Central Texas brisket proves you don't need a complicated rub, just salt, coarse pepper, clean smoke and patience. Plan for about 1 to 1.5 hours per pound, plus a long rest.
Ingredients
- 1 whole packer brisket (12–14 lb / 5.5–6.5 kg)
- 1/4 cup coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 cup 16-mesh coarse black pepper
- Optional: 1 tbsp garlic powder
- Pink butcher paper (unwaxed)
- Post oak, oak or hickory wood
Method
- 1
Trim the hard fat and leave about 1/4 inch (6 mm) of fat on the cap. Round off thin edges so they don't burn.
- 2
Mix the salt and pepper (and garlic, if using) and season the brisket evenly on all sides. Let it sit while the smoker comes up to temperature.
- 3
Smoke at 250–275°F (121–135°C), fat side toward the heat source, until the bark is dark and set and the internal temperature reaches roughly 165–170°F (74–77°C). This is where 'the stall' usually happens.
- 4
Wrap tightly in butcher paper and continue cooking until the flat probes like soft butter, typically 200–205°F (93–96°C).
- 5
Rest the wrapped brisket for at least 1 hour (2–4 hours in a dry, insulated cooler is even better).
- 6
Separate the point and flat. Slice the flat against the grain about pencil-thick, and cube or slice the point.
