Mesquite Smoked Brisket on a Gas Grill

Yes folks, it can be done. You can smoke meat on a gas grill. No charcoal or special grill needed.

It does take some patience and plenty of practice.

For my first time, it came out "good", I am not going to say "great" because I am very critical. I think I added too much mesquite and I cooked it a bit too long, but it still had a great smokey flavor and a sweet BBQ taste. We all liked it very much, especially the next day on toasted bread with horseradish and mustard.

I followed this recipe to a T, but since my brisket was only 4 lbs, not the typical 10 lb. slab that the pros usually cook, I had to adjust my time and temperature so I had to guess, but the next time I would cook it less amount of time.



Mesquite Smoked Brisket: (adapted from this recipe)

1 beef brisket (10+ pounds), with a layer of fat at least 1/4 inch thick, preferably 1/2 inch thick
2 tablespoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

I am printing the original recipe, since it is worth trying. I used a 4 lb. brisket and that makes a lot, but I would buy a big 10 pounder if your butcher will get you one, and follow the directions. All the comments say they loved this method and they would only cook a brisket this way.

Remember, a brisket is a big slab from the lower chest of the animal. It is very lean and needs a lot of time to cook it, since it gets the most workout on the cow. DO NOT BUY A CORNED BEEF BRISKET, this is a different cut of meat and has been cured with flavorings and spices.

Line an aluminum pan with heavy duty foil.

Make the spice rub and rub it on both sides of the meat, patting it down with your hands.
Let the meat cure a bit with the rub for at least 4 hours, best overnight.

Lay the meat in the pan FAT SIDE UP.



You are only going to use one side of the grill, while keeping the other side completely turned off. You want to maintain a temperature of 250F at all times.

Soak the mesquite chips (don't use as much as I did in the photo) in water for 30 minutes and drain out the water. Set an aluminum pan of wet mesquite chips on the hot burner on the grill.



Place the brisket on the off burner side and close the lid. DO NOT OPEN THE GRILL FOR 2 HOURS, try and resist!



After 2 hours, check the meat and baste with some of the juices. I turned my wood chips at this time. The smell on the patio was so nice!

Keep basting the meat every 45 minutes. After 6 hours total, the meat should be done.

It is important to rest the meat for 1 hour covered with foil.
So basically, you have to start this project at 10 a.m. if you want to serve your guests dinner by 5 pm on a Sunday, which is what we did.

After the rest period, you are ready to slice your meat. Slice across the grain and serve with a nice BBQ sauce.



This makes a great Sunday summer dinner for friends and the best leftovers the next day.

A little bit of effort required, but it paid off!

Enjoy!

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