Happy Fall - High Heat Brisket

For years, we have smoked beef briskets on our propane smoker "low and slow" - taking about 12 hours to cpomplete the project.   However, I have discovered the high heat method, where the brisket is smoked under a high heat and then cooked until it is fork tender.   
Here's how it works - buy a whole, untrimmed 10-12 pound brisket and trim the fat side to about 1/4 inch thick of fat.  Apply your favorite rub - mine is Rub #9 by Alton Brown....

Rub #9
5 parts brown sugar
3 parts chili powder
1 part garlic powder
1/2 part ground thyme
1/4 part cayenne
1/4 part allspice

I buy my spices in buld from Penzey's and mix up a big batch in a quart size canning jar.   Rub #9 goes great on just about anything.   Rub the brisket all over and liberally salt and pepper it and  refrigerate overnight. The next day, heat up the smoker and put some apple wood chips in a container to soak.   The high heat method uses lots of wood chips, so make sure you've got enough.  Add water to the bowl to act as a sort of "heat sink", and place the brisket on the rack above it - fat side down.   Heat up the smoker to about 325 - 375 F....I open the top vent.   Keep adding chips to make smoke as needed and cook for about 2 hours, until the brisket hits 170 F.  Take the brisket off the fire and wrap it in foil, fat side up.   Continue to cook for another 2 hours or so until the brisket is fork tender.  There's no need for smoke during this part of the cooking - you could finish it off in the oven at 350F if you wanted, or keep it on the smoker at around 325- 375 F.   Let the brisket rest in the foil for 30 minutes before slicing. 

I like so serve my brisket with Woodchick's BBQ sauce.    We had this brisket today with my family - there was acold snap in the air and it smelled like fall today.   It was great to be outside with the wood smoke and drink apple cider and enjoy the beginning of fall.  Tomorrow is the first day of school....can you believe summer is almost over?  I can't!  It was 100 degrees just a couple days ago.