Smoked brisket

Once this brisket, which you smoke and cook in your kettle braai, has rested sufficiently, you’ll find it’s one of the tastiest meat cuts you’ve ever tasted. But be warned: you will have to practise this braai method – it’s not something you’d serve guests on your first attempt. It’s important to become acquainted with the meat and your equipment first. (See “Kettle braai: cooker and smoker” opposite.)

Also note that you’ll need to invite many guests to make the most of the meat. It’s sometimes jazzed up with a sweet spice mix, but I prefer using only salt and pepper, as the smoked meat has a distinctive, indescribable flavour.

Serves 12–15

Preparation time 10 minutes plus resting time

Cooking time 8–10 hours plus resting time

YOU NEED

• 3,5 kg–4,5 kg whole brisket, filleted

• ¼ cup (60 ml) salt

• ¼ cup (60 ml) freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE BRAAI SAUCE

• 1 cup (250 ml) tomato sauce

• ¼ cup (60 ml) chilli sauce

• ¼ cup (60 ml) dark brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Worcester sauce

• ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried chilli flakes

THIS IS HOW

Cut off all the hard pieces of fat on the brisket, but retain at least 5 mm of fat on the topside. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the meat, thoroughly rub it in, then place the meat in the fridge for 1–2 days – or even longer if you have time, because this does wonders for the texture and juiciness.

Remove the brisket from the fridge 1 hour before you want to cook it so that it reaches room temperature.

Prepare your kettle braai for the indirect cooking method. Arrange 20–30 unlit briquettes in pairs so that they snake around one side of the kettle braai.

Place a dish on the bottom grill of the kettle braai and pour in water until the dish is almost full. The brisket will be placed on the top grill above the dish of water. The dish fulfils a dual purpose: it catches the fat and moisture that drips off the meat (making cleaning the kettle braai afterwards much easier); and it maintains a moist environment so that the brisket doesn’t dry out too much.

Place about 10 lit briquettes on one side of the “snake” so that several of them come into contact with the unlit briquettes. All the briquettes will burn slowly but surely, creating even heat. Place your choice of wood (a small log or shavings) partly over the lit briquettes and partly over the unlit briquettes.

Place the brisket, fat side down, opposite the briquettes for indirect cooking. The thickest part of the meat should face the briquettes. (A dual thermometer, which you can leave in the meat and the kettle braai, would be very useful here.)

Cover the kettle braai and smoke the brisket for about 4 hours at 110°C–120°C. Try to keep the temperature constant.

Meanwhile, make the braai sauce (this recipe makes about 1½ cups) Place all the ingredients in a pan and simmer for several minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the acid and salt to your taste.

Once the brisket has reached an internal temperature of 60°C after about 4 hours, remove it from the kettle braai and wrap it, first in damp baking paper and then in foil.