Smoked Brisket

Directions
Preparation:20min  ›  Cook:8hours  ›  Ready in:8hours20min 

1. Preheat smoker for indirect cooking at 115 C.
2. Coat the brisket all over with the mustard and evenly cover with a spice rub. Place the brisket point side up into the smoker.
3. Add your wood, and probe the centre of the brisket with a digital thermometer before you begin cooking.
4. The brisket should be removed when the thermometer reaches 86 to 88 degrees C and this can be anything from 8 to 11 hours depending on the beef used. Do not worry if the brisket appears to have stopped cooking at about 70 degrees C. When the beef reaches 86 to 88 degrees C, give it a prod. It should be firm yet springy to the touch. Remove from the barbecue and wrap it plastic wrap and foil.
5. To serve the brisket there are a couple of options. The brisket contains two separate muscles; the ‘flat’ and the ‘point’. Their muscles run in different directions, roughly 45 degrees from each other. If you do not mind having a slice where the two muscles are running differently then slice them together. We prefer to separate the muscles. They can simply be pulled away gently from one another by working your knife, or fingers, between them. The fat will be so soft that it requires little effort. Be careful, it will be very hot. Once separated, trim any excess fat but do not remove it entirely as this fat brings so much of the joy to the eating.

Crutching a brisket

Many people crutch a brisket, which is to remove when it reaches 70 degrees C and wrap it in tin foil with beef juices and fruit juices, but we do not believe this is necessary as it masks the flavour of the beef and stops a proper bark forming.