Welcome to our first installment of Tips and Insights from Owner, Pitmaster, and now Blog Writer Cody Brokmeyer from Central Texas Pitworks, LLC.
Introduction
In this addition I give my take on the much debated question of what to use for seasoning when attempting to smoke the elusive “perfect” Central Texas style brisket. Now before we begin, let me lay some ground rules for the readers. This is an opinion blog based on my experience sampling and smoking briskets for over 20 years. Right or wrong, I am simply laying out what I feel will help you when attempting to tackle firing up your pit or smoker for the first time or maybe just looking for a few pointers for a better brisket.
The Brisket
While I have a degree in Animal Science for Texas A&M University, I will spare you the scientific mumbo jumbo about muscles like the Deckle, Deep Pectoral, and Pectoralis Superficialis. Just know a whole brisket consists of basically two very distinct parts, the flat and the point cut from the front quarter or chuck of a beef carcass. The flat also referred to as the lean, firm, and sometimes dry side of a whole brisket while the point is often referred to the moist, fatty, and even the tender side. Smoking whole briskets requires us to understand what to season with and how much. Whole briskets are very thick taking much more seasoning then other cuts also requiring hours of time to smoke traditionally. And by traditionally, I mean in a real wood or “stick burner” style pit or smoker ( Look for my thoughts on smokers in later posts). A Central Texas style brisket when prepared correctly should have plenty of moisture in both the point and flat, have a good bark, and be super tender. However, it should not be so tender it can’t hold up under its own weight and only come apart when lightly pulled after slicing. Getting a brisket to this point will take significant time and multiple attempts to prefect your methods. Don’t stress if your first attempt actually turns out below average. Look for an internal temp around 192-203°F and a noticeable difference in feel at that temperature range. A big key here is feel, when it reaches 190°, start feeling the brisket to see if it’s loosening up.
Seasoning
Many hard core Central Texas style smoked brisket enthusiast will insist, “It’s only S&P for me!” Yet others will swear by some top secret hand crafted, or even a store bought seasoning regularly turning out the kind of brisket that sends the masses into a frenzy. So let us begin with some key points on seasoning and what works well with this challenging hunk of beef both feared and revered by so many. Weighing in at 10-20 lbs., brisket requires much more seasoning to flavor the meat deep within and to build the signature Central Texas style bark on the outside. So don’t be shy with the seasoning. A good quality “prime” brisket will not and should not require injecting. Again, when prepared correctly, brisket does not need added artificial flavoring.
Store Bought
Everyone knows seasoning is only one of the several key factors in creating mouthwatering brisket but how big of a factor is it? I believe it can be a huge factor as this is one of the first steps in preparing such a daunting cut. Store bought seasonings… Let’s begin with my use of that phrase… “Store bought”. Right away you should be clued in on what I think about using this type of seasoning. If not, then let me be more direct…stop using it. You’re better than that and so is the high quality brisket you paid for. Many of these seasoning have ingredients you can’t pronounce and truly bring nothing but a cover up for not understanding how to properly smoke a Central Texas style brisket.
Hand Crafted
Hand crafted means you’re much further along than most and have created your own seasoning which consists of more than salt and pepper. Congratulations, creating you’re own seasoning mixture is awesome and is a great accomplishment that takes some time to master. If I had to bet, I would say the hand crafted seasoning you created started with a salt and pepper base. Creating a hand crafted seasoning others complement you on is what you’re looking for and should only be altered if you think it needs something more or less. While other cuts do require different and complex spice ratios, I have zero objections to any quality hand crafted seasoning so long as it does not stray away from the flavor profile of Central Texas style for brisket. This means keep away from the coffee, ginger, star anise, cloves, thyme, dill, oregano, and sugar. Brisket is not sweet, and nor should it be… We’re not serving up candy or diabetes in brisket so do us all a favor and leave the sugar out. Take that back… Only add Sugar if you’re in a KCBS cook off. In my opinion, that’s the only garbage that wins in those event style contests. More on the cook off topic later…
Salt and Pepper
Salt and pepper is the classic seasoning for Central Texas style brisket. In fact many highly regarded cooks or pitmasters from the region feel adding anything else is hiding something. Simplicity is the art piece behind creating good Central Texas style barbecue. I have tried using several combinations of seasoning at Central Texas Pitworks and always go back to the original blend of 50:50 S&P. If you wish to build your own hand crafted seasoning, try simple S&P first before adding other ingredients. You may find the simplicity of the seasoning allows your skills at running a clean fire to shine through. Should you grab the salt and pepper off the table and create your seasoning? Sure, if you want to be disappointed with the results.
Central Texas Pitworks’ list of important items needed to create a great brisket.
1. A high quality brisket. (Choice or Prime)
2. A quality built, wood burning smoker.
3. Seasoned quality woods like Oak, Pecan, Mesquite, and Hickory.
4. Kosher salt and course ground black pepper.
5. A good mop or spray to keep the brisket moist while cooking.
6. Experience maintaining consistent pit temp. with clean smoke.
7. Time and patience.
Tips and Insights.
Type and size of salt and pepper matter. Don’t use table salt and fine ground or table grind black pepper. The best salt and pepper combination I find to use is course kosher salt and course ground pepper. The coarseness of the salt and pepper help build a nice bark and flavor profile you can’t achieve with table salt and fine ground pepper. Looking for a good mop or spray mixture to keep the brisket moist while it’s cooking? Google “Texas hill country mop sauce”
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Size does matter! You do not want fine ground S or P. Get a coffee grinder at a thrift store and set it to course. That’s the perfect grind. And while you don’t say it directly, kosher salt is the salt to use. Iodized salt ruins meat. As for other seasonings, I disagree that they don’t belong. Everything in moderation. The true talent in smoked meats is heat and wood. Get that dialed in and everything else is gravy.