It’s easy to take for granted that brisket actually comes from the muscular chest area of the animal, which gets worked hard and carries a lot of weight.  Because of that, it’s actually a pretty tough cut of meat to work with.  If you aren’t careful with how you prepare a brisket, you could easily end up with dry and tough results.

One of the ways you can increase the moisture levels and tenderness of your cut is by using a brisket injection recipe.  Brisket injection is actually pretty easy, and can most definitely lead to more tender and juicy BBQ brisket vs only using a dry rub.

In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to know for how to do a beef brisket injection.  After that, we’ll share a few different brisket injection recipe ideas and go over some FAQ about the process!

Brisket Injection – What Is It?

Brisket injection is a way to infuse flavors, seasoning, and other nutrients deep into the core of the beef.  It’s a way to distribute flavor and moisture across the entire cut of meat, as opposed to just the outer portion that’s seasoned with a traditional brisket rub (but you should do that too!).

Remember, brisket is typically cooked low and slow – it will be on the smoker for a long time.  So the extra moisture that comes from injection helps for it to remain juicy, tender, and moist as the smoking process plays itself out.

Injecting meats is a practice that is fairly common, and the basic principles apply to lots of different meats – not just brisket.  Ham, turkey, and pork are some other common meats that are prime candidates for injection to name a few.

Brisket injection is equal parts art and science.  There are a few things about the injection process and technique that are pretty unanimously agreed upon in the cooking community.

Some other things have a little more opportunity for variation and personal preference – like which recipe to use, or how long before cooking you should do the actual injection.

As we give our brisket injection recipe and tips, we’ll be sure to point out which is which.  Now let’s get into the how of brisket injection!

Brisket Injection – How To

Things You’ll Need

If you’re going to get the job done right, you’ll need to make sure you have the correct equipment.  Thankfully, you won’t need to break the bank to get everything you need.

First, you’ll need a quality meat injector.  Stainless steel is the ideal material of choice because it is sturdy, long lasting, and won’t retain flavors or smells after the fact like plastic injectors tend to do.

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For home use, you just need a syringe style injector.  As far as the needle size goes, you’ll want to make sure you get something big enough to handle your injection liquid of choice.

If you plan on injection recipes that have pepper, herbs, or other sediments – a thicker needle will probably be necessary.  Or, if the consistency of your injection fluid is more pasty – a thicker needle is the right call.

Many kits on the market come in packs with multiple needles to handle different needs.  Each needle for injection should have a sharp tip with multiple holes on the side of the needle where the liquid gets distributed throughout your meat.

You’ll also want to make sure your injector holds 2 ounces of fluid or more.  Anything less than that will cause for you to spend too much time refilling!

The second piece of equipment you’ll need is a bowl or large vessel to contain the injection fluid.  It should be big or deep enough to accommodate your injector’s needle easily.  I’ve also seen people use a tall drinking glass for this part.

Last, you’ll need a workspace you don’t mind getting messy.  For some that could mean a countertop.  If you have an extra large pan that can contain the juices, that works too.  Brisket injection gets pretty messy, and you can 100% count on some sort of juice clean up process after the fact.

Injection Overview

Remember, the overall purpose of brisket injection is to add moisture and flavor to the insides of your cut.

It’s important at this point to quickly note the two main sections of a brisket.  The “Flat” of a brisket has more meat, is lean, and has relatively little fat.  The “Point” (or Deckle) of a brisket on the other hand has more fat.

As far as moisture goes, the most benefit will be seen in the leaner brisket flat portion of your brisket.  By nature, the lack of fat means there will be less moisture and tenderness in the flat.  This will probably be the most beneficial area to inject because it will enhance both moisture and flavor.

The point portion of a brisket will also be enhanced by injection.  But it’s less of a benefit in terms of moisture as the fatty part of a brisket typically stays pretty moist.  It’s more for flavoring when it comes to the point.

It’s also worth pointing out that this article assumes you’ve already trimmed your brisket.  If you need some guidance on how to trim a brisket, check out this article before you get started.

Step by Step Guide

The goal is to completely and evenly inject your brisket.  The best way to do this is by utilizing a checkerboard pattern of injections across your meat – on both the brisket point and/or the flat.

1. Fill your injector with your injection fluid.
2. Puncture the brisket with your injector’s needle between fibers.  Be sure to puncture with your needle at a slight angle, not perpendicular to the meat.  There’s some debate on whether it’s better to inject against or with the grain.  Personally, I think it’s better to inject with the grain, but it’s completely up to you to experiment with this.
3. Press the plunger of your injector as you withdraw your needle.  Press the plunger too hard and the liquid will squirt everywhere.  You also don’t want to inject too much into one spot – if liquid begins to pour out you’ve done too much.  You’ll get the hang of this part with some practice.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 in a 1-2 inch checkerboard pattern across your entire brisket.  Refill your injector with fluid as needed.
5. Clean up any liquid that is leftover once done.  And I can promise you, there will be!  It’s just the nature of the beast when it comes to any brisket injection recipe.

What Goes Into Brisket Injection Fluid?

A brisket injection recipe can be a plethora of different flavors, consistencies, and styles.  Part of the fun is experimenting and figuring out what you like best in your recipe.

With that said, there are quite a few ingredients that are pretty common.  You’ll see these staples as a base or component of almost any brisket injection recipe.

• Butter and/or Olive Oil – we mentioned earlier that part of the purpose of all of this is to add moisture to your brisket.  Melted butter and olive oil are both commonly used in lots of recipes to soften things up and add that extra moisture to your meat.
• Beef Stock or Broth – is probably the most common ingredient found in any brisket injection recipe.  You can actually inject either on it’s own without anything extra and still achieve nice results.  Beef stock and broth intensifies the beefy flavor and adds moisture to your meat.
• Various Types of Alcohol – whether it’s beer or distilled spirits, you’ll very commonly find alcohol as elements in various recipes.  Alcohol is added purely as a flavor compliment to your brisket and is incredibly delicious when used properly.  Think about it, there are hardly better pairings than beer or whiskey and BBQ!
• Worcestershire Sauce –  the more I’ve learned about cooking, the more impressed I am with the versatility of Worcestershire sauce.  It’s a fermented liquid condiment that is savory, sweet, a little vinegary, and a definite value add to almost any injection project.
• Fruit Juices – apple juice and pineapple juice in particular I’ve seen in multiple recipes.  Both of these fruit juices have properties that seriously tenderize meat (which is why they’re also staples in smoked ham injection recipes).  You need to make sure that your brisket doesn’t sit longer than 4 hours after injection if your recipe includes any fruit juices.

Some of you might have used other ingredients for your brisket injection recipe.  The ones we’ve listed above are just the staples.  At the end of the day, it’s all about flavor and your personal preference – so you should try something else out if it looks good and if it will be beneficial in the cooking process.

I’ll also add that you can most definitely add seasonings, herbs, or other solids to your solution.  Just remember that your fluid will end up exiting the needle through fine holes, and everything must fit and flow well!  Otherwise you’ll be set back quite a bit with time and headache associated with cleaning and unclogging.

Where possible, ground solids into very fine powders, or at least put some extra effort into getting them into the smallest pieces that you can.

Best Brisket Injection Recipes

In no particular order, here are 5 of the best recipes for you to try at home!

Malcom Reed Brisket Injection Recipe

Source: howtobbqright.com

Our first recipe is simple, super easy to make, and a perfect compliment to your brisket.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tsp Beef Base
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 Cups Water
• 1 Tsp Kosher Salt

Instructions:

Warm the water in a small pot or sauce pan.  Add the beef base and whisk until combined.  Then, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk those in.  Once combined, remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool completely.  From there, you’re ready to inject.

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If you want to keep things easy and trust the professionals, then give the Butcher BBQ Prime Barbecue Brisket Injection recipe a try.  It couldn’t be simpler and the pre made combination is delicious.

Ingredients:

• 3 Scoops of Butcher BBQ Prime Barbecue Brisket Injection
• 2 Cups Water or Beef Broth (Depending on Your Flavor Preference)

Instructions:

Mix the 3 scoops and water or beef broth in a bowl, and stir to combine.  That’s it!

Savory Beef Stock Brisket Flat Injection Recipe

Source: smokingpit.com

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Kitchen Basic’s Beef Stock
• 1/4 Tsp Thyme
• 1/2 Tsp Rosemary
• 3 Cloves Coarsely Chopped Garlic
• Pepper to Taste
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Bay Leave

This recipe is designed specifically for the flat portion of the brisket, although it would be fine to use on the point too!

The concoction is actually prepared and then refrigerated overnight too, so plan ahead if this is the one you want to try.

Instructions:

Pour beef stock into a pot.  Next add all of the other ingredients.  Turn heat on high, and stir contents of the pot occasionally until the solution reaches a boil.  Once it reaches boiling temperature, reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer for 1 hour, removing the bay leaf after 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool after the 1 hour simmer.  Strain the liquid stock into a container, then cover and refrigerate overnight.  Use as your injection the following day!

Sweet and Savory

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Beef Broth
• 2 Tbsp Black Pepper – Freshly Ground
• 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 2 Tsp Brown Sugar

Instructions:

This one’s pretty straightforward too.  All you have to do is combine all of these ingredients in a bowl.  Stir until completely combined, and voila, you are ready to inject!

Beef Marinade Injection

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Beef Broth
• 2 Beef Bouillon Cubes
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions:

Place beef broth in a pot, and set heat to high.  Add beef bouillon cubes and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.  It’s ready for use after it has cooled.

Brisket Injection FAQ

Injecting a brisket can seem like quite the overwhelming process if you’ve never done it before.  Naturally, you might have a few questions that weren’t answered so far in this post.  In this section, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about brisket injection.

Marinade vs Injection – What’s the Difference?

Marination is a process that happens on the surface of your beef.  While the flavoring will certainly soak in, it will only do so to a point.  With marination, only the outer most portion of your brisket will absorb flavors and moisture.

This unfortunately leaves the bulk of the meat without any flavor or moisture enhancements.  The problem result that often comes from a marinade is a delicious outer bark with a less than stellar inside of the brisket.

Injection on the other hand gets flavor and moisture deep into the inners of the brisket.  When done properly, the entire brisket will have a flavor and moisture enhancement that will immensely help the pit master create a BBQ masterpiece.

Do Professionals/Restaurants Inject Their Briskets?

The answer to this question depends completely on the individual chef.  It’s totally personal preference.

