Kansas City Barbecued Brisket
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 21, 2013
Time
7 to 7½ hours, plus 6 hours marinating
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons paprika 1 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon pepper 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 (5- to 6-pound) beef brisket, flat cut, fat trimmed to ¼ inch2 cups wood chips 1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan 1 cup ketchup 1 cup water 3 tablespoons molasses 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Before You Begin
To use wood chunks when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, for the wood chip packet.
Instructions
- Combine paprika, sugar, chili powder, pepper, salt, granulated garlic, and onion powder in small bowl. Cut ½-inch crosshatch pattern through brisket fat cap, ¼ inch deep. Rub brisket with spice mixture. Wrap brisket in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 or up to 24 hours. Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Place wood chip packet over primary burner. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burners.
- Pat brisket dry with paper towels and transfer to disposable pan. Set pan with brisket on cooler side of grill and cook, covered, with lid vent positioned above brisket, for 2 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Whisk ketchup, water, molasses, and hot sauce together in bowl and pour over brisket. Cover pan tightly with foil and transfer to oven. Cook until brisket registers 195 degrees, 2½ to 3 hours. Turn off heat and let brisket rest in oven for 1 hour.
- Transfer brisket to carving board. Skim fat from sauce. Slice brisket against grain into ¼-inch-thick slices. Serve with sauce.
Time
7 to 7½ hours, plus 6 hours marinatingYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons paprika
1 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 (5- to 6-pound) beef brisket, flat cut, fat trimmed to ¼ inch
2 cups wood chips
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons paprika
1 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 (5- to 6-pound) beef brisket, flat cut, fat trimmed to ¼ inch
2 cups wood chips
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons paprika
1 ½ tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 (5- to 6-pound) beef brisket, flat cut, fat trimmed to ¼ inch
2 cups wood chips
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Scoring the fat cap on the brisket helps it render and lets the potent spice rub penetrate the meat. (We like to rub it the day before for deep seasoning.) We put the brisket on the cooler side of the grill for gentle cooking, having set it in a disposable aluminum pan to catch the flavorful juices. After a couple of hours of smoke on the grill, we add our homemade barbecue sauce to the pan, cover it, and move it to the oven, where the steamy environment fully tenderizes the meat. Finally, we let the brisket rest in the turned-off oven so that it can reabsorb some of the juices that it has lost, ensuring moist, tender meat.
Before You Begin
To use wood chunks when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, for the wood chip packet.
Instructions
- Combine paprika, sugar, chili powder, pepper, salt, granulated garlic, and onion powder in small bowl. Cut ½-inch crosshatch pattern through brisket fat cap, ¼ inch deep. Rub brisket with spice mixture. Wrap brisket in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 or up to 24 hours. Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Place wood chip packet over primary burner. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burners.
- Pat brisket dry with paper towels and transfer to disposable pan. Set pan with brisket on cooler side of grill and cook, covered, with lid vent positioned above brisket, for 2 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Whisk ketchup, water, molasses, and hot sauce together in bowl and pour over brisket. Cover pan tightly with foil and transfer to oven. Cook until brisket registers 195 degrees, 2½ to 3 hours. Turn off heat and let brisket rest in oven for 1 hour.
- Transfer brisket to carving board. Skim fat from sauce. Slice brisket against grain into ¼-inch-thick slices. Serve with sauce.
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