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When you have the urge to cook a great brisket the Costco Smoked Meat Brisket will be a great choice. You will find that you can choose a brisket that will cook perfectly.
You’ll find a large variety of sizes to suite your needs.
A perfectly cooked brisket will be an awesome addition to your dinner for your family or friends. You can feed a pretty large group of people when you choose to smoke a brisket for a gathering.
How To Cook A Costco Smoked Brisket
After you have selected the brisket of your choice, you will want to decide how you choose to prepare it.
You may choose to age your brisket before smoking it. With wet aging, you will want to make sure that the brisket is vacuum sealed and that there are no air bubbles in the packaging.
You will want to store it in a very cool fridge at least 32 degrees.
You will want to make sure that the fridge stays closed as much as possible. Having a second fridge for the aging is a huge benefit, since it won’t have to be opened so much.
You can let the brisket set for 30 to 45 days in the fridge. You might also marinate your brisket overnight if that’s your cooking style. You can use the marinade of your choice and taste to marinate.
You can cook your brisket on a smoker using a quality hardwood such as hickory. Keeping your heat low is the key to smoking a tender and tasty brisket.
You’ll want to cook it slowly also. It can take up to 8 hours to smoke a brisket that is juicy and tender. You can check your brisket after a few hours for tenderness.
You don’t want to over cook it as it will dry out. Your internal temperature should be around 190 to 195 degrees and you can check it with a meat thermometer to ensure it’s well cooked.
Best Seasoning To Use
There are many flavors of brisket rubs on the market and choosing the one that is right for you is going to be a matter of taste. You can also make your own rub using the seasonings you have at home.
Black pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, olive oil and mustard can also be used in creating your own rub. The mustard and or the oil will allow the meat to absorb the rubs flavors better.
You might also choose to put the rub on your brisket and let it set in your fridge the day before you decide to cook it.
During the cooking process, you can also spritz your brisket with water, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar or apple juice to help keep it moist and juicy.
You will want to make sure your water bowl in your smoker always has water, as well, as this will ensure a juicy tender brisket also.
Wrapping Or No Wrapping
When you opt to wrap your brisket, you are helping to keep the juices in as well as helping to keep the heat in. The wrapping will keep the moisture in your meat and allow the heat to rise faster in the meat. Using a heavy duty foil will provide you with better results than if you choose a thinner, cheaper brand.
Without a wrapping, it can take up to 15% longer to cook your brisket. When you cook your brisket with no wrapping, the flat of the brisket can dry out during the cooking process. Dry brisket can be tough and hard to eat. When your brisket isn’t wrapped, it causes an evaporation of the juices which leads to a dry brisket. Experts feel that cooking your brisket wrapped provides the best results.
Pulling It Off When It Probes Tender
A brisket is ready to be pulled when it is fork tender. When you can slide a fork in and out easily, it is done. About the same as cutting butter with a knife. A smoked brisket will continue to cook internally even after you have removed it from the heat. Removing the brisket when the temperature internally is about 195 degrees will be best.
Leaving it longer can cause your meat to dry out, since it will still be cooking even after it is removed from the smoker. Keep a good eye on your smoker and your meat. Make sure both are the correct temperature for creating the texture and flavors that you desire. Juicy and tender are the best ways to eat a brisket.
Letting It Rest
Once you’ve taken your brisket off of the smoker, you will want to let it rest. Resting will help to hold in the juices while the meat is cooling down. A resting period of at least a couple of hours is good, but you can let it rest longer if you want too.
When you’ve taken it from the smoker, simply place it on the counter. You can leave it wrapped if you choose or you can simply have a tent of foil covering the brisket. Don’t slice your brisket until after the resting process, doing so will cause moisture loss and you may be left with a brisket that is dry.
Serving The Smoked Brisket
Once the brisket has rested and you have sliced it, you are ready to serve it. You can choose any side items to go with your brisket, such as baked beans, potato salad, green salad, veggies or whatever you choose.
I don’t think there is any side that won’t go well with brisket. You may also choose to use some of your brisket for brisket sandwiches as well.
Other Considerations
When you’re preparing to cook a brisket, decide if you are going to smoke it or place it in the oven. Select your seasonings or rubs according to your taste. If you have left over brisket, you can store it in your fridge or you can put it in the freezer for a later date.
Using freezer safe zip lock bags will be a great way to store your brisket in the freezer. If you keep it in the fridge, you’ll want to make sure you eat it within a few days. When you get ready to serve it again, you can place it in your oven wrapped in foil at a temperature of about 250 degrees just until it’s hot. You don’t want to leave it any longer than necessary as it will dry out.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.