I mentioned earlier that I’m from Texas.  More specifically I grew up in Austin, Texas and for those of you BBQ gurus out there – you’ll know that Austin is also home to Franklin BBQ.  Franklin has arguably the best beef brisket on the planet, and I can tell you from experience that’s not an exaggeration!

You’ll notice in that video that nowhere does Aaron Franklin inject or even mention injecting his brisket.  He simply goes with a rub on the outside and uses a spray to keep the brisket moist while it cooks – he also wraps his brisket in pink butcher paper to achieve a bark and keep the insides moist simultaneously.

On the other hand, you have an award winning pit master like Malcom Reed who always injects his competition briskets.

Those are just two easy examples – but the point is that it’s different strokes for different folks.  There is no one dead set way of doing things.  At the end of the day, the goal is to make sure your brisket tastes delicious and has enough moisture to cook properly.  As long as that is all happening, you can’t go wrong.

How Much Injection Should I Use?

Meat is already almost fully saturated with water, so you really shouldn’t need a ton of fluid.  A good rule of thumb is to prepare 1 ounce of injection recipe for every pound of brisket you have.

How Long Before Cooking Should I Inject My Brisket?

This also largely comes down to personal preference.  Some folks prefer to inject a brisket and let it rest overnight.  Personally, I don’t think letting an injection sit for a long period of time gets you much.  Part of the appeal of using an injection is that it’s almost instantaneous moisture and flavor addition.

Also, if you’ve used some more acidic ingredients like apple or pineapple juice, you don’t want to let the meat sit for more than a couple of hours.  Anything longer you’ll run the risk of breaking down and ruining your meat.

So, it doesn’t necessarily matter how far in advance you inject – but I’m unsure that there’s any benefit to doing it more than an hour or two before cooking.

Can I Also Season My Brisket?

Yes!  You most definitely should also season your brisket in addition to using an injection.  Proper seasoning is key for a couple of reasons.

First and most obviously, seasoning the outside of your brisket with a rub will enhance the flavor.  Everything that we do with a brisket is done with the goal of complimenting and enhancing the meat, and a rub seasoning is a key part of this.

Second, a good rub seasoning will lead to that signature, crispy bark on the outside of your brisket when everything is done properly.

Feel free to use your rub of choice or keep it simple with a 1 to 1 mix of salt and pepper.

Are Pre Made Brisket Injections OK To Use?

Absolutely.  In fact, pre made commercial brisket injections are often just as good as what you could make yourself at home, and they are much more convenient.  The “catch” is that on a price per ounce basis, you’ll pay a little bit more for the commercial stuff.

You can find most reputable pre made powder brisket injections in your local grocery store or online at places like Amazon.

Here’s a list of our favorite commercial brisket injections:

• Butcher BBQ Prime Barbecue Brisket Injection
• Kosmos Q Original Barbecue Beef Brisket Injection
• Butcher BBQ Liquid Brisket Injection Base Flavor Barbecue Seasoning
• Lethal Injection Beef

Plastic Injector vs Stainless Steel vs Injector Gun – Which Should I Get?

The answer to this question comes down to your budget and how often you think you’ll be injecting meat.

Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that you should not get a plastic injector.  They are usually cheaply made, and are prone to absorbing flavor over time.  The flavors and smells will begin to contaminate future foods you wish to inject.

Stainless steel meat injectors aren’t much more expensive and frankly are way higher in quality.  They are easier to keep clean and won’t ever absorb flavors over time.  Most come with all of the necessary accessories and interchangeable needles.

Injector guns are the most expensive, and the highest quality when it comes to meat injectors.  Most injector guns have extra features – like the ability to choose how much liquid to release on each pull.  As you’d expect, a well made injector gun should last you a lifetime.

Wrap Up

Now you’ve got the how and why when it comes to injecting brisket!  It’s up to you from here to go and try it out for yourself and see what your results are like.

Remember, just try to keep things simple.  At the end of the day, the goal is to compliment and enhance the flavor of your brisket.  We aren’t reinventing the wheel.  In fact, many successful chefs make delicious brisket without using an injection recipe at all!

Let us know how it went in the comments section below.  Did we miss something in this post?  Let us know about that in the comments section below too.

If you’re short on time but still want BBQ brisket for your next cookout, check out our hot and fast brisket recipe next!

The post Brisket Injection Recipe & How To Guide appeared first on Own The Grill.

However, if you’ve never prepared a brisket before, you might be wondering: Where do you probe a brisket?

In this article, we will cover some key information about cooking a brisket, including where to probe a brisket. So, next time you’re cooking your BBQ, you know exactly when it’s done.

Let’s get into it.

Where to Probe a Brisket

To probe a brisket, you will need to take your meat probe and insert it into the thickest part of the brisket point, which is the thicker section of the brisket found next to the flat. You can read more about the anatomy of a brisket here.

If you happen to have multiple probes – you should stick the second one in the thickest part of the flat section of the brisket.

The thickness of the meat is measured by the brisket fat cap. The fat cap is the layer of fat that surrounds the muscle tissue in the center of the brisket.

When it comes to cooking the perfect brisket, you need to be aware of the fact that the point and the flat reach a safe internal temperature at different times, which often catches inexperienced cooks out. This simply comes down to the fact that the flat is thinner than the point.

The internal temperature of the brisket should be between 190 and 205ºF before it comes off of the smoker. The majority of people try to achieve a temperature that lands in the 200 to 205ºF ballpark.

That being said, the exact temperature that you are targeting will entirely depend on your personal preferences and how you like your meat cooked.

However, you will want to make sure that you aren’t taking your brisket out too soon, which is usually indicated by how tender the meat is.

What Tools Do You Need to Probe a Brisket?

So, what are the best tools for probing a brisket? You’ll want to use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your brisket. There is a wide range of meat thermometers on the market, and you can find them online or at most kitchen stores.

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Many of these meat thermometers are known as digital instant-read thermometers that have a digital display, so you can easily read the temperature.

This means that you don’t have to guess how long it took to reach the desired temperature. Some of them also have a handy auto-shutoff feature. This means that it automatically shuts off once the desired internal temperature is reached. 

Other meat thermometer choices include leave-in thermometers. These thermometers are great for pieces of meat that take longer to cook, such as briskets.

They are safe to keep inside the meat whilst the brisket is cooking, allowing you to track the progress of your meat literally as it cooks. This can be super handy towards the end of the cooking process.

When choosing the right meat thermometer, make sure that you do your research and opt for a durable one that will withstand the test of time.

How Do You Know When a Brisket is Done?

While the temperature is a great guide for checking when your brisket is done, tenderness is also one of the biggest indications of whether the brisket is done and ready to remove from the oven.

Brisket is a tough cut of beef, but if it is cooked correctly, it will become super delicious and tender. The meat needs to be cooked low and slow for many hours in order to achieve this melt in the mouth tenderness, so you have to remain patient while the meat is in the oven.

For the best results, you should wait until the brisket is incredibly tender to the slice, and the outside is sticky with a nice barky color around the edges.

Most of the time, your brisket will be wrapped in either aluminum foil or butcher paper when it comes off of the smoker. It will need a couple of hours to rest, ideally in a cooler, before you slice and serve your BBQ.

When you transfer your brisket from the smoker to a cooler is a great opportunity to double check that your brisket is a proper tenderness. It should have something of a jiggle to it and be tender to the touch at this point in the cook.

How Do You Clean a Temperature Probe?

For the maintenance of your temperature probe, it is essential to clean it regularly. This is important because, over time, bits of food and grease can get stuck to your temperature probe, which can lead to inconsistent cooking times as a direct result.

To clean a temperature probe, all you need to use is a sponge and a bowl of soapy water. The water should be hot, so make sure that you are wearing a pair of kitchen gloves to ensure that you don’t accidentally burn yourself during the cleaning process.

To begin, you will first need to dip your probe in the soapy water and allow it to soak for a few minutes. The soaking process will help to remove any stubborn bits of meat and grease, especially if you’ve been using the temperature probe throughout the cooking process and the meat juices have dried on there.

Once you have allowed your temperature probe to soak, dip the sponge in the soapy water, and begin scrubbing the end of your temperature probe. The dish soap will help to cut through any grease and grime leftover on your temperature probe. 

If you’re still struggling to remove any stubborn bits of meat, use a scouring pad to help you along the way, and this should remove any last little bits.

Once you have thoroughly cleaned your temperature probe, make sure that you dry it properly with a clean dishcloth before you put it away again.

This will ensure that you are keeping your temperature probe in the best condition possible and that it’s ready to go next time you need to use it.

You should make sure that you are cleaning your temperature probe after every single use so that it is clean and ready to go the next time that you want to use it.

Final Thoughts

You should probe your brisket probe and insert it into the densest part of the brisket point at least, and ideally the flat as well if you have two probes.

Knowing where to probe your brisket will lead to consistent results, meaning that you minimize the risk of overcooking your brisket. After reading this article, I hope you have a better idea of where to probe your brisket.

Good luck cooking your delicious brisket!

The post Where To Probe Brisket appeared first on Own The Grill.

Steak is a meal that you pretty much cannot go wrong with. There are multiple cuts of steak and you can select whatever you prefer. There are special ways to cook some of the different cuts and there are even cultural differences for preparing them.

One specialty steak worth taking a closer look at is the picanha steak. This cut of beef is very popular in Brazil but it is flavorful and delicious. In the U.S. you might know of this steak as a rump cap. You might even be enjoying it when you eat things like round steak or the loin, it’s just cut differently by the butcher.

You may have never heard of picanha steak. Or maybe you heard the name and it piqued your curiosity! That’s why we’re here! In this guide, we will share with you just what picanha steak is and provide you with a few different ways for how you can cook it as well.

By the time we’re finished, you will be well prepared and ready to cook this delicious steak at home!

What is Picanha Steak?

Picanha steak is the most popular in Brazil. In fact, in Brazil is one of the favorite cuts of meat to cook. This cut comes straight from the top of the round of the cow. It has a layer of fat over it and that fat is left intact until the steak is cooked and served. In Brazil, the fat is left on the steak. In the U.S. the fat is often removed.

Tri tip is often considered to the most similar or perhaps the best substitute but it truly is a different cut. The flavor is pretty similar to sirloin. The fat on the meat makes it incredibly tender and juicy.

Picanha is highly-sought after because it has a lot of natural flavor. When you look at the meat, there is very little fat inside of the meat itself.

