal the foil at the top by folding it over, then fold up the ends. Your packets should be about 8×5 inches. Make sure that they are well sealed, and that the chips do not puncture the foil on the bottom or edges. Use a sharp knife to poke a 2-inch slit on either side of the top of the packets. This will allow smoke to escape, and oxygen in to feed our chips. Make 4 packets total, we will be using 2 at a time on the grill.

Step 10

Smoker box instructions: (I have a smoker box and still prefer to use foil smoke packets - save your money unless you already have one.) Add 4 cups dry hickory wood chips to your smoker box, or however much will fit with the lid closed.

Step 11

Prepare the grill. Clean off your grill grates of any debris from the last time you grilled. Remove the grill grates on the side that has the primary burner. Place 2 foil packets over the primary burner, either on the heat plates, or directly on the burner. (If you have a smoker box, remove the grates from your grill and place the smoker box directly on the primary burner. You may need to remove the heat plate entirely from your grill.)

Step 12

Turn on the grill. Turn all the burners on the grill to high heat if you are using a smoker box, or to medium heat if you are using foil packets. Let it preheat for 10 minutes.

Step 13

After 10 minutes, turn off the burners on the empty side of the grill, the side with the grill grates still on. This is where our brisket will sit. Turn the other burners down to LOW. You need to bring the grill temperature all the way back down to 250 degrees and make sure it stays at 250 degrees. You can open the lid for a minute or two to let some heat escape if it's too hot. Do NOT put the brisket into the grill if it's too hot! It will not cook the proper way and you'll end up with dry meat.

Step 14

Oil the grate. Use tongs to dip a crumpled paper towel into a bit of oil, then rub on the grill grate.

Step 15

Smoke. Place the brisket fat side UP on the oiled grate over the burners that are TURNED OFF. Save the cookie sheet and cooling rack for later. Close the lid and smoke the brisket for about an hour, maintaining a grill temperature of about 250 degrees. Come back and adjust it as necessary. Use an oven thermometer set inside your grill to gauge the temperature if your grill doesn't have a built in thermometer. Check to make sure your wood chips are still smoking (turn heat up a bit momentarily to get them to smoke again if necessary, returning the heat back down to maintain 250 degrees F.)

Step 16

Smoke again. After an hour, remove the spent foil packets if they are no longer smoking, or move them to the back if they still have smoke coming out. Add the remaining two foil pouches to the side with the flame. Or, if you have a smoker box, carefully dump out the spent chips and add 3 more cups of hickory chips to the smoker box.Close the lid and smoke the brisket for another 60-70 minutes, maintaining a grill temperature of 250 degrees. Come back and adjust it as necessary.

Step 17

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees, about 10 minutes before your brisket is done smoking.

Step 18

Remove from grill. Once the smoke packets are spent, turn the grill off, and use grill gloves or a large metal spatula to move the brisket back over to the cooling rack on top of the cookie sheet. VERY carefully, take it inside.

Step 19

Wrap the brisket. Making sure you have a wide space, pull out a large section of butcher paper but don't cut it yet. Set the brisket fat side up on the paper, then fold the paper up over the brisket. Flip the brisket over in the paper, then wrap up the ends like a birthday present. See photos. Flip the brisket again and MAKE SURE the fat side is up. (Unwrap it if you're not sure!!) Tuck and wrap the paper as necessary to make sure the paper doesn't come undone in the oven.

Step 20

Transfer to the oven. Place the wrapped brisket back onto the cooling rack on the baking sheet, fat side up. If you have one, insert the probe of a leave-in meat thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket, and set the alarm to ring when the internal temperature reaches 203 degrees F. Double check that your oven is set to 250 degrees, and place the wrapped brisket in the oven. Settle in for the long haul! Do not open the oven door until your brisket reaches that 203 mark. If you don't have a leave-in thermometer, start checking the temperature with an instant read thermometer after about 3-4 hours, depending on how big your brisket is. Keep checking until it reaches It could take twice as long! Plan to make this a day ahead of your event if you are not sure!

Step 21

Rest. Once it's reached temperature, as carefully as possible remove the baking sheet (there will be melted fat and juices so don't burn yourself!). You will be tempted but DON'T UNWRAP it! Let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to let it rest and reabsorb all the fat. Check the temperature and make sure the meat is 140-150 degrees before unwrapping.

Step 22

Unwrap. Unwrap the brisket, carefully catching all the juices in the rimmed baking sheet. Place the brisket on a cutting board with a juice groove.

Step 23

Slice. Look for the grain in the brisket, and then slice against (perpendicular to) the grain with a sharp chef's knife (see photos). Snag a bite. Die and go to heaven.

Step 24

Serve with Homemade BBQ Sauce. On the side! I like to serve brisket with Mac and Cheese, or Santa Maria Pinquito Beans!

Step 25

Storage. Store covered in the fridge for 4-5 days. Brisket freezes very well! See post for details, as well as reheating instructions.