Grill-Smoked Barbecue Brisket

1. To prepare brisket: Combine mustard, chile powder, cumin, oregano, 2 teaspoons granulated garlic, ginger, cayenne and salt in a small bowl. Trim all but 1/2-inch layer of fat from brisket. Place the brisket on a baking sheet and sprinkle all over with the spice mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. When ready to cook, place wood chips in a medium bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. If using a gas grill, loosely wrap all the soaked wood chips in foil with an opening at the top, and place them beneath the grill grates directly over the heat source before preheating.

3. Preheat half the grill on medium (or build a medium-heat fire on one side of a charcoal grill) and leave the other half unheated; preheat to 250°F. Combine apple juice and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a spray bottle. If using charcoal, drain the wood chips and add 1 cup to the charcoal.

4. Place the brisket, fat-side up, on the grates over indirect heat for 2 hours, spraying with the juice mixture every 30 minutes to moisten. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup wood chips to the charcoal to keep the smoke going.

5. Preheat oven to 250°F.

6. Wrap the brisket in foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until a fork meets no resistance when inserted and the internal temperature registers 195°F, 6 to 7 hours.

7. Remove the brisket from the oven and unwrap foil. Turn broiler to high. Broil the brisket, fat-side up, until the top is crisp, about 5 minutes. (Watch carefully so it does not burn.) Let rest on the baking sheet, covered with foil, for 45 minutes to 1 hour before carving.

8. Meanwhile, prepare sauce: Combine ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, granulated garlic, Worcestershire, salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes.

9. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Thinly slice against the grain. Serve with the sauce.

Tips

Derived from the cow's pectoral muscle, brisket is a large cut of meat, weighing up to 20 pounds. But most supermarkets sell it in smaller pieces. You'll often find it portioned in one of two ways: the fattier point-cut stays moist during the smoking process.

Many grocery stores carry wood chips for smoking, but try a hardware store for a bigger assortment. They're simply small, dried pieces of wood. Chips from fruit trees, like cherry, apple and pear, impart a mild smoky flavor ideal for delicate fish and chicken, while hickory, maple, oak and pecan have a stronger flavor best suited for more fatty cuts of meat.

To make this recipe kosher, substitute tamari or soy sauce for the Worcestershire sauce.

To make ahead

Refrigerate sauce (Step 8) for up to 1 week.

Equipment

Spray bottle