This meat can be challenging to cook. Since there is little fat in the meat, it can be challenging to cook it just right and not find yourself with a tough piece of steak when you’re finished. The good news is if you know how to cook it properly you probably won’t mess it up!

You can cook picanha on the grill. This is our preferred method. You can also cook it in the oven using a slow-roast method. If you do cook it in the oven, we recommend searing it first for the best results and look. You could also use your stovetop, griddle, or flat top grill as well.

We will get into each of these methods individually for you.

How to Cook Picanha Steak on the Grill

If you want the very best option, we recommend that you cook this steak on the grill. It is the most flavorful way to cook it and it really doesn’t take all that long to cook to perfection. With the grill, you get the best flavor plus you get those grill marks and color that you simply can’t mimic with other cooking forms.

There are different methods to follow when you use picanha steak for skewers rather than using them for steaks. Both of these are cooking on the grill for the best results but we will share the differences shortly.

Steak Grilling Method

If you have a picanha cut of meat, you may need to slice it into steaks. It all depends on what you ordered from the butcher. As you are trimming, leave the fat cap in place. This is where the flavor comes from during cooking. You can always trim the fat off when the cooking is completed.

This meat requires very little seasoning. It is flavorful on its own. Season it as you like but we recommend just a light layer of salt and pepper. You can season after you’ve cut the steaks for the easiest route. You can score the fat cap if you prefer.

To cut your steaks, be sure to slice with the grain. This cuts your steaks properly to prepare for cutting into your steak when they are finished and you are ready to eat them!

We are going to walk you through a basic grilling process but be aware that you can also prepare these sous vide or with a reverse-sear method if you prefer.

Again, be careful not to overcook. Even if you prefer well-done steak, we recommend not cooking past medium doneness. This is because the steak is meant to be lightly cooked and juicy. This is what makes it so delicious and flavorful!

Skewer Grilling Method

Many people like to cook picanha on a skewer. You can skewer just the picanha or you can skew it with your choice of vegetables and such.

Use a long, fully metal skewer capable of placement on a grill for this task. If you are going to skewer the picanha, it will need to be cut differently than you cut the steaks.

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Skewering picanha is normal and it is often cut in large pieces and then folded and skewered for cooking. When you skewer picanha, you are most likely just skewering the meat for cooking.

To cut for skewering, take the picanha and cut it into 3 equally-sized pieces (or as close as you can get). You will cut against the grain for this method – and any chef’s knife will do. We still recommend that you score the fat to really let it soak into the meat.

You can add your seasoning before you cut it or after you skewer it. We recommend waiting until you skewer it so you’re not rubbing off any seasoning while cutting. Just like with the steaks, we recommend a simple salt and pepper for seasoning purposes.

Again, we recommend only cooking to about medium rare or medium at the maximum. If you prefer well-done steaks, give medium a try and see how you like it! Medium rare is 128 to 130 degrees internally measured with a probe thermometer.

Here’s a great video outlining the process for preparing delicious picanha skewers:

Expert Tip: Many people think they can just cut right into the meat without resting it. They assume that it’s still rested before it is served so it’s sufficient. The trick is to rest the meat for 5-10 minutes BEFORE you cut into it.

The resting period is one of the most important steps in the process. It allows the muscle fibers in the meat to fully relax, which means your steak will be juicier, more tender, and more flavorful when you serve it.

In Brazil, picanha is served with the fat but you can cut it off if you prefer not to have fat on the meat you are eating. Just don’t cut it off until you’re serving it!

Slow-Roasting Picanha in the Oven

To really get the most of the flavor, we recommend a slow-roast method if you cook picanha in the oven. You can also sear and then bake as well if you like that grilling look and want to maintain the exterior appearance of the steak.

This process will walk you through how you can slow roast your picanha and have a delicious meal. While grilling only takes about 30 minutes of cooking time, this process is more likely to take 2-3 hours

This method does include some pre-searing steps because we really feel like this is the best way to draw out the flavor and get the juicy, perfectly cooked picanha you’re after. You won’t need to cut the steak in this method until you’re ready to serve it.

You can roast potatoes with it as well if you want to. They make a really nice side dish to accompany the meat.

Here are our steps for slow-roasting picanha in the oven.

As with grilled picanha, we recommend cooking to a doneness of no more than medium. This is the best temperature to maintain the juicy flavors this meat is loved for.

Print

Grilled Picanha Steak Skewers

A classic recipe for tasty and beefy grilled picanha

Course Main Course

Cuisine Brazilian

Keyword Picanha, Picanha Steak, Steak Skewers

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 360kcal

Equipment

• 4 to 6 metal skewers

Ingredients

• 1 Picanha steak 3-4 lbs
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil to lightly brush beef

Instructions

• Slice Picanha steak into 1 inch thick slices, cutting against the grain
• Score the fat with your knife, about a quarter of an inch deep
• Fold each section of beef in half, with the fat side facing out. Once folded, place each piece on the skewer, poking through the fatty exterior of the beef
• Brush skewers lightly with olive oil then sprinkle salt and pepper mixture on top to season the beef
• Preheat grill to 450°F – if possible create two temperature zones on your grill
• Place skewers on grill grates, ideally over the indirect heat side of the grill. If you have to place the skewers directly over a burner just be sure to check on your beef every couple of minutes to ensure grill does not flare
• Close the lid and cook the skewers for about 20 minutes, flipping every 5-7 minutes
• Remove skewers from grill and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

Notes

Read more about two zone grilling here.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal

Final Thoughts

No matter which way you slice it, picanha steak is a treat and a fantastic way to get some tasty beef on your dinner plate.  And if you cook it right, the flavor can stand up to some of the most popular steak cuts like NY Strip and Ribeye.

How do you prefer to cook it?  On the grill, with skewers, or roasted and why?  We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

The post Picanha Steak – What Is It? Our Recipe, and The 3 Best Ways to Cook It appeared first on Own The Grill.

Hickory vs Mesquite are by far two of the most popular types of wood to use on the smoker. They’re used for many similar foods, but they impart a different flavor profile onto your BBQ.

Here we’ll explain how we compare hickory and mesquite. Read on to learn the differences and similarities between these two types of BBQ smoking wood!

Hickory vs Mesquite – Overview

Hickory – What You Need To Know

Hickory wood has a medium flavor strength that pairs well with pork, though it can also be used on chicken and beef when grilling.

The Hickory wood, which is known for its robustness and smoky taste, is widely considered a medium-strength wood.

Despite the fact that it does not have its own distinct flavor profile -the way certain woods like apple and maple do – it is known for its impact on the flavor of smoked meat, especially bacon.

Upon being exposed to the smoke of hickory for a while, you become accustomed to its vaguely sweet, intensely fragrant flavor.

Since hickory is a medium-strength smokey flavor wood that has a little bit of sweetness to it, it makes it a very versatile wood that can be used in conjunction with just about any type of meat on the grill or smoker.

Mesquite – What You Need To Know

Mesquite on the other hand definitely falls into the “strong” category.

It is best used for meat cuts, particularly brisket, that have big flavors that can hold up to strong smokey flavor.

Mesquite-smoked foods, when cooked properly, are so delicious and full of rich smokey flavor that even diners who haven’t tried them before will recognize the flavor the moment they bite into them.

A lighter wood like apple or pecan is often mixed with it to tone down the intensity for less strong foods. When smoking mesquite for the first time, amateurs should be cautious.

There is a certain amount of caution even among BBQ masters because it can overwhelm even a small amount of ingredients. Furthermore, its use should be reserved for low and slow cooking processes.

Which Foods Are Best For Hickory?

The fact that it goes naturally with bacon means that hickory pairs well with most pork cuts. Additionally, it enhances the natural sweetness of beef, and it gives a nice depth to chicken, especially dark meat cuts like drumsticks and thighs.

Interestingly, some grillers have even used hickory to smoke fish and cheese, which can turn out quite tasty when done right.

Which Foods Are Best For Mesquite?

The flavor of mesquite is renowned in Texas, where it is almost exclusively used for hearty beef cuts. Most frequently, mesquite wood is paired with brisket.

However, you can also use mesquite for smoked chuck roasts, beef ribs, or even pork ribs if you want to lay on the smokey flavor.

In addition to intensifying the smoky qualities of pulled pork, this wood can also be used together with a mellower wood to further enhance the taste.

This really is a strong flavored wood that you need to be careful when choosing what to cook with it.

Does Size Make A Difference?

The optimal wood size you should use depends on the type of grill or smoker you have.

Especially when you use a gas or charcoal grill, wood chips or pellets are best for adding smokey flavor. Wood chips burn quickly, so you need to replace them frequently.

We recommend against using them for large cuts like briskets or pork shoulders unless you are infusing other types of wood with their flavor. 

Next, we have wood pellets, which are composed of compressed hardwoods that have been ground into sawdust and reshaped into small cylinders.

If you have a pellet smoker, this is your fuel of choice, since you will have more access to the flavors that come from the wood pellets and how they affect the meat. However, these can also be used in conjunction with a pellet tube smoker on other grill types.

It’s important to remember that chunks of wood work similar to wood chips, but they are bigger and last longer when smoked. This makes them an excellent choice for charcoal grills and offset smokers.

For large offset smokers, split logs provide both heat and flavor. They are the largest of all logs. When you are smoking large amounts of meat and the wood has to burn for hours on end, they are the best choice.

The use of this wood is typical for big festivals if they have a long-lasting program that involves serving food for a long period of time.

Final Thoughts

So which is better? Each has its place in the world of BBQ. The good news is that you can try both!

In fact, we’d recommend that you try both hickory and mesquite at some point – smoke a brisket with mesquite this time and hickory next time so you can taste the difference for yourself.

With virtually any barbecue dish, hickory makes a great choice. Discover your signature flavor with fruitwood and different types of meats.

Hickory vs mesquite burn at about the same rate, so this should be your first point of reference. Because of that, you will not have to adjust your cooking time based on which wood you use.

It will taste nicely balanced if you haven’t over-smoked. The type of wood that you have used can only be determined by experts like you. Smoky undertones could be noticed by some, but others will fail to notice.

The lighter meats should be smoked with mild wood, while the heavier meats should be smoked with stronger wood.

Smoking chicken, fish, or even ribs and pork shoulder with mesquite may be too overpowering. However, you should give it a try.

In general, mesquite does not give meat the same rich color as hickory. Each of these woods smokes well and has its own distinctive flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hickory Or Mesquite Better For Brisket?

As mesquite burns much faster, it’s best to add it at the beginning or at the end in small amounts to avoid overpowering the hickory smoke flavor or making the meat bitter.

