Brisket: The best Father’s Day gift for your Jewish papa

The third Sunday in June is perfect grilling weather, and aromas of backyard barbecues waft over fences and through open windows as we celebrate Dad’s special day. But what will be cooking at your house?

You’ve barbecued chicken on a beer can. You’ve grilled burgers, veggies, fish, even tofu. Now, just when you thought you’ve grilled it all, in time for Father’s Day along comes the hottest trend in outdoor ‘cue: smoking!

“Wood smoke contains hundreds of flavour-enhancing compounds,” says Steven Raichlen, author of Project Smoke. “I call wood smoke the umami of barbecue. Like umami in Asian foods, it accentuates the intrinsic flavour of meat and gives it more character, but when done right, it doesn’t really camouflage its taste.”

When it comes to grilling, no one tops Raichlen, author of a veritable library of award-winning cookbooks, including The Barbecue! Bible, How to Grill and Planet Barbecue, and host of multiple PBS series. And now with Project Smoke, even a novice can learn how to smoke meats, poultry, vegetables and, believe it or not, desserts. Raichlen also provides instruction on how to choose your smoker and smoking method, how to choose your fuel and light your fire.

For the beginner, advises Raichlen, “you want a smoker that’s affordable and easy to operate and that doesn’t take up a lot of space. Good bets include a kettle-style charcoal grill or other grill with a tall lid, a water smoker, a ceramic cooker and an upright barrel smoker.”

And don’t be daunted by the dizzying variety of woods available for smoking. “The wood variety matters less than how you burn it,” Raichlen said. “The flavour of the smoke varies from wood to wood, but it varies subtly, and it’s certainly not literal. That is, cherry wood smoke doesn’t really taste like cherries, nor does maple taste like maple syrup.

“What’s more important is dosing the wood and smoke gradually. Soak wood chips in water, then drain, to slow the rate of combustion. I add fresh chips every 30 to 45 minutes and wood chunks once an hour. When you do it right, you get a pale blue smoke, which kisses and flavours the food without overpowering it.”

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One of the pitfalls to avoid is what he calls the “guy syndrome,” namely, thinking that if some smoke is good, more is always better. “Too much smoke makes food taste bitter. Another is trying to smoke on a gas grill,” he said. “You can get a mild smoke flavour on a gas grill, but for a deep, authentic smoke flavour, you must use a charcoal-burning or wood-burning grill.”

And what’s on the menu for Father’s Day? How about brisket! “If there’s one dish that epitomizes barbecue, that every aspiring smoke master hopes to perfect, it’s brisket,” he writes. “And if there’s one dish that intimidates, it’s brisket. The challenge is the tough connective tissue, not to mention a muscle structure in a whole brisket that has the grain going in two separate directions.” Buy a brisket with a generous layer of fat on top, he advises.


Slam dunk brisket

o 1 first-cut (flat) brisket (6 to 8 lb.)

o 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (optional)

o 1/4 cup dill pickle juice (optional)
coarse salt and cracked black pepper corns

o beer (optional)

o favourite barbecue sauce for
serving (optional)

Trim brisket, leaving fat cap on top at least 1/4-in. thick. Place brisket on the rimmed baking sheet. If using mustard and pickle juice, mix them together in small bowl, then brush on both sides of brisket. Very generously season all over, including ends, with salt and pepper.

Set up a smoker following manufacturers instructions. Preheat to 225 to 250. If the smoker has a water pan, fill with water or beer to 3 in. If it doesn’t have a water pan, fill an aluminum foil pan with water or beer to 3 in.; place it below rack on which you’ll be smoking brisket. (Note: you don’t need to do this on a ceramic cooker.) Add wood as specified by manufacturer.

Place brisket fat side up in smoker. Cook until outside is darkly browned and internal temperature registers 175 on instant-read thermometer, 8 to 10 hours. (Don’t panic if temperature seems to stall around 165: this is normal.)

Replenish charcoal and wood as needed.

Remove brisket from smoker and tightly wrapped it in butcher paper.

Return it to smoker. Continue cooking until internal temperature is 200 and meat is tender enough to pierce with a gloved finger or wooden spoon handle, an additional 1 to 2 hours, or as needed. (Unwrap brisket to check it.)

Transfer wrapped brisket to insulated cooler; let rest 1 to 2 hours. Unwrap brisket and transfer to cutting board. Pour any juices that accumulated in butcher paper into a bowl.

To serve, trim off any large lumps of fat and slice brisket across grain 1/4 in. thick (or as desired). Spoon juices over slices. Barbecue sauce? Not necessary, but serve on the side if you want it.