Sweet and Spicy Smoked Brisket
I ordered in some Beef Brisket, nicely trimmed, with just the right amount of fat left for flavor. I took the brisket and headed to the smoker. First I rubbed the brisket down with pepper, garlic, salt, and a blend of Asian Smoked Seasonings. I was going to create an east meets west brisket and finish it off with a sweet tangy Miso Orange Glaze.
After letting the brisket rest with the rub for about an hour, I moved onto the smoker, which I had previously kick-started with charcoal briquettes, hickory chips and the daily newspaper. I had the smoker humming along at a beautiful 225–250 degrees with a light breeze spreading the smoke all around the yard. I mopped the brisket with the sauce I made by combining equal parts of Miso Yaki BBQ Sauce and General Tso’s Sauce. There are numerous recipes for General Tso’s Sauce online or you can purchase a pre-done variation at any local grocery store.
I let the brisket smoke for 10 hours, rotating it every so often and adding between 10-12 briquettes every 30 minutes to keep the heat around 225 degrees. I added some hickory chips to the smoker box to get a little added smoke to the meat. Each time I opened the firebox, a deliciously sweet aroma emanated from the smoker, making my mouth water. I could hardly wait until the brisket was done to take a slice off the side and enjoy some nice bark with a sweet spicy tang.
When it reached a 155 degree internal temperature, I removed the brisket and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing off a few pieces. After all, I didn’t want the Shepherd students to get undercooked or rubbery brisket! The flavor was incredible and the sweetness of the sauce went perfectly with the tang and bite of the hickory smoke. I wrapped the whole brisket in aluminum foil and set it aside in the fridge for the next days lunch. When I arrived at work, I took out the brisket, sliced it ever so thin and layered it in a hotel pan, and gently brought it up to temp in a slow oven. It took less than 10 minutes for the entire brisket to disappear once it hit the serving line and I now know that I’ll have to smoke at least 12 briskets next time to get through a lunch rush. Everyone that ate it commented on how the meat simply melted in your mouth and that the sauce gave it the added kick to finish of the meat.
