Grilled Beef Bbq

Buy the meat a day or so before smoking and place it in the refrigerator. Do not freeze meat before smoking unless necessary.

Pre-Rub (optional): If time permits, apply a pre-rub from overnight to several days ahead of smoking. This step is optional as it does not significantly change the final taste.

Prepare the seasoning mixture: Mix salt, sugar, brown sugar, ground cumin, chili powder, coarsely ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika in a zip-top plastic bag. Expel extra air and shake well to ensure the brown sugar mixes thoroughly with the other ingredients to prevent clumping.

Smoke: Smoke the brisket, meat side down, at 200°F (93°C) for at least 6 hours. Use oak and a little mesquite at the beginning and end of the process. Be careful not to let the wood smolder and get a bitter taste. Charcoal and wood chips refreshed at least once an hour work well. Any grill or smoker with a lid and enough room to offset heat from the meat will suffice.

Freeze as needed: Take the meat off the smoker with oven mitts to avoid piercing the meat. Place on wide tin foil, meat side down, on the counter. After it cools a little, wrap each brisket in foil (using wide foil, possibly two pieces), place in plastic bags (optional), and put in the freezer while still warm.

Oven cook as needed: The day before serving, take a brisket out of the freezer. Place it frozen in a pan or dish, meat side down. Unwrap the top of the foil so the top fat side of the brisket is exposed. Leave the brisket on the foil with the foil sides sticking up.

Cook overnight for 14 hours at 200°F (93°C). Use an oven thermometer to monitor the temperature, as most ovens fluctuate. The great aroma while cooking is a bonus; if you don't smell a light BBQ scent, you may not have smoked enough, but the meat will still be good.

Apply seasoning: Remove meat from the oven 30 minutes to 2 hours before finishing cooking. Fold the foil edges over the meat. Note that the brisket is now meat side up. Get a fresh piece of foil, place it over the meat, and fold the edges over the pan. A perfect seal is not necessary, just ensure the meat is not exposed. Place back in the oven and finish cooking for the remaining time.

Check for doneness: Using a fork or knife, carefully check the meat for tenderness. If it is not obviously tender, rewrap and cook for 2 more hours.

Slice: Place paper bags on the counter to soak up grease and place a cutting board on top. Using mitts, take the brisket and place it meat side up on the board. If ready to slice, turn the meat fat side up and scrape off the excess top fat, which should come off easily, and discard. Turn the meat side up again and slice against the grain with a sharp knife.

Prepare for serving later (optional): For a very appealing dish, use an electric fillet knife to uniformly slice the meat against the grain, being careful not to disturb the shape of the brisket. Take half the brisket and slide it off the board onto a fresh piece of foil and wrap the meat (may take two pieces of foil). Do the same with the other half. Place the wrapped meat back in the oven at 200°F (93°C) just long enough to heat the meat throughout. Take the wrapped packages and immediately place them in a small insulated chest, wrapping in paper if needed to protect the chest and improve insulation. This keeps the meat warm for hours and is ideal for parties or gifts.