Brisket has a richer taste, so it can handle strong smoky flavors. You will typically come to find that mesquite is paired with brisket the most and it delivers great flavor every single time.

Can You Mix Hickory And Mesquite Together?

To make your food taste good, you can mix hickory and mesquite together. Using a mix of hickory and mesquite offers a good middle ground if you’re not sure whether to use either one.

Consequently, you will have a smoke blend that is not as strong as mesquite but contains more flavor than hickory.

Where Can You Get Hickory And Mesquite?

Hickory vs Mesquite are both readily available at grocery stores around the country.

Nowadays, it’s pretty easy to pick some up online too. Places like Amazon and specialty stores can ship your preferred wood type straight to your doorstep.

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Can You Use Too Much Wood?

You will want to be careful not to overpower the flavor that you add yourself by using too much wood. You should only use mesquite wood sparingly if you have never smoked meat before, or if you have only used the weaker woods. 

You may want to soak dry hickory pieces in water beforehand or burn larger pieces before cooking. The taste of food can be ruined by too much hickory wood smoke.

It is best to use it in conjunction with another wood at a ratio of perhaps twenty percent hickory to eighty percent other wood.

It’s important to be cautious when using these woods or any wood for that matter because the smoke from these woods will bury the raw natural flavors of the meat.

For this reason, before you start cooking, make sure you use the right amount. You will be able to serve your guests a great-tasting meal if you decide to use the right amount of wood.

The post Hickory vs Mesquite for Smoking BBQ appeared first on Own The Grill.

BBQ smoked brisket is one of those foods that always will have a special place for me.  I grew up in Texas so I was spoiled with an abundance of delicious Texas style BBQ brisket just about everywhere I turned.

Eventually I started making it on my own at home in my smoker.  Over time I’ve come to appreciate just how much work, preparation, and love goes into making a legendary brisket.

One of the most talked about aspects of smoking a brisket is whether to wrap it, whether to smoke it bare (with no foil or brisket butcher paper), and if wrapping, which type of wrap to use.  Personally, I’ve used all of the methods at different times to achieve different results.

Knowing why some pit masters wrap and how to do it can make a huge difference to help you reach your desired result.  Each method – or combination thereof – will lead to quite different results.  How you wrap your brisket changes cook times, moisture levels, and the bark exterior of your brisket.

In this article, we’ve made a complete guide for wrapping brisket.  We’ll go over each method, how to do it, and talk about the implications of each on your final result.

Wrapping Brisket – What Are Your Options?

Brisket comes from the lower chest area of a steer, and it’s a muscle that’s used to support huge amounts of weight throughout the life of the animal.

Because of this, it’s a pretty tough cut of meat to work with – which is why it’s best cooked on a smoker for long periods of time.  Cooking brisket this way allows the meat to tenderize and come out moist and delicious.

When it comes to wrapping brisket, you really only have 3 options that are used by pit masters.  You can wrap the brisket in either foil or butcher paper, or you can smoke it bare (also referred to as naked).

Each technique yields a different end result, and also has implications in terms of how long your brisket should stay on the smoker.  Here’s a breakdown of each technique of wrapping brisket!

Wrapping Brisket in Foil

Using foil to wrap your brisket is on the opposite end of the spectrum from smoking it bare.  Foil is less breathable than butcher paper and will create a bit of an oven effect for your beef.  A foil wrapping will retain heat really well and essentially braise your brisket in addition to smoking it.

As you can imagine, smoking a brisket in foil takes the least amount of time out of these 3 methods for wrapping brisket, and you can skip the infamous brisket stall if you don’t have the patience.  Expect cooking times to be approximately 5-10% less compared to a brisket wrapped in butcher paper.

Foil also is a great choice for beginners or hot and fast brisket – since the foil retains heat so well your brisket is less likely to be negatively impacted by fluctuations in temperature.  So if you’re not comfortable with your abilities to maintain a consistent fire, foil is a great choice to alleviate some of those worries.

Flavor wise, expect a lot of the beefiness to come through.  Since the foil makes the brisket cook and braise in its own juices, don’t be surprised if the eating experience has semblances of a pot roast or something similar.

The downside of wrapping brisket in foil is that you’re blocking off the direct heat from your fire almost completely.  Because of this a foil wrapped brisket is less likely to develop a signature crunchy bark, and you’re also less likely to pick up smokey flavors and notes in your end result.  Of course, if you prefer beef forward flavor and aren’t crazy about smokiness, that might be perfect for you.

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Wrapping Brisket in Butcher Paper

Brisket in butcher paper is the way most of the professional pit masters and competition BBQ teams do it.  Wrapping brisket in butcher paper truly gives you the best of both worlds and takes the best parts of wrapping in foil and smoking bare.

Using butcher paper to wrap your brisket decreases your cooking time – typically about 10% less time compared to smoking one bare.

As your brisket cooks low and slow on the smoker, your paper wrap gets soaked and absorbs moisture.  The paper then is essentially a warm blanket of moisture that perpetually braises your brisket cut – which helps tremendously to keep it from drying out.  The end result is often has a perfect to near perfect moisture level.

It’s also a little better than foil in the sense that the butcher paper will breathe a little bit.  What this means in practical terms is that the smoke from your fire will still be able to get to your beef.  So you don’t have to choose between smokey flavor and moisture in your end result.  With a paper wrapped brisket, you get both!

Butcher paper also doesn’t completely block out direct heat, so it’s quite possible to achieve an impressive BBQ bark that has a really nice crunch to it.

Wrapping with paper is probably going to lead to the most happy eaters and is a perfect medium between bare and foil.  The end results are equally moist, smokey, beefy, and with a crunchy bark.

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Naked (Bare) Brisket

If you’re in a rush or forgot to pick up supplies at the store, sometimes cooking a brisket naked is your only option.

While most experienced pit masters wouldn’t necessarily do it this way, it’s a viable method of cooking brisket and can still lead to some tasty results.

Basically, when cooking a naked brisket all you do is season it and put it on the smoker.  That’s it!

Since brisket is such a tough cut to work with, and also because you don’t have any material to help keep moisture in – you’ll be looking at about a 10% longer cooking time for a naked brisket compared to a wrapped one.

You should also be careful of smoking your meat dry.  With no wrapping and the longer cook time, you have to be extra careful to not over do it and end up with a dried out end result.

Compared to wrapping brisket with either foil or paper, this method will end up with the least amount of moisture in the final product.

There are some good things that come from not wrapping brisket!  Since bare brisket is more directly exposed to your heat source, it will absorb and retain more smokey flavor.  It’s also much easier to get a signature crunchy bark on the outside of a bare brisket.

So if your ideal brisket has a crunchier outer bark and a more distinct smokey flavor, smoking it bare just might be your best way to cook brisket!

For all of my visual learners out there – here’s a great video from the legend Aaron Franklin himself testing the difference between these 3 methods:

Brisket is one of those foods that can take a lifetime to truly master.  Our advice?  Change only 1 thing at a time each time you smoke a brisket.  Pay attention to how the result was different, and tweak something else the each next time until you perfect it.

No matter which method of wrapping brisket you choose, you should look to take it off of the smoker once it’s reached an internal temperature of 190°F.  You can measure with a probe smoker thermometer to make sure you get it right!

Remember, smoking bare will lead to less moist, less beefy, and smokier results with a crunchy to very crunchy bark.

Smoking with paper leads to moist, beefy, smokey results with a somewhat crunchy to crunchy bark.

And smoking brisket with foil leads to super moist, super beefy, less smokey results with a non crunchy to somewhat crunchy bark.

There’s no “wrong” way to do it – although in my experience butcher paper results tend to work for the most types of eaters.

Which brisket wrapping method did you try out first?  How did it affect your brisket rub?  Let us know how it went in the comments!

Looking for more information on brisket?  Check out our brisket ultimate guide right here.

The post Wrapping Brisket Guide: Foil, Butcher Paper, or Bare – Which is Best? appeared first on Own The Grill.

Whether you’re eating out at a restaurant or grilling up a homemade ribeye for date night, there’s nothing quite like a steak dinner.

But as great as a steak can be on its own, no meal is complete without some good sides. So just what are the best things to serve alongside a steak dinner? Here are 11 of the best side ideas to serve with your steak.

The 11 Best Sides To Have With Steak

Roasted Veggies

While this side may be simple, it’s one of the best options to accompany a steak. The best thing is, there is barely any prep involved.

All you need to do is peel your vegetables, drizzle them in oil, add some seasonings, and you can go ahead and put them in the oven. The best veg to use mostly comes down to personal preference, but carrots, parsnips, and cubed potatoes are some of the best choices.

For seasonings, a mix of herbs and spices will really make your veg stand out. Salt, black pepper, rosemary, and sage are the best options, with flavors that perfectly complement your steak.

To step things up a notch, drizzle some balsamic vinegar on top before you start roasting your veg. It will reduce down to a sticky and tangy glaze that works wonders with the umami of the steak.

Garlic Butter Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a great accompaniment to steak due to their earthy taste and ability to soak up flavors. These garlic butter mushrooms switch that all up to 11 for a mouth-watering side that you might be more excited about than the steak!

You can make a simple garlic butter by whisking together melted butter, minced garlic, parsley, and thyme in a bowl. 

From there, you can either soak the mushrooms in the garlic butter while you wait for the over to preheat, or spread them out on a baking sheet and pour the mixture on top. Bake them until they are tender and golden-brown.

These mushrooms are absolutely incredible with steak or even on their own, and the only downside is that you’ll eventually run out!

Mac and Cheese

The great thing about mac and cheese as a side dish for steak is that you can make it as gourmet or as easy as you’d like. Even a helping of store bought box mac and cheese will taste just fine next to your steak.

However, if you have the time to prepare we’d suggest taking your mac and cheese game up a notch. Something like a smoked mac and cheese with lobster can really elevate your special dinner.

And if you want to double down on beef, a brisket mac and cheese is also a great choice to impress your guests.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Another simple yet delicious side, grilled corn on the cob is a great addition to your steak. 

The sweet and buttery corn works wonderfully with the natural flavors of steak and helps serve as a bit of a palate cleanser to keep things fresh.

If cooking corn on the cob is too time-consuming (it can take up to 45 minutes in the oven!), you can use sweetcorn off of the cob instead. Add a little bit of butter and a pinch of smoked paprika to take it to the next level.

