Seven Tips For Better Brisket & Burnt Ends

Recipes from Ray

By Ray Sheehan

BBQ Buddha

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Cooking brisket to its juicy, tender, melt in your mouth nirvana is an art unto itself. It is a goal aspired to by pit masters across the world. They say it is one of the hardest meats to perfect, but with these helpful tips and a little practice you will be well on your way to your next successful cook.

1.Buy the best grade of brisket that you can afford. Starting with a good piece of meat goes a long way here. Picking out a brisket with a thick flat for the best slices, and one that’s not so stiff in the cryovac should help with tenderness.

2. Don’t trim off too much fat. Leave ¼ inch of fat as insulation during the cook. Fat is flavor. 3. Inject and season in advance. Give the rub and injection plenty of time to work and build flavor, at least a few hours and as long as overnight.

4. Re-season and wrap at 165 degrees. Push through the stall by using the Texas crutch. Wrap in either aluminum foil or pink butcher paper but don’t forget to re-season. Get that meat back on the cooker until it hits 200 to 205 degrees. Your temp probe should have little resistance as you slide it in and out.

5. Vent and rest. When you hit your target temp open the brisket wrap and let vent for 15 minutes. Rewrap the meat (foil or paper) and let it rest, wrapped in a blanket in your cooler for at least an hour but the longer the better.

6. Separate the flat and the point But don’t slice the flat until you are ready to serve it. Be sure to slice the meat against the grain the thickness of a number 2 pencil.

7. To make melt in your mouth burnt ends Cut the point into 1-inch cubes and place the meat back on the cooker uncovered in a half pan with ¼ cup pan drippings and 1 cup BBQ sauce for one hour. Remove from the cooker and gently coat burnt ends with the sauce, place back on cooker for about 15 minutes.