NPR News

Stubb's Smoked Whole Brisket

NPR

Published March 19, 2009 at 4:50 PM EDT

Smoking a whole beef brisket requires deep commitment — literally. Plan on 1 1/2 hours per pound of brisket. This means at least 15 hours for a "small" 10-pound brisket, and 24 hours for a 16-pounder! But once the meat's on the grill, the hard labor's done. Just tend to the temperature, the smoke and, if desired, give it an occasional mop.

Stubb's Restaurant Rub For Meats

Makes about 1 1/2 cups; enough for a large brisket or three slabs of ribs

1/2 cup black pepper, preferably medium ground

1/2 cup Stubb's Bar-B-Q Spice Rub

1/4 cup granulated garlic or garlic powder

3 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning salt

1 9-to-11-pound trimmed brisket, with about a 1/4-inch layer of fat

2 cups Stubb's Moppin' Sauce (optional)

8 cups woodchips, or 12 chunks, soaked

Barbecue sauce (optional)

In a small bowl, combine the pepper, Spice Rub, granulated garlic, onion powder, and seasoning salt and set aside

Rinse the brisket and pat dry with paper towels. Generously coat the brisket with the spice rub mixture on all sides. Brush with mopping sauce (if using). Let it come to room temperature while the grill fires up.

Prepare a grill for indirect cooking. For a charcoal grill, when the coals are ashed over, rake or spread them out in one part of the grill so the food can cook to the side and not directly over the coals. (For a gas grill, fire up the burners on one part of the grill, so the food can cook to the side of the heat but not directly over it.) Cover the grill and bring it to around 225 degrees. Drain and add one-quarter of the wood for smoking.

Set the brisket over indirect heat and cook about 1½ hours per pound. To ensure even cooking, set an oven thermometer next to the brisket, also over indirect heat. Every hour, check it and add more fuel and wood as needed to maintain a smoky 225-degree heat. Cook, mopping every 2 to 3 hours (stop mopping one to two hours before you think the brisket will be done), until the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees. Let the brisket rest 15 to 45 minutes. Slice the meat against the grain and serve plain or with barbecue sauce on the side.