This Southern Beef Brisket is about as close as you can come to classic mouthwatering Texas brisket without actually going to Texas. For this brisket (and many other types of meat), I like to use my favorite coffee spice rub recipe.
Around the holidays, my family eats more beef than we do any other time of year. The rich sumptuous characteristics of beef make celebrations feel even more special! Beef brisket makes a wonderful cut for holiday gatherings of any size. The leftovers, if there are any, are always sought-after the next day to make sandwiches with leftover rolls.
If you’re new to brisket—It comes from the lower chest area of the cow. It’s a tougher cut of meat because it comes from the area where there is a lot of muscle and tendons. Because it’s tougher, it’s best cooked at low temperatures for a long period of time—perfect for a smoker!
Rub
2T fine ground premium dark coffee
1t cayenne pepper
2t smoked paprika
1 T garlic powder
3 T brown sugar
Mix the rub together and set aside until meat is prepped.
Start prepping by trimming the brisket...unless you’re a true Texan and that’s against your raisin’. Heavily salt both sides of the meat (I prefer kosher to sea salt as it’s not quite so stout). This is what gives the brisket a good smoke ring.
After salt, add your rub. You want to press, rather than “rub” in the seasonings as to not disturb the salt layer. Get it in the smoker!
I generally plan on about 45 minutes per pound at 225°F degrees (if you need to abbreviate time, you can increase it up to 275°F), but you want the meat to reach 165°F internally. Then you will wrap meat in butcher paper (foil will work if you can’t get your hands on butcher paper), and continue cooking until the meat has reached 202°F at the thickest part. Once the meat has reached its appropriate temperature, remove it from the heat and let rest at least for half an hour. This allows juices to redistribute.
Always cut against the grain. Serve it up!!