For a fresher side, mix the sweetcorn with red onion, tomato, cilantro, and lime juice to make a zesty sweetcorn salad.

Here’s a handy tip for you: instead of waiting until the corn is cooked to add some butter, you should coat the cobs in garlic butter and wrap them in tin foil before you grill them. You can thank me later!

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a classic side that really needs no explaining. Creamy, smooth, and incredibly versatile, a good mash is just what you need to turn your steak into a full meal.

Mashed potatoes give you a lot of options in terms of personalizing them to your tastes. 

Adding some cheese will give the mash a thicker texture along with a deliciously-cheesy flavor. A dollop of yoghurt in place of cream gives it a nice tang as well as being a healthier option. 

You can even fry up some onions and add them in for a twist on the original, or use them to make a caramelized onion gravy that tastes incredible with both the mashed potatoes and your steak.

Fresh Slaw

If some of the options on this list so far feel a bit too heavy, then a slaw is just what you need. Light, fresh, and tangy, a good slaw is great when paired with steak. Again, this recipe is easy to tweak to suit your preferences, so feel free to swap ingredients in and out as you see fit.

You can make a simple coleslaw in just a few minutes. Shred some red cabbage, carrot, fennel, and shallots, then mix them in a bowl with a mayonnaise dressing and you’re good to go.

Alternatively, swap out the fennel and mayo for some thinly sliced sweet peppers and a dressing made of vinegar, oil, sugar, mustard and spices for a sweet and tangy Jamaican-style slaw.

For even more of a twist, why not make an Asian-style slaw? For the veg, combine your cabbage with sweet peppers, edamame and bok choy. Then add a zingy sauce such as teriyaki or hoisin, and sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds on top to finish.

Steak-Cut Fries

As the name suggests, these fries are made to be served with steak. 

The main difference between steak-cut fries and regular french fries is their shape. While french fries are long and thin, steak-cut fries are cut into much thicker, chunkier slices. 

To make your fries a bit healthier, bake them instead of frying. This removes the oil from the equation and helps cut down on their calorie count. Baking them with the skin on also helps them get extra crispy!

Serve your fries alongside your steak to mop up any juices, or dip them in the sauce of your choice.

Onion Rings 

You’d be hard-pressed to find a steakhouse that doesn’t offer onion rings on the side. They are a classic accompaniment to steak and are easy to make at home. 

Start off with a large onion, and cut thick slices horizontally (perpendicular to the line between the top and bottom of the onion). Separate the rings of the onion, and coat them in the batter. Then, deep fry until golden and serve.

Because onion rings are a fairly simple recipe, there are plenty of variations you can make. Adding beer to the batter is one of the most popular choices, but you can also add spices like paprika or cayenne pepper to the batter to give your onion rings a kick of heat.

Alternatively, you can skip the batter altogether and instead coat the onion in breadcrumbs for a lighter, crunchier exterior.

Sweet Potato Fries

Looking for something a bit healthier than regular fries without skimping out on great taste? Then some skin-on sweet potato fries are the perfect alternative.

Not only is this side nutritious as well as delicious, but it’s also incredibly simple to make. Simply slice up some sweet potatoes into fry shapes, drizzle them in a bit of oil, and bake. You’ll be left with crispy skin and a wonderfully fluffy interior.

While you can add whatever seasonings you like, a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper will give the fries a nice little kick that won’t overshadow the flavor of your steak.

Scalloped Potatoes

Is it too obvious that I like potatoes? They are just so versatile and delicious that you can serve them in practically any form for a great side.

That said, these thinly sliced potatoes are in a league of their own – and a classy side for a nice filet mignon. Layer them in a casserole dish, coat them in milk and/or cream, and bake them until delectably soft and creamy. To elevate them even further, add some chopped pieces of crispy bacon and spring onion.

Alternatively, you can make potato au gratin. This is a similar recipe, but it includes grated cheese and breadcrumbs for an even more decadent dish. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts might not be to everyone’s liking, but they sure go well with a good steak.

If you’re not a fan of their taste normally, then this recipe might just change your mind.

A large part of their unpopularity comes from their bitter and acidic taste – however, roasting sprouts helps to reduce this for a more mellow flavor. Even better, shredded Brussel sprouts let this cookout, even more, to leave you with a mildly sweet and nutty taste.

Shred some Brussels sprouts, drizzle them in a generous amount of olive oil, and add some bacon to really let this side shine. Now just try and tell me that sprouts are gross!

Final Thoughts

So there you have it – 11 of the best side ideas that you can serve with steak! 

All of these recipes are easy to make and go great with the natural flavors of your steak. Whether you want the light freshness of slaw, the comforting taste of mashed potatoes, or the pure decadence of garlic butter mushrooms, there is something for everyone here.

Whichever recipe you choose to make (or even a combination of several!) you’re sure to find something that you love and that pairs perfectly with your delicious steak.

Bon appetite!

The post The 11 Best Side Ideas For Steak appeared first on Own The Grill.

The key to avoiding dry meat, and making sure your brisket stays moist, is all in the extra steps.

A rub before cooking, wrapping at a certain temperature, and a spritz can keep your brisket perfectly tender. Talented smokers will keep a brisket spray on hand, to regularly douse the meat as it cooks.

Barbecue experts and smoker enthusiasts all have differing opinions on the best way to keep a brisket moist. Finding the right brisket spritz for your favorite cut of meat might involve some trial and error, but the juicy end results are totally worth it.

Take a look at this guide to find the best brisket sprays around, and how to use them.

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Why Use A Brisket Spritz?

The first use of the brisket spritz is to increase the humidity in the smoker, and stop the brisket from drying out. By using the brisket spray, it’s easy to control the amount of moisture on the meat.

The second use is all to do with the brisket bark. The bark is the hard outer layer on the brisket, formed by the rub, meat, and fat. Spritzing the brisket can help the rub stick, and prevent it from drying out and becoming chewy. The right spritz can give you a dark and rich bark.

Smoke sticks best to cold and damp surfaces, which are lost during the cooking process. With added moisture from the spritz, more smoke will stick. Some even think using the spritz can give your brisket a better smoke ring.

You can also use a brisket spritz to create different flavors in your barbecue. For example, if you want to make a spicy barbecue sauce, you can add a little bit of hot pepper flakes to the spritz. Or, you can try something with sugar, to help caramelize the rub. 

Finally, using a spritz can slow the process if your brisket is cooking too fast. When brisket cooks quickly, the meat goes tough. A slow cook gives the connective tissues a chance to break down, and go tender. This slowing spritz will also help prevent the bark from going chewy.

What To Spritz Brisket With

There are plenty of options for brisket sprays, depending on what effect you hope to achieve. Below are some of our favorites.

Apple Juice

Apple juice is one of the most popular brisket sprays because it adds both moisture and flavor. The sweet and sugary apple juice also helps to caramelize the rub, and get it to stick to the surface.

To use, simply mix one part apple juice with one part water. Other fruit juices can also be used as a brisket spray. Try using pear or pineapple, for a tender brisket.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Another option is apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, otherwise known as ACV, is inexpensive, and can create a crunchy and tangy bark.

For a simple apple cider vinegar spritz, mix two parts ACV, two parts apple juice, and one part water. Some mix ACV with beer, for a tenderizing brisket spritz.

Other chefs prefer to use red wine vinegar. It has a less powerful tang than ACV.

Beef Broth

If you’re looking for a safe brisket spritz, broth is the way to go. It adds liquid, making for a moist brisket, but doesn’t overwhelm the flavors. Broth can be a simple savory flavor, or incredibly complex, so you can have some fun experimenting for an amazing taste.

Hot Sauce

One of the easiest ways to spice up your brisket is by adding hot sauce. Hot sauces come in many varieties, including Tabasco, Sriracha, and Cholula. They all work well, but we recommend starting mild and building up, because hot sauce adds a punch of flavor. Mix with water for an easier spray.

Butter

Make sure to melt it before using, but butter is fantastic as a brisket spray. A tablespoon of melted butter mixed into a half cup of water makes an excellent brisket spritz. It adds richness, without diluting the flavor. Keep the bottle warm, so the butter can’t solidify.

Beer

Yes, you can add beer to your brisket. Dark ales are ideal, adding moisture, sugar, and a complexity of flavoring. Beer can be sprayed on as is, or mixed with water, ACV, and a dash of hot sauce.

Olive Oil

Mixing olive oil with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder creates a flavorful coating for the brisket. Olive oil isn’t the most popular brisket spray, but it’s a fun one to experiment with.

Worcestershire Sauce

A classic choice, mix your Worcestershire space with water so it sprays better. Barbecue sauce is another obvious, yet still delicious, choice.

Water

Sometimes, simple is best. Water alone works great as a brisket spritz, adding moisture and nothing else.

Mopping Versus Spritzing

Spritzing applies a mist of liquid to the brisket. The spray has to be thin enough to get through the nozzle on the bottle, and only a light amount will be added each time.

Mopping is applying a liquid using a brush, keeping the rub in place so the bark can form. While a spritz needs to be thin to work properly in your spritzer, a mopping liquid can be a thicker sauce.

Some choose to baste their briskets, but this method will often cause the rub to drip away.

With spritzing, it’s very important that you choose the right spray bottle. It should spray evenly, with an easy-squeeze trigger. It must be made of food-grade materials, and accommodate a slightly thicker spray.

How Often Should You Spritz A Brisket?

You should only spritz the brisket a few times, or you’ll slow down the cooking process, and cause the bark to lose integrity.

When you start cooking, leave the brisket alone for at least 90 minutes, preferably 2 hours. In this time, the smoke will start to penetrate the brisket, and the rub can stick. 

Aim to spray your brisket roughly every hour. It might not even need this much! With a really flavorful spritz, every 90 minutes will be enough. In this case, less is often more.

Do You Have To Spritz A Brisket?

Ask any barbecue expert about the brisket spray, and you’re likely to get back some hotly debated opinions. The brisket spray is a controversial topic.

The consensus seems to be that if you want a good bark, then yes, you should spritz. If you don’t want a good bark, there’s no reason to spritz.

Spraying the brisket will slow down the cooking time, as heat is released and the smoke has to combat the added moisture. If you intend to do an overnight smoke, the spritz isn’t really necessary.

While some grill masters such as Aaron Franklin think the brisket spritz is an essential, others have their own chosen method.

Final Thoughts

Brisket is one of those meats where everyone has their favorite methods. Some prefer to spritz, while others like to mop, and others just cook without anything added.

