Slavo's Summer Brisket

Start the summer off right with this crowd-pleaser recipe for the most tender and juicy brisket ever.

Ingredients:

Whole brisket - fat on weight can vary 7-20lbs

Original Slavo Salt

Apple Juice

Apple Cider Vinegar

Worcestershire Sauce

Preparation:

  • Start with one whole brisket. Use Choice grade instead of Select (Standard) so that the meat gets tender without being flaky and dry. 
  • Trim the fat cap to ¼” thick. Then, score the fat in 3/8” squares, like a waffle. This allows the rub, heat, and smoke to penetrate into the meat. Using Original All-Purpose Slavo Salt generously massage thoroughly all over the brisket. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight. Return the brisket to room temperature before you begin to cook it.
  • Cook the brisket on your smoker at 185°, fat side up, for 5 hours. Spritz with an apple juice /Worcestershire/vinegar mix every hour or so. After five hours, turn it over and cook for 2 more hours. After that, turn it back over to fat side up and cook until the brisket’s internal temperature (check with a meat thermometer!) reaches 165°, usually about another 4 hours. Next, remove the brisket from the grill. Now, mix about ½ cup of apple juice, ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar plus 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Wrap the brisket completely in aluminum foil and drizzle the apple juice mix inside the foil onto the meat.
  • Turn the grill up to 225°. Cook until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 198-201° (2-6 hours). Lay newspaper or paper towels in a cooler and lay the meat, still wrapped up in the aluminum foil, on the paper. Close the cooler and let the meat rest for about an hour and a half.
  • Drain the juices and cut the meat in 1/8” slices across the grain. You will be able to cut this with a plastic fork. You may also wish to cool the drained juices in the refrigerator, skim the fat from the surface of the liquid, and then reheat for an au jus dip.

Enjoy the summer, amigos!!