Brisket, by it's very nature, is one of the toughest cuts of meat available at the store and for a long time brisket was considered 'throw away' material. It wasn't until people realized that with a little of their sparing time, they can create a masterful recipe. The trick is not in the cut of the meat, but in the method of preparation. In order to achieve a meat that is even chewable, you must smoke the brisket a certain way.

Begin by selecting the right brisket. I like to pick one that has approximately 1" of fat. The first step is to apply your favorite dry rub.Refrigerate for a couple hours allowing the seasonings to soak into the meat.

Prepare your smoker as you normally would for smoked ribs. Put the brisket on the smoker as far away from heat, fat side up. You will want to use real wood during the smoking process, I prefer oak; as it isn't too strong. Remember, smoking brisket takes quit some time, so you don't want to use an over powerful type of wood, as this wood completely overpowered the taste of the meat. Add wood as necessary. Smoke for approximately 7 hours. Brisket should not be crispy when done smoking. Remove brisket from grill, double wrap in foil, and then refrigerate for several hours.

At this stage, you can choose whether to cook the barbecue brisket now, or freeze it for later. If you decide to cook the barbecue brisket, leave in foil and slow cook in oven for 7 hours on 227 degrees. Now if you decide to freeze the brisket, double wrap in freezer bags and date the bags, place barbecued brisket in the freezer. Prepare smoked barbecue sauce to be served warm over the brisket. Enjoy your great smoked brisket.