Method

Fill your charcoal chimney with briquets, set the chimney on the bottom grill grate, and light, or prepare a fire in your smoker.  Oil the grill grate.  Sprinkle the brisket with the salt and pepper.

When the coals are ready, dump them into the bottom of your grill, and spread them evenly across half.  Scatter the wood chips on the hot coals. Place the brisket, fat side up, on the indirect-heat side.  When the smoke starts to rise, close the lid.  Place a candy thermometer in the lid vent of a charcoal grill or smoker.  Control the temperature by opening and closing the bottom vents.  To raise the temperature, open the vents more; to cool things down, close the vents a bit.

Smoke the brisket at 225° to 250°F, adding more briquets (but not wood) at 3- to 4-hour intervals or whenever required to keep the temperature constant (see note).  Plan on smoking the brisket for 10 to 12 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165° F and a meat fork inserted into the center and given a twist will shred the meat.  (Many cooks wrap the brisket in aluminum foil after 6 to 8 hours and leave it in foil for the duration of the cooking time, a technique called the "Texas Crutch," but some say the foil turns the brisket into "pot roast." I have used aluminum foil, but am now weaned from it.  Learn how to cook a brisket without foil and you'll never need or want to try it with foil.)

Trim the excess fat before slicing the meat.  Separate the lower brisket flat from the upper point.  Cut the meat against the grain.  Texans like thick slices.  Kansas Citians like thin slice. 

Serves: 8.

NOTE: My kettle grills will go 4 to 6 hours before needing more coals.  Each cooker - even the same brand and model - is different.  Get to know yours.

Reprinted with permission from ©Ardie A. Davis, 25 Essentials: Techniques for Smoking, by Ardie A. Davis, published by Harvard Common Press.      click for book review

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