If you’re new to barbecuing, try out the spritz, and see what it can do for you.

The post What To Spritz Brisket With [9 Ideas] appeared first on Own The Grill.

The pork butt and pork shoulder actually both come from the shoulder area of the pig, but the butt is higher up. Both are usually sold in large pieces, so they’re perfect for making pulled pork sandwiches or other barbecue dishes.

But the butt has more fat, creating a wonderful and tender addition to your barbecue.

With this guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about pork butt and pork shoulder – starting with where they’re actually found on the big.

We’ll also tell you the best way to cook each cut, and what to buy depending on the meal you’re making. Read on for a mouthwatering guide to cuts of pork!

Pork Shoulder vs Pork Butt – Head to Head

Pork shoulder and pork butt are two frequently confused cuts of meat, and the reason for it is about to become pretty obvious. Despite what the names might suggest, both pork shoulder and pork butt come from the shoulder of the pig.

So, how do we get two cuts of meat from one part of the pig?

Initially, when the pig is butchered, it’s broken down into big parts. The front shoulder of the pig is then cut further, making the shoulder and butt.

The pork butt, perhaps surprisingly, sits higher up the foreleg, towards the head of the pig on the top of the shoulder blade. This makes it a fattier meat. The pork shoulder sits below the butt, and continues to the hoof. This is the leaner cut.

Pork shoulder and pork butt may be found next to each other on the pig, but there are some clear differences. For the most part, pork butt is considered to be the superior cut. We’ll go into the details of both cuts below.

About Pork Shoulder

The pork shoulder is the lower section of the pig’s leg and shoulder, sitting below the butt. Pork shoulder is sometimes known as picnic shoulder, or picnic roast.

The picnic shoulder is the cut of meat that runs from the foreleg through to the hoof. This gives the shoulder a long and tapered triangular shape. The pork shoulder is typically sold with skin on.

If pork shoulder is sold boneless, it might come in netting, as the meat unfolds.

Pork shoulder is a leaner and tougher meat. It’s easy to see why when you consider where the shoulder is on the pig – it’s a working muscle. This makes it less fatty, especially when compared to the pork butt.

Picnic shoulder might be considered the lesser cut of meat, but it does have its uses. Sliced or shredded, pork shoulder is fantastic in tacos, burritos, and ramen.

About Pork Butt

The pork butt is a juicy piece of meat. Despite what the name suggests, the pork butt is found at the front of the pig. It sits at the top of the foreleg, above the pork shoulder.

Pork butt comes in a uniform, rectangular shape, and can be called Boston butt. It’s a prime cut, covered in an attractive marbling. Marbling, or intramuscular fat, are those white marks seen on the surface of meat.

Using a low and slow cook, this fat renders, causing the meat to become tender and moist, with an added boost of flavor.

This is why pork butt is a top choice for smokers. A long time in the smoker can turn a pork butt into something special. Pork butt is also best for pulled pork, but it’s quite versatile.

Pork butt can be sold bone-in or boneless, and you can ask for it sliced into steaks. You can also get pork butt with the fat cap intact.

When to Use Pork Shoulder

The best time to use pork shoulder is when you want crisp crackling. You can buy pork shoulder with the skin on, and this is the best way to get it. Cooked low and slow, with a reverse sear of a sudden burst of heat, pork shoulder gets that delicious crispy texture on top.

Pork shoulder is also a good slicing meat, especially if you want something to pack out tacos and burritos. Cook with the skin on to get that crunchy pork, and sprinkle this on top of your tacos. It adds another layer of texture and flavor.

Another way to use pork shoulder is in ramen. The slightly tough texture of pork shoulder melts away in the ramen broth.

When you’re making your own ramen, try using pork shoulder instead of beef brisket. 

The Mountain Kitchen has a fantastic recipe for grilled pork picnic shoulder.

Or try this Cuban-Style Oven-Roasted Pork from Cook’s Illustrated.

When to Use Pork Butt

Pork Butt is a versatile and delicious cut that responds well to a low and slow smoke. Thanks to all that rich marbling, pork butt grows moist and tender the longer that it’s cooked.

Pork butt is great for smoking because it has a lot of fat marbling. Smoking pork butt will give you a nice, moist, flavorful end result.

Any form of slow cooking tends to work well with pork butt. Barbecue smoking a pork butt is going to leave you with a tender cut that falls apart, but braising, stewing, and even roasting can give you terrific results.

For some of the best pulled pork around, you have to use pork butt. Once cooked, the deliciously soft meat can be pulled apart, and the rendered fat gives it that extra rich flavor.

All Things Barbecue has an incredible recipe for pork butt carnitas.

Or try this recipe for Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu) from the American Barbecue Association.

In most cases, if a recipe calls for pork shoulder, the best cut to use is pork butt. The only time pork shoulder is necessary is when you’re after that crispy skin.

Is Pork Shoulder or Butt More Expensive?

While both cuts are relatively well-priced, they do vary in cost. In general, pork butt is more expensive than pork shoulder.

The pork shoulder is typically a smaller cut, which is part of the reason for the lower price. But as the pork butt is fattier, it loses more weight as it cooks.

Still, a pork butt will often produce around 10 portions, while a pork shoulder is good for roughly a family of four.

That said, don’t buy your pork cut based solely on price. Pork butt might be more expensive, but the end result is a moist and tender meat, with a big hit of flavor.

Pork shoulder is a decent cut, but the real selling point is that crackling-crisp skin. If you plan on discarding the skin, then you’re better off going with pork butt.

Which Is Easier to Cook?

Both pork shoulder and pork butt are fairly easy to cook. They both benefit from long, slow cooking methods, so there’s no need to rush them through the oven or grill. Go slow, and you can end up with a fantastic pork roast.

If you’ve got a smoker, you’ll find that pork shoulder might be a little more difficult, because you have to deal with the skin. One of the best ways to cook pork shoulder is with a reverse sear – a sudden burst of heat at the end. This will give you crispy skin.

The other option for cooking pork shoulder is to remove the skin. For example, if you plan on making pulled pork. This makes things a little more complicated, but nothing that most barbecue lovers can’t handle.

Pork butt is a bit easier to cook, since there isn’t any skin involved. You just want to make sure that you get the right temperature throughout the entire roast. Because of the uniform rectangular shape, pork butt cooks evenly compared to the tapered shoulder.

Cooking pork butt really depends on just how complicated you want to make it. The cut works unbelievably well for smoking, giving this amazing moist meat with little effort.

But it’s also a cut that works with complex flavorings, and dry brining. And if you fancy a simpler grill, butt can be sliced and eaten as pork steak.

Final Thoughts

There’s a surprising amount of difference between choosing pork shoulder vs pork butt. But let’s start with the similarities: both are great options for cooking over low temperatures, and both are delicious.

But if you’re looking for a tender and juicy cut, then it has to be pork butt. Pork butt, or Boston butt, has rich marbling and a uniform shape. Any experienced grill master should be able to turn a pork butt into a thing of beauty.

That’s not to say that pork shoulder doesn’t have its benefits. Cooked slowly, it turns tender, and that crisp skin is mouthwatering.

So what’s the verdict? Do you prefer pork shoulder or pork butt?

The post Pork Shoulder vs Pork Butt – What’s the Difference? appeared first on Own The Grill.

After all, what is wrong with good old-fashioned wood and coals?

In actual fact, the beauty of the pellet grill is that it takes some of the good from traditional charcoal grilling and makes it easier and more reliable.

Wood pellet grills offer consistency and convenience, without losing any of the flavor or fun of traditional grilling. If you want to find out exactly how they work, then read on!

Understanding How a Pellet Grill Works

What Are Wood Pellets?

The most obvious difference between a wood pellet grill and any other type of backyard unit is the fuel source. Pellet grills are fuelled by wood pellets made from compressed sawdust.

The pellets are cylindrical in shape, and approximately pill-sized. They are made for culinary purposes and so are non toxic and contain high quality, natural wood. They should not be confused with industrial wood pellets intended for heating only.

What Are The Benefits Of Wood Pellets?

When compared to charcoal, wood chunks or chips, gas grills and electric grills, wood pellets offer a number of notable advantages.

Economic & Efficient

Firstly, because they are made of compressed wood pulp, pellets are densely packed and therefore highly efficient. They contain less moisture and more energy than wood chunks, and therefore burn for much longer.

A 40 pound bag of wood pellets will last you much longer than the equivalent weight in logs and sticks, and will cost you less than a bag of premium charcoal.

Clean Smoke

As pellets combust without the need for charcoal, they produce clean, blue smoke that is not dirty or bitter tasting. This smoke is ideal  for slow cooking meat over a low heat for several hours, and results in deliciously tender and smoky results.

Consistency

As the pellets are all uniform in shape, size and density, and are funnelled into the firebox automatically, they are able to produce consistent temperatures and sustain them for extended periods of time.

This, in turn, benefits the texture and consistency of the meat.

Good Flavor

Depending on the type of wood used in the pellets, they have  different aromas and flavors.

These flavors can be chosen specifically to compliment the meat or food that is being cooked, as the smoke will infuse into it and add another flavor dimension. Different types of wood can even be mixed in order to create a ‘blend’. 

Less Mess

Charcoal fires create lots of dirty soot and ash that has to be cleaned up at the end of any party. While wood pellets create ash, it is cleaner and is contained within the firebox.

Most pellet grills have an ash dispenser system too, whereby the ash can be removed easily and emptied without the rest of the grill being affected.

Hands-Free Functionality

One of the key advantages of wood pellet grills is their ease of use. Rather than having to tend to a charcoal fire, stoke the flames and load up the logs, the pellets are fed continuously into the firebox by the auger, so you don’t have to lift a finger.

As long as the hopper has been sufficiently filled, you can even leave these grills to work their magic overnight, and they will not die out or waver in the slightest.

What Are The Parts Of A Pellet Grill?

So, now that you understand what the benefits of a pellet grill include, let’s take a tour of its component parts.

The Hopper

The hopper is the chamber into which the wood pellets are loaded. The capacity of the hopper will affect how many pellets can be loaded at any one time, and therefore the length of time that your grill will be self-sufficient for until it needs topping up.

The Auger

The auger is a screw-shaped mechanism which twists automatically in order to funnel the pellets from the hopper into the firebox. It needs to be good quality and reliable to prevent annoying blockages.

The Firepot

The firepot is where the pellets are heated by a hotrod until they combust and ignite. Once lit, the fire burns steadily and constantly in the pot, producing clean, blue smoke and heat, which are both channelled into the cooking chamber.

