I had been wanting to do brisket for a very long time, but I couldn’t find anywhere convenient to buy a whole packer brisket. But right before I was convinced I was going to have to go to a butcher, Costco decided to carry them.
![](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-19T165606-001-768x1024.jpg)
Yeah, it was 20 lbs, which is ridiculous for what was essentially going to be just 3 adults, but it was USDA Prime for only $3/lb! I had no choice. I put it in my shopping cart and resolved to deal with the consequences later.
After I got home I realized I had a problem, it was too long to fit in my 18″ Weber Smokey Mountain. So I had to cut off some of the flat. (I ended up using that to make some beef ph?).
![](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-19T170050-003-1024x768.jpg)
Then I had to trim the fat. There was a pretty good amount to take off.
![trimming the fat off the brisket](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-19T171410-004-1024x768.jpg)
I put on a Dalmatian rub and put it into the fridge to dry brine.
![](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-20T175632-005-1024x768.jpg)
The next day I fired up the smoker and got to work on the Texas mop sauce.
![ingredients for the Texas mop sauce](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-21T113654-007-1024x768.jpg)
Instead of vegetable oil, I rendered some of the brisket fat:
![rendering brisket fat](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-21T120412-008-1024x768.jpg)
I should have cut it into smaller pieces to increase the rendered fat to fried fat ratio, but there’s a first time for everything. And here’s my completed mop sauce:
![Texas mop sauce](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-21T122745-009-768x1024.jpg)
The taste reminded me a lot of my mom’s carne con papa sauce or a ragu. I think a bit over 20 hours later, the brisket was finally done smoking:
![Smoked brisket](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-21T150255-010-1024x768.jpg)
I used Kingsford coals with the minion method and some hickory as the wood. I always think it’s so funny the smoked food looks burnt until you cut into it and get that delicious food. But first I had to put it in the cooler for four hours.
![waiting for the brisket to cool](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-21T155901-011-1024x768.jpg)
and then finally was able to bring it inside:
![ALMOST TIME!](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-21T182458-012-1024x768.jpg)
then FIRST CUT!
Even the lean part was ridiculously moist. The whole thing was practically falling apart.
![more brisket cutting shots!](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-21T182907-015-1024x768.jpg)
Here’s a look at the point where you can see muscle grains going in two different directions:
![a cut from the point](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-21T194255-016-1024x768.jpg)
And here was my dinner that day:
![Brisket dinner](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-22T194222-017-1024x768.jpg)
A week later this is all that was left:
And after searching fo what else I could do with my brisket, I made brisket tacos!
![Brisket tacos!](http://www.ericsbinaryworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Brisket-and-Sauce-2017-05-26T191502-019-1024x768.jpg)
So, what were my lessons learned from my first brisket? Basically, I was a little too focued on getting to 203 when I should have checked for probe tender at 195 and every few degrees after that. I ended up with an overcooked (although moist, not dry) brisket that just fell apart a little too much. Overall, it was good, but I also realized I’m just not that into brisket compared to other BBQ foods. I prefer ribs or chicken. I’ll make brisket again, but only if I’m cooking for a group so I don’t need to eat 10ish lbs of brisket over the course of a couple weeks.