Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker - A Great Way to Prepare Beef Brisket

Smoked Barbecue on a Smokey Mountain Cooker - whether it's beef brisket, ribs, pork shoulder, or chicken is, well... just awesome. The Weber SMC maintains even temperatures for hours which in turn, produces some of the most tasty smoked goodness you'll ever eat.

True, there are less expensive barbecue smokers out there, but know this. Weber stands firmly behind their products, and this baby will last you years. Come on. It's a Weber!

This hub is meant as a basic guide you'll need should you decide to fire up a new Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker one weekend coming up to prepare a lip smacking smoked beef brisket that will make you a virtual Rock Star at your next backyard barbecue party!

Good Smoked Brisket Comes from a Good Cut of Meat

The most important thing to consider with any meat you want to smoked, grill, or broil, is the cut. A good cut of meat is your first step in a terrifically barbecued brisket. If you don't have a qualified butcher in your area, shop around your local grocery stores for one who knows their stuff and can best advise you. Folks - it's that important. Bad cuts of meat make for bad barbecue. Period.

Choose the Wood You Use for Smoking Wisely

Once you have selected your brisket, you should give some thought as to the type of wood you will use to flavor your brisket using your Smokey Mountain Cooker. You'll have a lot of different types of hardwood to choose from - including mesquite, oak and hickory, but you may want to select a wood that does not overpower the meat. If this is your first try at smoking brisket, consider choosing mesquite wood chunks, as it gives you that true Texas BBQ flavor.

The Preparation Itself - Getting Your Brisket Ready to Smoke

You're well on your way. Now that you've selected your brisket and chosen the hardwood you'll use to smoke it, it's time to prepare the brisket. I always season my brisket with a rub consisting of:

• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons oregano

Mix together all of these ingredients, and then begin to work them into the surface of the brisket, especially over the exposed meat. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two to four hours. The plastic wrap will help ensure that the rub stays in contact with the meat.

READ THIS: There is NO SALT in this rub recipe. Rubs you buy from the store are going to list salt as the first of several ingredients you see. This is because salt is a cheap filler. The best rubs do not have salt in them.

Do NOT over salt your brisket. You can salt the brisket before applying the rub, but go lightly.

As your brisket is soaking in the seasoning, now's the time to get your Smokey Mountain Cooker ready. Here's a basic plan of action:

1. First, you should always to begin with a clean smoker. Remove any material left over from the last cookout.
   
2. Fire up your chosen amount of natural lump charcoal the Charcoal using a chimney starter. You'll want to set the chimney starter on a safe surface, but not on the pavement. The heat from the unit can damage your concrete.
   
3. When the charcoal becomes a chalky gray color, add to the bottom of the grill. (Be sure to use a barbecue mitt to protect your hands! That baby is going to be very hot!)
   
4. Add additional lump charcoal and wait for it to also turn to a light gray color
   
5. Double check to make sure the rest of the unit is set up, and go ahead and add some cool tap water to the water to the plan. This water is going to help keep your brisket moist. This is why it's known as a water smoker.
   
   Note: Some prefer simply to cover the pan with a double layer of foil and keep the pan empty. They they just use the cooker's vents to adjust heat through the cook.
   
6. Adjust vents to maintain temperature of around 225-250 degrees. Weber's website has a great section on measuring temperature inside your Smokey Mountain Cooker.
   
7. Add wood chips, or if you prefer, 3-5 fist sized pecan wood chunks to the coals.
   
8. Add meat, insert a probe thermometer (I'm lazy, so I use a remote barbecue thermometer) and cover.
   
9. Keep an eye on the smoker's temperature and make changes to the vents and fire as needed. Again, the Weber smoker does a great job of keeping the temp nice and level
   
10. Done-ness with your brisket is a bit of science, as well as a bit of personal taste. Remember the smoker's mantra "Slow and Low heat will generate a great tasting of meat." For more information on finished off your your brisket, check out this great About BBQ article.
    

You'll want to get out and attend to your brisket when it hits about 190 degrees F. Don't be alarmed if your brisket reminds you of some space rock that burnt up en route to the inside of your Smokey Mountain Cooker. This is normal, and in fact, is preferred by most smoked BBQ aficionados.

Remove your brisket from the smoker, wrap it in plastic wrap, and allow to rest for at minimum of 30 minutes. This will allow the brisket's natural juices to redistribute back through the meat. DO NOT skip this step!

I hope you give a go at trying to cook your own smoked BBQ beef brisket. For me, it's always a satisfying experience. Sure, sometimes I head over to my favorite Winter Haven Barbecue joint, but when it's done at home - you just can't beat good smoked 'cue.