Mark Henry’s Never Fail Brisket
This recipe makes creative use of a stove to finish your smoking job. Much easier to prepare several in advance this way. Pull one out, drop in a nice temperature controlled stove for another 14 hours- and presto. This never fails to get rave reviews. (Taken right off the web. I’m saving a copy.. cause I don’t ever want to lose the page it came from.)
Ingredients
- 1 10 pound Beef Brisket (Smoke more than 1 if you want…)
SEASONING MIXTURE:
- 2 tb salt
- 2 1/2 tb sugar
- 3 tb brown sugar
- 2 tb ground cumin
- 2 tb chili powder
- 2 tb coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 tb cayenne pepper
- 2 tb paprika
Instructions
The following is for a 10 pound briskets (1 or more). Adjust time for
different sizes. I buy the meat a day or so before smoking and place it in
the refrigerator. I do not freeze meat before smoking but if you must it
is OK.
1) Smoke, meat side down:
at least 6 hours at 200F using
oak and a little mesquite (I personally use hickory) at the beginning and end of process.
2) Freeze as needed: I take the meat off the smoker with oven mitts in order
not to pierce meat and place on wide tin foil, meat side down, on the
counter. After it cools a little while I wrap each brisket in foil (use
wide foil but it still may take 2 pieces), place in plastic bags (optional)
and put in freezer while still warm.
3) Oven cook as needed: The day before I want to serve I get a brisket out of the freezer, place frozen in a pan or dish, meat side down, unwrap the top of the foil so the top fat side of brisket is exposed. I leave the brisket on the foil with the foil sides sticking up. I cook overnight, 14 hours, at 200F. I use an oven thermometer to adjust the oven (best $5
investment I ever made). Most ovens will not stay at one temperature. Mine gets down to about 180F and the heating element turns on until it gets to about 215F. Just the slightest movement in the dial will result in too
much or too little heat for that long of cooking time. If it is a fatty brisket I pour off the grease several times as it fits my schedule. Oh, just cook 12 hours if you eliminate the freezing.
4) Apply seasoning: Remove meat from oven 30 minutes to 2 hours before cooking time is complete. I cannot tell that timing is too critical. Pour off the grease and using the mitts turn the meat fat side down in pan, meat side up. Quickly as possibly sprinkle a heavy coat of the seasoning on the meat side. I have never measured how much I use. I have never applied too much but have applied too little. Be liberal with the seasoning.
5) Finish cooking: Fold the foil edges over the meat. Remember, the brisket is meat side up now for the first time. Get a fresh piece of foil and place over meat and fold edges over pan. A perfect seal is not necessary. Just be sure the meat is not exposed. Place back in oven and finish cooking for the remaining time.
6) Slice: Place some paper bags on counter to soak up splattered or spilled grease and place cutting board on paper. Using mitts take brisket and place meat side up on board. Using a fork or knife, carefully check meat for tenderness. If it is not obviously tender, rewrap and cook 2 more hours. If it passes the tenderness test and you are ready to slice, turn
meat fat side up. With a long knife or spatula scrape off the excess top fat, which should come off easily, and discard. Turn meat side up again, slice against grain with sharp knife only and serve now if you must.
Prepare for serving later: Place the wrapped meat back in the oven at 200F (hope you did not turn oven off) just long enough to heat the meat throughout. Take the wrapped packages of meat and immediately place in a small insulated chest. You way want to wrap in paper so the heat will not damage the chest and for better insulation. It will keep warm for hours. Take it to your party, give to a friend in need or serve to your own guests and you will be the star. The meat seems to be better after this waiting process.
