What makes a better BRISKET? A direct-flow offset smoker or a reverse flow smoker? Steve Gow from @SmokeTrailsBBQ conducts an experiment to find out, comparing two briskets on the versatile #OklahomaJoes Longhorn Reverse Flow in both reverse-flow setup and direct flow setup. Let’s find out if there’s a difference!
Reverse Flow Smoker Brisket Recipe
Ingredients:
Meat
10-15 lb brisket (Choice grade or higher)
Rub
Quarter cup course black pepper
Quarter cup kosher salt
Tablespoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Wrap liquid
1/3 cup beef tallow
1/3 cup clarified butter/Ghee (or substitute with normal butter):
Technique
Trim brisket
Mix rub ingredients in shaker bottle, add small amount of vegetable oil to help mixture stay consistent
Apply rub to brisket, starting with back and sides, and finishing with fat cap
Configure the Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Reverse Flow in reverse flow setup
Place large water pan directly on the baffle plate closest to the firebox
Place brisket on far-left side of smoker with point facing left (toward the direction the smoke comes from)
Smoke at 250 for 5 hours (Note: Temperatures can be +/- 25 degrees of target temp)
Increase temperatures to 275-300 for around 7 hours or until the brisket probes at least 190-195 everywhere in the brisket
Wrap brisket in butcher paper with beef tallow and clarified butter
Place wrapped brisket in aluminum pan with quarter cup water added, foil top tightly. If aluminum pan is unavailable, wrap brisket with aluminum foil, ensuring liquid cannot leak from bottom.
Place brisket into holding device (holding oven, electric smoker, regular oven etc.) at 150 and hold for 15-20 hours. If using oven, check manual for instructions on how to adjust temperature down to attain 150 degrees – recommend confirming actual oven temps ahead of time with remote-graphing probe thermometer placed in a pan of water in the oven to ensure oven can hold meat at a steady 150 indefinitely.
Remove brisket from wrap, slice against the grain and serve.