Perfect Smoked Brisket and BBQ Burnt Ends

Directions

1. Preheat the smoker to 200 °F. For brisket, we like to use mesquite for smoking.
2. Prepare the brisket: Remove any hard fat from the exterior and all sides of the brisket using a filet or boning knife. Round the edges of the flat (the thinner portion), and remove any silverskin. Bonus pro tip: We love to save all of the fat, add it to a foil pan and smoke it with the brisket to create beef tallow. We use the tallow in the wrapping part of the brisket cook as an additional technique.
3. Apply a thin layer of mustard as a seasoning binder to all sides of the brisket.
4. Season brisket with Moo Moo Magic Brisket Rub & Seasoning by Southbound Barbecue. Rub seasoning into the brisket.
5. Place brisket fat side up in the center of the smoker. Smoke for 8 hours (overnight). After 8 hours, spritz brisket every hour with the apple cider vinegar & water mixture until the 12 hour mark.
6. By 12 hours, your brisket should read 160-170 °F internal in the point (the thicker part of the brisket) and your bark should be set. If it isn't, keep smoking until your brisket has reached  at least 160 °F internal temperature.
7. Remove brisket. Increase smoker temperature to 250 °F.
8. Lay out about 3 ft of butcher paper horizontally and 3 ft vertically to create a cross. Place the brisket in the center of the cross. If you decide to make beef tallow, go ahead and pour about a cup of the gold liquid over the brisket. If you didn't make tallow, no worries! Wrap brisket tightly and thoroughly. Place back on the smoker for an additional 3 hours at 250 °F.
9. Remove brisket when the point reaches 195-200 °F internal temperature.
10. Place wrapped brisket in the cooler for at least 2 hours before slicing. The resting stage is one of the most important parts!
11. Slicing the brisket! Once the brisket has rested, remove butcher paper. To properly slice the brisket and save part of it for Burnt Ends, look closely at the direction of the grain. See where the flat portion of the brisket ends when the grain changes direction? Slice the brisket into two pieces there. Slice the flat into thin strips for serving. Continue to slice the point again the grain if wanting to serve the entire brisket. Enjoy!