A tasty brisket on a tiny grill

Living in Colorado and Texas for a vast portion of my life eating great BBQ and working in some of the best in the world I've acquired a taste for nice brisket.  Residing in the part of the world I am at it is very hard to find that juicy brisket I have been craving.  Even though there are BBQ restaurants around (one even boasts the name Texas BBQ) nothing comes even close.  The "best" at best is a sad copy of the County Line and no where near Pok-E-Jo's, Salt Lick, or my all time favorite Cooper's in Llano.  Luckily I've worked and learned some techniques from great restaurants and a few champion pitmasters, but I am lacking the proper tools.  I am stuck like most with a cheap grill and have no room or cash for the smokers that I need.

I quickly needed to adapt and have gotten some really nice success with little work.  One thing in Texas that is readily available is mesquite, now that is hard to get a hold of but you may use any decent dry wood.  I have also found some charcoal that has a nice tasting wood mixed in with the charcoal.  These are slow burning and provide a good taste without any hint of mildew or other organics that you may pick up from around the yard or woods.  These are also not very expensive and can be gotten even at Wal-Mart.  Sticking with the evil empire store you can pick up a cheap grill there as well along with some starter fluid.  Get a nice fire going and make sure the vents are wide open to get the smoke going.  Sadly the only place to get a brisket is once again back to Wal-Mart.  While your grill is getting started it's time to prepare the meat.

Since you are cooking on a grill when picking up your brisket make sure there is a nice layer of fat along the bottom and up the side.  Check that you still have a nice layer of meat and that you have a high crown.  The crown is the bump that starts in the middle of the brisket and goes towards that back of the cut.  Lay the meat down on a sturdy tray, cookie sheets work well but usually are not long enough.  Put some wax paper down over the tray to make sure that the blood from the wrapping does not go all over your kitchen shelf and floor.  I like to put my salt (Sea Salt), pepper, and lemon pepper if you choose on both sides of the meat.  Even on the fatty side.  Check your fire and since it will be close to the grill make sure no flame is going, this will burn your meat and with all the fat a good fire will get going.  Also make sure that you do not use to much fluid, if you have to use a lot to get the fire started check that it has all burned off.  Best way is to leave the lid open on the grill as you prep the meat so the fluid burns off or evaporates.  Closing the lid will smoke the fluid into the bricks and leave an after taste in the meat.  Remember King of The Hill "Taste the meat, not the heat".  Light on the fluid, heavy on the wood.  Lay your meat on the grill and close the lid, you should have enough heat from the wood and bricks that a good amount of smoke should be coming through the vents.  Do not close these so the air can circulate through and keep the smoke going.

Now is a good time have a few beers and make some sauce and sides since this is going to take a good amount of time.  Usually 4-7 hours, since this is not a smoker and small grill you will not need the 24-48 hours that most use.  My wife does a sauce very well and is exceptional.  A simple way is to use Worshire sauce, Tomato sauce (add some paste if you need to thicken), Brown sugar, salt, pepper, and some Red Wine Vinegar.  Sometimes I enjoy adding some grape jelly into the sauce to sweeten it up.  Go out and check the fire now making sure it's not burning the meat.

For a great side I enjoy making a potato casserole.  In a large pot boil 9-12 large potatoes, living the skins on but washed well.  Get these nice and soft, almost falling apart in the water and then drain.  While the water is boiling get a nice block of cheddar cheese, shredded if you don't want to cut.  Cut block cheese is better for me and is not light like the shredded cheese and hold the casserole together.  Fry up some bacon and cut up into bits.  You will also need some sour cream, sea salt and I enjoy real butter.  Margarine is basically vegetable oil and you will miss out on the desired taste and density of the casserole.  Mix in half of your cheese, the butter and the sour cream with the mashed potatoes.  Put in a 9x12 baking pan and cover with the remaining cheese and bacon bits.  You can put in the oven at 120 degrees just until the cheese is melted on top.  You can mix the sour cream and salt to taste, but don't spare on the sour cream, this can be your one time a month fix for those on the diet. 

Keep checking on your fire and you may need to remove the meat once in a while to restart another fire if you have a large piece of brisket and it the bricks burn down.  It is done when you have a nice dark golden brown top, try not to poke holes in the meat and if you are using a thermometer get the center to 185 degrees.  If you want to really get that tender wrap the meat in wax paper and foil and stick in the oven for an hour.  Do not turn on the oven and just let the juices cook into the meat.  If you've done a great job when you stick the meat the juice should just pour out the top, not blood.  Now you can either put the sauce on top or on the side. You may be wondering why not put the sauce on before and cook the brisket with the sauce on it.  This may seal the flavors out and burn your meat while keeping the center undercooked.

A proper cut is to start off with cutting off the crown, right along the fatty portion the separates the crown and the main body.  The crown is great for chopped beef sandwiches as well as keeping the dog happy.  You may also see a large vein under this and cut that out as well.  Trim your fat to your liking and cut the slices also to your desired liking.

Add your sides and some nice Texas toast or favorite bread and dig in.  I hope that this is enjoyable and works out.  Enjoy the eats.