Texas BBQ Brisket

We decided to be adventurous this weekend and try something stupendous in the Big Green Egg. This required purchasing the plate-setter in order to cook over indirect heat for a long time without burning our epicurean masterpiece.

This brisket's slow cooked smokiness was absolutely delicious and well worth the wait. It was rubbed with a dry spice rub and basted hourly with a mop mixture. In addition, a handful of mesquite wood chips were added for smoke every hour.

You will need:

• 4 cups mesquite wood chips soaked in water for at least 30 mins.

Brisket and rub:

• a 5 lb brisket

For the rub, mix together:

• 3 T chili powder
• 1 T coarse salt
• 2 t ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 t brown sugar
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1 t dried oregano

For the mop baste:

• 1 c white vinegar
• 1 c beer
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1 t red chili flakes
• 1 t black pepper

Rub the brisket on all sides with the rub mixture. Place fat side up on an oven broiler pan with drip pan underneath.

Get the coals going in your Egg. When they are all lit and starting to ash over, throw in a handful of mesquite wood chips, and place the plate-setter in the egg in position for slow cooking. This would make it upside down from the photo shown above. Then place your grill on, and put the brisket on the broiler pan on the grill.

Maintain the temperature at 250F. Every hour, baste with the mop sauce, and add a handful of wood chips. Cook until the meat registers 190F. For us this took 7 1/2 hours, but it will depend on the thickness of the meat. It should take at least 6 hours.

The results were an absolutely delicious, moist and tender brisket, which was quite spicy with a wonderful smokey flavour. If you don't like spice, just eliminate some or all of the black pepper.