Smoking a Select Grade Brisket

Can I take a cheap, $39 select grade brisket and make it worth a damn? Select briskets have less intramuscular fat which means less flavor compared to choice or prime grade briskets. In this recipe I use 4 techniques to help improve the end result of smoking a select grade brisket vs. my usual choice or prime grade brisket. 

Video for this recipe: https://youtu.be/SbyHDcQwDqA

Ingredients

• 1 USDA Select Grade Brisket
• 1 C Beef Broth (sub water)
• 1/3 C Meat Church Brisket Injection
• Meat Church Holy Cow Seasoning

Brisket prep
Wet age the brisket in the cryrovac for 30 - 45 days in a refrigerator.

This is the first of 4 tips to improve the end result of this select grade brisket. Wet aging will improve the tenderness by breaking down connective tissue and enhancing its flavor. 

Smoker prep
Prepare your smoker at a temp of 225 degrees. We used a Mill Scale offset smoker with post oak in this video. Other great wood choices would be hickory, mesqute or pecan. 

This is the 2nd tip. Cooking this brisket that has less intramuscular fat, at 225 vs our usual 250, will help the brisket remain moist. 

Trim your brisket
Trim the full packer brisket to your liking or as you see in this video.

Prepare the brisket
This is the 3rd tip. Injecting a brisket will impart moisture and flavor.

Mix 1 C beef broth with 1/3 C brisket injection. Shake and mix thoroughly.

Inject the brisket in a 1" x 1" grid pattern. 

Slather any injection that has come out all over the brisket to act as a binder, 

Season the brisket with Meat Church Holy Cow. Allow the seasoning to adhere for 15 minutes or up to overnight. 

Smoke the brisket
Place the brisket meat side up in your smoker. Spritz with cider vinegar anytime it begins to look dry.

Smoke until the flat reaches an internal temperature of at least 165. In this video I wrapped at 171.

Remove the brisket from the smoker and place it in a disposable steam pan.

Pour the beef broth in the pan. Alternatively you can also use brisket injection. Cover with heavy duty aluminum foil.

This is the 4th tip. Wrapping this brisket in foil to capture any dripping that come out plus adding beef broth will give us a lot of liquid to ensure this brisket stays moist. 

Continue to cook the brisket until the flat is probe tender which is typically around 203 internal. 

Remove from the smoker. Open the foil to allow the steam to roll off to ensure the cooking process has stopped.

Rest for at least one hour, but preferably two - three hours.

Slice and enjoy!