The Cooking Chamber

The cooking chamber is the main grill. It looks like a regular grill with racks and a domed lid or hood that is closed in order to keep the heat and smoke trapped.

The meat and food that is being grilled or smoked is placed directly on the racks, and left to slowly cook through.

The lid of the cooking chamber should seal closed, and usually has a thermometer on the outside which lets you know what temperature the chamber has hit.

The Water Pan

The water pan is not on most pellet smokers but it is a fixture on some. it usually sits in the base of the cooking chamber and is used as a heat regulator and a cooking aid. It can be filled with pure water, or seasoned water, and as the liquid heats up it turns to steam.

This steam helps to keep the meat moist and also adds flavor.

The Chimney & Dampers

The smoke and steam have to escape the chamber to prevent it from overheating, and they do this via the chimney. The chimney allows old smoke to leave so that new smoke can enter the chamber and the cycle can continue. 

The dampers are vents located at the top and bottom of the unit. They allow you to control the temperature of the pellet grill.

The lower damper draws oxygen into the firebox, causing the flames to grow and intensify. The upper damper lets hot air out of the central chamber.

If you close your lower dampers, you can lower the temperature of your grill. If you close all your dampers, you will kill your fire. If you open your bottom damper, you will increase the temperature of your grill.

How Do You Use A Pellet Grill?

Having gone through all the component parts of a pellet grill, let’s look at how you use it in order to get the most out of it.

Step 1: Fill The Hopper

The first step when using any pellet grill is to fill the hopper with your chosen wood pellets. The bigger the hopper, the more pellets it will hold, allowing you longer to relax and hang out with your friends and family.

The hopper can be topped up during the cook without causing any disturbance to the cooking process, as it has its own, remote access door.

Step 2: Fill The Water Pan (Optional)

Before igniting any flames, it is important that your water pan is filled and in place, as this is a heat regulator and moisture source. The cooking chamber will become overly hot and dry without this crucial element. 

Step 3: Get The Grill Started

To power up your wood pellet grill, it is simply a case of plugging in and switching on. Most pellet grills have a digital LCD display, like the Camp Chef Woodwind Series, however this is not an essential feature.

The power button will automatically turn the auger and begin feeding pellets into the firebox, where the hot rod will heat and ignite them.

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Step 4: Heat The Cooking Chamber

You need to allow your cooking chamber to reach its optimum temperature before you add your meat or food. To do this you must make sure that the lid is closed and sealed.

You can open the lower damper to fuel the flames with oxygen, and open the upper damper to encourage a healthy heat flow. This will quicken the preheating process.

You can keep an eye on the internal temperature of the chamber by looking at the lid thermometer. But be warned, these thermometers are notoriously hit and miss, so be sure to consult the LCD temperature reading as well, if your grill has one.

Step 5: Load The Meat (Food)

Once your cooking chamber has reached the desired temperature, you can add your meat. The meat should be placed directly on the rack, and directly above the water pan.

This way, the water pan will catch any juices and fluids that drip down and can recycle all that delicious flavor in the steam it creates.

For best results, you should keep your meat refrigerated up until the last moment. This is because cold meat absorbs smoke more efficiently than room temperature meat.

Note: You don’t have to only cook meat on your pellet grill! You can cook pizzas, or side dishes like veggies or mac and cheese easily on a pellet smoker.

Step 6: Be Patient

Once your meat is in the chamber, the only thing to do is wait. Pellet grills are designed to cook slowly, over a long period of time, and the slower the process, the more tender and juicy the result will be.

It is important not to frequently lift the lid of your pellet grill whilst your meat is cooking, as this will introduce cold air into the chamber and affect the consistency of the cooking temperature.

Smoked meat tastes best when the cooking temperature remains very steady throughout, so fluctuations are not desirable. Instead, trust your timings and use the lid thermometer as a guide.

Step 7: Probe The Meat

When your cooking time is almost complete, you can lift the lid and probe your meat in order to check its internal temperature.

The lid thermometer and LCD temperature reading, refer only to the internal temperature of the chamber itself, not of the meat.

The meat will take much longer to heat up on the inside than the outside, and this is why it is important to probe right to the center of the cut. Once the center has reached the desired temperature, you will know that your meat is cooked and good to eat.

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How Do You Clean A Pellet Grill?

As we mentioned earlier, pellet grills are less messy than traditional charcoal grills, however they do still produce ash that needs to be cleaned up.

Many pellet grills have an ash disposal system that can be removed from the unit like a drawer and emptied directly into a bin. These are very handy and really speed up the cleaning process.

The also allow you to clean the ash periodically throughout long cooks, without disrupting the cooking process.

It is as important to clean the grill racks and chamber interior on a pellet grill as it is on any other kind of grill unit. We recommend scraping fat and juices off the racks at the end of each use, and vacuuming the excess away.

Then, every three uses or so, it is a good idea to give your pellet grill a more in-depth clean and wipe down the full interior as well. This prevents bacteria from developing, and extends the lifespan of your racks and surfaces.

What Wood Pellets Are Best For A Pellet Grill?

One of the keys to success when it comes to pellet grills is picking the right pellets for the job.

The most important thing is to make sure that you buy cooking/ smoking pellets as opposed to standard heating pellets.

Heating pellets are used to fuel boilers and heaters, and therefore contain sawdust and low quality wood pulp that is not suitable for consumption. Smoking pellets are more expensive than heating pellets, but do not be tempted to scrimp. 

When it comes to smoking pellets, you have the choice between hardwood and softwood. Hardwoods are generally thought to be the better option as they burn more slowly and give off more smoke.

However, if you don’t like your meat to taste too intensely of smoke, softwood pellets will give a more subtle finish.

Red meats handle strong woody flavors like hickory and mesquite. Pork and white meats work well with sweeter fruit woods like apple, pecan and cherry. And alder wood goes with pretty much anything.

Final Thoughts

Pellet grills are easy to use, easy to maintain, and produce delicious results every time. The science behind them is innovative, and the inner workings of these units is beautifully simple.

Once you have given one a go, you certainly won’t look back!

The post How Does A Pellet Grill Work? appeared first on Own The Grill.

You can find it on the menu in just about every single BBQ joint, and over the last decade it’s become increasingly popular for backyard pit masters to perfect their own brisket recipes.

But what is brisket exactly?  It clearly tastes good, but where does it come from and how does it get to its delectable form on your plate?

In this article, we’ve created a guide for everything you could ever possibly want to know about brisket.  We’ll answer the question – “What is brisket?” and much more.  Read on to learn more about this delicious cut of BBQ!

What is Brisket and Where Does It Come From?

So you know that brisket is one of the best types of smoked meat, but where does it come from exactly?

Where Is the Brisket On a Cow?

Brisket is a beef cut that comes from a cow or a steer.  If you’re looking at a diagram of a steer, the brisket is located in the lower chest area of the animal.  It’s just above the front two legs of the cow.

The brisket itself is actually the muscle that supports about 60% of the of the animal’s body weight while it stands and moves around.

Your average full grown steer can weigh upwards of 1,200 pounds – so as you can imagine the brisket section of the animal gets its fair share of strain and work.

Because of this, the brisket cut is one of the toughest cuts of beef that comes out of a steer.  The muscle grows strong, tough, and firm over the course of the animal’s life as its constantly worked.

How Many Briskets Per Cow?

Each animal carcass produces two whole briskets – one from each side of the breast.  A whole brisket typically weighs between 10 and 16 pounds, so that’s up to 20 to 32 pounds of potential brisket per animal, depending on its size!

The Anatomy of a Brisket

A brisket is a lean, tough muscular cut that doesn’t consist of very much fat marbling throughout the meat.  The pectoral muscle is full of connective tissues, elastin and collagen, that are incredibly tough.

As such, they require a long and slow cook on low temperatures in order to properly break down the connective tissue and tenderize the meat.

This is precisely why brisket is an ideal meat for low and slow cooking on the smoker.  Grilling a brisket on high, direct heat simply wouldn’t work.

When you go to pick up a brisket at the butcher counter or your local grocer, you’ll see them cut and prepared for sale in one of three different ways:

Packer Brisket

The term “packer brisket” refers to a full, whole beef brisket.  It’s a HUGE hunk of meat and can weigh anywhere from 12 to 18 pounds.

For most backyard pit masters, a whole packer brisket is by far the largest cut of meat you’d ever work with – and it can take half a day or more to cook completely on the smoker.

Many butchers will divide up their briskets into smaller cuts, especially for resale at grocery stores or to retail customers.

A whole brisket can be subdivided into two pain parts – the point and the flat, which are each smaller and more manageable to cook than a packer.

Brisket Point

The brisket point is the thickest section of the brisket, and compared to the flat it has more marbled fat and connective tissue throughout the meat.

In the world of smoking beef, more fat means more flavor.  Out of the two sections of brisket, the point yields slightly more flavorful results with that tasty beefy flavor we’ve all come to love about BBQ brisket.

The point has comparatively less meat in it than the flat, simply because it’s smaller in overall size.  A typical brisket point can weigh anywhere from 4 to 6 pounds.

Brisket Flat

The flat section is a long, lean section of the brisket that will be tougher than the point – but nothing that can’t be taken care of with a long slow cook on your smoker!

It gets its name because the cut is long, thin, and rectangular shaped.  The underside is relatively flat, and there is a thick layer of fat, known as the fat cap, that sits on top of the brisket.

The fat cap needs to be trimmed (your butcher might have already done this for you), but some of the fat should remain to help moisten and flavor the meat while it cooks.

Preparing Brisket To Go On the Smoker

Before your hunk of beef goes on the cooking grates, there are a couple of steps to take for you to prepare your brisket for the cook.

Trim the Fat

Some butchers and grocers sell brisket pre trimmed, but odds are you’re going to have to do some trimming yourself too.

Brisket cuts come with lots of excess fat, in the form of the fat cap and also in the form of hard or loose hanging pieces of fat.  You’ll want to trim and square the brisket up so that no little pieces of fat burn or cause problems during the cooking process.

The overall goal when trimming the fat is to get large chunks out of there but leave enough fat to flavor the meat and help tenderize your beef during the cooking process.

We’ve created an entire guide for how to trim a brisket right here, so check that out next if you’re planning on trimming brisket yourself.  Here’s also a great video from Meat Church BBQ outlining the process for all of you visual learners out there.

Rub It Down

After the beef is nice and trimmed, the next big preparation step is to rub down your beef with a BBQ rub.

