The King of BBQ

If there is a single dish that defines American barbecue, it is the smoked beef brisket. Born in the meat markets of Central Texas, where German and Czech immigrants married Old World butchering traditions with slow-smoking techniques, brisket has become the ultimate test of a pitmaster's skill and patience. A well-smoked brisket -- with its dark, peppery bark, rosy smoke ring, and meltingly tender interior that pulls apart with the gentlest tug -- is a transcendent eating experience.

This recipe follows the purist Central Texas approach: a simple rub of coarse black pepper and kosher salt (the legendary "Dalmatian rub"), post oak smoke, and time. No injection, no wrapping in foil (though we include the optional Texas Crutch for those who prefer it), no fancy sauces. Just beef, smoke, salt, and pepper. The technique demands attention -- you will need to manage fire, monitor temperature, and make judgment calls about when the meat is ready -- but the reward is unlike anything else in outdoor cooking.

Choose a USDA Choice or Prime whole packer brisket weighing 12-16 pounds. The packer includes both the flat (leaner, more uniform) and the point (fattier, more marbled). Do not trim too aggressively; a quarter-inch fat cap protects the flat during the long cook. And start early -- a 14-hour cook plus resting time means you should fire up your smoker before dawn for a dinner-time meal.