Slow-Cooked Texas Beer Brisket
3.8
(3)
Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are adapted from Elizabeth Karmel's Web site, girlsatthegrill.com .
On the road to Lockhart, Texas in the Hill Country outside of Austin, I discovered barbecue heaven where smoke meets beef. This slow-cooked brisket is crunchy and almost burnt on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. After tasting a delicate 2-pound portion, I got some tips from the pit master himself and promptly went home and created my own version.
The simple salt-and-pepper Lockhart Dry Rub is favored by the old guard and the Tricked-Up Brisket Rub is akin to what some of the younger up-starts in the barbecue world are doing to add a little more dimension to their burnt ends. Both rubs are great for slow-cooking and smoking brisket. You only need to make one rub to make this brisket so just pick whichever is more appealing to you.
Be sure to purchase an untrimmed brisket. The meat needs all of the fat cap to keep it moist during the long cooking time.
If using a charcoal grill, be sure to add charcoal each hour to keep the heat constant.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Grilling Method: Indirect/Medium-Low Heat
Step 2
Sprinkle brisket liberally with the rub of your choice.
Step 3
Set-up grill for indirect cooking and place smoker box in gas grill if using. If using a charcoal grill, pour beer into a drip pan and place the drip pan on the charcoal grate between the two piles of charcoal. If using a gas grill, pour the beer into a small drip pan and put on the far-left corner of the cooking grates. (The beer is in the pan to add moisture to the cooking environment while the meat smokes. This is a good idea anytime you smoke-cook foods for a long period of time because smoke reduces the moisture in the air.)
Step 4
Place wood chips that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes directly on the gray-ashed charcoal, if using a charcoal grill, or in the smoker box if using a gas grill.
Step 5
Place brisket (fat side up) in center of the cooking grate over the drip pan. You will not turn the brisket during the cooking time at all. Grill 5 to 7 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180°F. When done, remove brisket from grill and let rest 20 minutes. Slice thin and serve immediately with pickled okra and sliced white bread.
