Most barbecue in Texas revolves around beef, and more specifically, brisket. When you select your brisket, choose only "packer trimmed" briskets in the ten to twelve pound category. The smaller briskets don't have enough fat to tenderize them, and the larger ones could have come off of a tough old range bull that no amount of cooking will ever tenderize. Avoid closely trimmed or "value packed" brisket pieces. The fat that was cut off to make 'em pretty is the very stuff that would have made them tender! All briskets have a fat cover on one side. Ignore this! Squeeze the thick end with both thumbs. When you've found the brisket with the smallest fat kernel, that's the one for you.

Take it home and build your fire. While your fire is getting going--I build mine out of a mixture of mesquite and oak--rub your brisket with a dry "rub." (first four ingredients mixed) Make sure that the meat is thoroughly coated. This helps seal the meat, and adds a flavorful crust. Thoroughly coat all surfaces of the brisket with lemon juice, and rub in well. Sprinkle dry rub generously all over the brisket, rubbing in well. Make sure that the brisket is entirely covered.

When the wood has burned down, move the coals to one side of the smoker, place the meat away from the direct heat, fat side up (let gravity and nature do the basting), and close the smoker. Some people add a pan of water near the coals to provide added moisture, but I don't. Now, don't touch the meat for 12 hours. Just drink a few beers, cook a pot of beans, and tend your fire.

You'd like to hold the cooking temperature around 210F in the brisket cooking area. Since "helpers" usually show up at the first whiff of smoke, you probably ought to put some of your leftover rub on a couple of racks of pork ribs and toss them on the smoker, in the hotter end, and baste and turn 'em for four and five hours, just to keep the animals at bay. Meanwhile, see Red's Prize Winnin' Pintos recipe in the 'side orders' section of this FAQ to keep you busy.

Back at the smoker, after the twelve hours are completed, generously slather the brisket with a basting sauce (not a barbecue sauce), wrap it tightly in aluminum foil, and return to the smoker. (See Red's Basting Sauce recipe below). Close off all of the air supplies to the fire, and allow the meat to sit in the pit for three or four hours. This really tenderizes the meat.

Serve your brisket with beans, coleslaw, Jalapenos, onions, pickles, and plenty of bread. Cold beer or iced tea are the traditional beverages of choice.

You'll find that a ten-pound brisket will yield about 8-16 servings, depending on the individual brisket, and the size of the appetites of the guests.

Mop directions:Melt the butter, add the onions and garlic, and saut for 4 to 5 minutes to soften. Add the beer, squeeze in the lemon juice, and add the lemon rinds to the pot. When the foam subsides, add all of the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a medium low and simmer for 20 minutes. Keep baste warm, adding beer and oil as needed.

By the way, you'll notice that there are no tomatoes, ketchup, or sugar in this recipe. All of those things caramelize and burn quickly, giving the meat a black color and nasty taste.

Grove comments: First made 12/24/06. We applied the dry rub the night before and wrapped the brisket in plastic. We only used a 3 lb brisket tip and I estimated a proportional amount of the ingredients for the rub. It was excellent with a nice smoke ring. Definitely let it sit, wrapped in foil in a cooler. We could take or leave the mop at the end. It would have been just as good without it but it didn't take away from it either.