What Is A BBQ Rub?

A brisket rub is simply a combination of seasonings and flavoring ingredients that are mixed together.  From there, the rub gets applied to the entire outside surface area of your brisket.

The purpose of a rub is to enhance the flavor of your food – a good rub will not only add an extra layer of flavoring, it will also bring forward and accentuate the excellent beefy flavor that naturally comes from a brisket.

Ideal Rub Types For Brisket

The rub you choose to use can be a dry rub or a wet rub.  Most every rub consists of a base of salt, and many have a sweet element to them as well, such as brown or maple sugar.

Of course one of the most famous BBQ pit masters on the planet, Aaron Franklin, uses a simple Texas Style rub that consists only of kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.

The point is, you have options when it comes to choosing a rub.  No one rub is better than another per se – it largely comes down to personal preference.

But either way, you should definitely choose a rub to use on the outside of your brisket before it goes on the smoker to bring out that extra flavor.

Cooking A Brisket

Low And Slow Is The Name Of The Game

For the most part, once your brisket goes on the smoker you can sit back and relax while it cooks.

As long as your smoker maintains a consistent temperature, all you need to do is wait patiently while the magic happens underneath the lid. Save maybe spritzing your beef once an hour to add moisture, if needed.

Fat Side Up Or Down?

Most of the time you want to put the brisket on the smoker fat side down – but it really depends on the type of smoker you have.  You want to put the fat side of the brisket facing the heat source in your smoker.

It’s worth mentioning that there are other ways to cook brisket besides in a smoker.  You can get the job done sous vide or even in an oven or slow cooker – but for my taste I’m a BBQ purist, and the best way to do it is with traditional smokey flavor.

Smoker Set Up

Most of the BBQ pundits recommend setting your smoker’s temperature somewhere between 225°F and 250°F.

The hotter you set your smoker, the less time it will take to complete the cook – but also the less tender your end results will potentially be.  Setting your temperature in the 225°F to 250°F range is the way to go for proper, tender brisket.

To Wrap or Not to Wrap?

Depending on who you talk to, some people swear by wrapping brisket to aid in the cooking process.  Essentially, there are 3 different ways you can wrap (or not wrap) your beef to cook it on the smoker.

All of them are perfectly viable but lead to different end results.

Going Naked

Smoking a brisket bare means that you put your meat directly on the smoker without any wrapping.  Generally speaking, this will lead to your meat absorbing relatively more smoke particles, and your BBQ will also likely develop a very strong bark.

Foil Wrap

Another option is to wrap your brisket in foil.  Wrapping in foil will speed up the cooking process, but create a very moist, almost roast like environment for your food while it cooks.

Foil blocks out lots of smoke and also doesn’t allow moisture to escape while the meat cooks.  The end results of foil wrapping are typically more moist and less smokey – with little to no outer bark.

Pink Butcher Paper

Door number three is an in between of bare and foil wrapping.  Over the last handful of years, pink butcher paper has become a highly popular BBQ accessory.

You can actually wrap your brisket with it and cook your meat on the smoker.  The paper is breathable enough to allow a perfect amount of moisture to escape, and it also allows a decent amount of smokey flavoring into the beef.  Paper wrapping leads to a nice bark too.

In the above video, Aaron Franklin himself cooks three briskets side by side: one bare, one with foil, and one with pink butcher paper.  Watch to see the difference between each.

The Brisket Stall

An interesting phenomenon occurs on the smoker when you cook a brisket for 10-12 hours.

When you place your brisket on the smoker, it will in all likelihood start around an internal temperature close to room temperature.  For the first part of the cook, the meat will rapidly rise as it heats up.

About 2 or 3 hours into the cook though, the temperature climb hits a brick wall and remains in the 150°F to 160°F range for 5 to 6 hours, depending on the size of your meat.  This is known as the brisket stall.

5 hours is a long time, and it’s easy for panic to set in.  Especially when there are hungry stomachs expecting a BBQ feast later.  I’ve heard stories of amateur BBQers moving their brisket to the grill to try to kickstart the temperature climb.

Patience Is Key

Don’t let that be you!  Patience is key, and rash decision making can ruin your cook.  The stall is perfectly natural – to put it simply, it’s an extended period of time where your beef experiences evaporative cooling.  It’s a fancy term that refers to a sequence where your meat essentially “sweats” moisture out while it cooks.

So your meat is still cooking during the stall, but the moisture it releases in turn cools it back down – and this repeats for about 5 to 6 hours of the process.  Eventually when a large proportion of the moisture has left the meat, your temperature will begin to rise again.

If you want to speed up the cook and cut down on the time you spend in the stall, you can employ the “Texas Crutch” method – where you smoke the brisket bare at the beginning then wrap it in foil once it reaches the stall.

When Is Brisket Done?

We recommend cooking brisket to an internal temperature of 203°F, but more on that in a moment.  Remember, your brisket takes a long time to cook so it’s impossible to “eyeball” when it’s complete.

An important note – you’ll want to have a probe thermometer handy for your cook!  You’ll need it to measure the internal temperature of your meat while it’s on the smoker – ideally in two places.  It’s the only way to know for sure that your brisket has been completely cooked through and finished.

Brisket is done once it reaches an internal temperature of 190°F.  That’s the minimum internal temperature we’d recommend taking it off of the smoker.

The magic number according to lots of BBQ pit masters is 203°F.  The extra time on the smoker allows the brisket to further tenderize and develop flavors and bark.

As long as you’ve reached 190°F though, you’re good to go.  Don’t be afraid to experiment with pulling your food off of the smoker at different temperatures to learn a little bit about what your preferences are.

Let It Rest

A key to perfect brisket is letting it rest after it’s off of the smoker.

First, your brisket will be too hot to slice right away.

But more importantly, moisture concentrates to the center of the meat while it cooks – when you let it rest at room temperature, that moisture redistributes back to the meat to ensure an evenly tender and tasty brisket.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Brisket

Get the Right Knives

You don’t want to use any old kitchen knife to slice your finished meat.  Having the right kind of knife for brisket can make all the difference.

You want it to be sharp and to also use a straight or Granton style blade.  You can also get away with using a scalloped blade – but you should definitely not use a serrated blade.

Remember, your brisket is going to be incredibly tender when it’s ready to slice and serve.  The last thing you need is a blade that tears all of your hard work to shreds.

A sharp, straight blade will lead to restaurant quality, beautiful and thin brisket slices.

Which Type of Wood Should I Use for Brisket?

We’ve created an entire resource dedicated to breaking down the best types of wood for smoking brisket right here if you want to take a deep dive on this topic.

It’s is a very beefy, strong cut that can stand up to strong flavors.  Hickory wood is a popular choice, as is Oak, Mesquite, Maple, and even fruit woods like Cherry.

Consider an Injection Recipe

One of the toughest aspects of smoking meats for a beginner is getting your end moisture levels right.

A great way to help manage your moisture, and also to add some flavor, is to consider a brisket injection recipe.

With just a little bit of extra leg work on the front end, an injection can help to make the cooking process itself a little bit more hands off.

Leftovers and Reheating

It’s no secret that brisket is a massive cut of meat to work with.

Any time you’re putting a 12 to 20 pound hunk on the smoker, odds are you’re going to have some leftovers.  Which isn’t a bad thing at all!  Tacos, sandwiches, and many more tasty possibilities exist for your leftovers.

The key is proper storage and reheating your beef the right way to maximize the leftover flavor and tenderness.  Check out our complete guide for reheating brisket leftovers to get ready to take advantage of each piece of BBQ!

We also have some great leftover brisket tacos ideas for some inspiration on getting the most out of your leftovers.

Where to Find Brisket

Brisket is a pretty popular cut of beef, so odds are your local grocer and butcher shop will regularly have packers, points, and flats in stock.

In this day and age, there are some online options for acquiring one too.

The first recommendation for online brisket is Porter Road.  If there was ever a rancher that you could say responsibly cultivates their beef, it’s Porter Road – they hold their partners to the highest possible standards and all of their animals are raised outside, and fed vegetarian, non-GMO feed.  On top of all of that?  Their beef is incredibly delicious – and the prices are great.

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Regardless of where you’re preparing your feast, you’ll immediately make your guests feel like they’ve just entered a Texas smokehouse.

Check Price on Porter Road

If you really want to get serious about your brisket, the other place to check out is Snake River Farms.  They’re one of the premier American Wagyu ranchers, and if you pay attention you’ll see their products for sale at some of the most upscale restaurants and steakhouses across the country.

Wagyu is the gold standard when it comes to beef, so their prices aren’t a bargain.  But if you have the coin and want to give it a go, you won’t be disappointed with any of their products.

Snake River Farms American Wagyu Gold Grade Brisket

The absolutely the finest briskets available. Offered in limited quantities, Gold Grade briskets are rich with the highest level of marbling offered by Snake River Farms.

Check Price on Snake River Farms

Brisket FAQ

Is Brisket Beef or Pork?

In the world of BBQ, “brisket” almost always refers to a beef cut – if you order brisket at a BBQ joint, you’re guaranteed to get smoked beef on your plate.

So when you use the term or hear somebody else use it, the assumption is that brisket is referring to a beef cut.

However, there is a less common pork brisket cut.  Historically, the corresponding pork brisket area of a pig has been used to process sausage – but in recent years some more creative butchers have sold the cut as “pork brisket”, in hope that the familiar term would entice people to try to buy it.

Is Corned Beef Brisket the Same As Beef Brisket?

Yes and no.  Both corned beef brisket and “regular” brisket are the same cut of a cow.  Both utilize the two part brisket muscle that we have all become so familiar with.

The difference with corned beef brisket is that it is brine cured and specially seasoned specially before it’s cooked low and slow.

How Many People Does A Brisket Feed?

A general rule of thumb is to prepare 1/2 of a pound of cooked brisket per person.

Of course, this is not a one-size-fits-all answer. The number could change depending on whether you’re serving to adults or children, how hungry your guests are, and how many other dishes are being served at your BBQ.

Final Thoughts

If you came into this article wondering “what is brisket?”, by now I hope you have what you came for.  It’s one of the most popular cuts of beef for BBQ, and one of the most rewarding to cook in your at home BBQ pit.

We hope this article helped you take the next step in your BBQ journey!

Did we miss anything about brisket that should be mentioned in this article?  How did smoking your first brisket go?  We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

The post What Is Brisket? Our Guide To The Most Popular BBQ Cut appeared first on Own The Grill.