True Texas Brisket

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pennstpitmaster

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 17, 2014
16
10
South Jersey
trying to step up my brisket game and thinking about smoking one on my few days off starting tomorrow. last one I did was too dry, but I think that had to do with using beef broth to mix my butcher bbq injection mix. this time around I want to nail it, and I want to make it as close to true, authentic, Texas brisket as I possibly can. looking for any advice possible? inject? with what? mop? fancy rub? stick to salt, pepper and garlic? even what kind of wood should I use? I have apple, cherry, and hickory chunks on hand, but getting mesquite mini logs is just a quick trip to Cabelas. really trying to knock it out of the park and step up my game cus Im looking to compete this summer.
 
Honestly think you can't go wrong with whatever rub you choose.  Key is to keep the smoker temp low and as constant as you can until the either the internal temp is about 196 or you can toothpick in and out of a thicker section like butter.  I don't inject brisket personally but that's not to say its wrong to do so either. I would avoid the mopping or anything that requires opening the smoker to do anything.  All you're really doing is causing temp fluctuations in the smoker.  Rub it the night before, drop it on the smoker, control your temps to the best of your ability and let the meat tell you when its finished.

Far as smoke wood goes that beef will take very well whatever you put to it even a pungent mesquite.  No matter what i smoke I tend to stick with apple and cherry and if its all I have, hickory. Those are my tastes.  I'd leave you with the advice to try what compels you.
 
 True Texas Brisket ; Cracked Black Pepper / Kosher Salt . On a 225*F Smoker , close the lid and wait 4 hrs. and insert the probe . Shut the lid and feed the Smoker until IMT is 195*F or so and check for

tenderness . SIMPLE
cool.gif
 
Penn, seems like Old School has you headed in the right direction.  For true Texas brisket, from the hill country region that is, the wood of choice would be Oak, Post Oak mainly, but as you get into different parts of Texas, we may tend to run Hickory or even Pecan.  South Texas will traditionally run Mesquite.  Have to remember, Texas is a rather large state, our regions are bigger than most states!  LOL.  If you are working on brisket techniques to be able to compete, especially in the upper Northeast of the US, cooking in KCBS contests, you might want to take a KCBS CBJ class, then judge a few competitions to get to know what flavors are being used up there.  I would seriously doubt that a true Texas style brisket is winning.  Heck, true Texas style typically won't win in Texas either!  Most comp briskets are bordering on roast beef flavor, from both the injections and grade of beef being used.  As far as injections, there are several popular ones being used on the circuit (Butchers BBQ, Kosmos Q, Sweet Smoke Q, Fab B) and rubs, can't count the number of different rubs being used (Big Poppa, Oakridge, Butchers BBQ, Simply Marvelous, and countless others).  Woods will vary from region to region as well.  

I don't think the injection had anything to do with dryness, this is typically from lack of internal marbling with the meat itself.  If you are planning on competing, you'd better step up your meat grade first, practice cook until you can't mess it up, but I would for sure look into judging first.  Good luck and feel free to shoot me any questions you might have.  A few resources that might help you with your desire to compete...

Buy the book "Starting the Fire" by George Hensler.  Good guide and look inside comp cooking. 

"American Smoke" video documentary about comp BBQ (especially in the Northeast) by Dirt Productions.

BBQ Brethren, forum heavy into comp cooking.
 
Keep the water pan half full, no need to inject, and it should remain moist. Or you could spritz every 30-60min.

From what I've read everywhere, Texas brisket is just salt/pepper. As much as 9:1 ratio (pepper:salt), I haven't tried it like that though.
 
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