I got what is considered a small brisket, about 7lb, from Costco.
Here’s what I did not do – I did not trim it. As is. With the fat. do not trim. It’s good as is.
Here’s what I did not do – I did not trim it. As is. With the fat. do not trim. It’s good as is.
Here’s what I did do with it, but first, because as you read you’ll say “Hey, where do I get those fermented thingies? Well, it’s so easy you have no excuses but to make them.
Honey fermented garlic – Take a bunch of pealed garlic cloves. Put it in a jar. Fill the jar with honey. Close the jar and let it sit for a few days in a kitchen cabinet. Open the jar daily to release the pressure built from the fermentation process. After a few days of gas release (from the jar that is) put it in the fridge and use it for cooking.
Honey fermented habanero – Do the same as with the garlic, only with habanero. You can slice the habanero to whatever pieces you want for easier use.
Back to the brisket
- Cover the brisket on all sides with salt, black pepper, honey fermented garlic and honey fermented habanero. If you have fermentophobia then use garlic powder, hot pepper powder and some honey.
- Let it sit overnight to make it one with the rub.
- Heat your smoker to 225F/110C. I used a combo of hickory and mesquite for the smoking.
- Place the brisket, fat side on top, in the smoker.
- Smoke the brisket for a few hours (this depends mostly on the size of brisket, can be 3-6 hours) until the internal temperature “stalls” – i.e. when you see that the internal temperature does not change for 10-20 minutes, usually somewhere around 150f-165f/65c-75c at the thickest part (do not measure in the fat).
- Wrap the brisket in aluminum foil, not tight but mostly sealed. Seam of the foil should be on top (fat) side.
- Keep the smoker at the same temp and let the brisket temperature reach 202-205F/94-96C.
- Take it out and let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes
- Unwrap carefully, preserving the juices in the foil and collecting them into some vessel. They are priceless.
- Slice against the grain and enjoy tremendously.
These make the most amazing sandwiches, just as is with some side dishes with or without sauce.
Here’s a sauce I made for it which came out d-leash:
Sauté large sliced vedalia (sweet) onion in some olive oil until soften, add sliced dehydrated apricot, sliced garlic, sauté a bit more, then add water, salt, white pepper, hot pepper and some honey, bring to a boil and let simmer on low, covered, for an hour. Everything should soften and the sauce should darken and thicken. If it seems too thin for a sauce, mix a little cornstarch in cold water, add to the sauce, raise the flame a bit (not too much so it won’t burn) while mixing. Serve with slices of brisket, it’s reallllly good.