Smoking Hot Summer

It’s summertime in San Diego, and many BBQs and gatherings are happening. It’s time to ditch the healthy diet for a day and treat yourself to some great smoked meats. Smoking meat has grown more popular in the last four years than any other cooking style. Like our BBQ, smokers are fast becoming a backyard staple in many households, and it’s estimated almost 2/3 of the U.S. population own a grill and/or smoker!

I spoke to Pit Boss Chris Campos of Chris & Monica’s Lil’ Brisket Shack out of Chula Vista for tips on how to impress your friends this summer with your Smoking skills. Chris’ family hails from Texas, so he’s got Smoking in his blood, and he spent his youth watching family members perfect their techniques at many family gatherings.

Here are some tips if you are a beginner or can’t seem to master your first extraordinary smoked meat like a brisket.

The Novice Smoker

Smoking Meats Biggest Mistakes: People think you need to see plumes of smoke when you cook, but this is a big no-no! That’s called “Dirty Smoke,” Your food won’t taste smoked but bitter… like you’re chewing on ashes. The cause is that you’re letting the wood smolder instead of burn. So you’re producing smoke, but need a clean fire to have a clean taste.

TO MARINATE OR DRY RUB? THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Surprise, it doesn’t matter. The seasonings should be complimentary to what you’re smoking. You can find 100s of recipes on ways to marinate or use a dry rub, but it truly comes down to taste preference. Pick one rub or marinade recipe you feel confident about using and just try it, but the caveat is to start simple when you first start smoking. You don’t need a 15-ingredient dry rub for a great result.

Simple Perfection

Here’s a beginner’s recipe that I (ok, my husband tried) at our first go around with smoking Brisket. It was easy, and everyone loved it!

1. Use a whole Brisket in the 10-12lb range. Anything Smaller and it can dry out quickly. If the meat is bigger, you’ll lose patience as it will take a long time to cook. A 10-12 lb. brisket is the sweet spot.

2. Keep it simple with just Seasoning. We used kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and garlic powder.

3. Type of wood – Hickory and Pecan are excellent choices, or if you’re looking for that authentic Texas taste, use Post Oak. Post Oak can be hard to find locally, but I did find some on Amazon.

4. How long do you smoke? Bring your smoker to 225 degrees cooking temperature. It takes about 10-12 hours. However, it’s more important to cook to temperature and NOT time. Use a good meat thermometer because you are cooking to an internal temperature and want an accurate reading. This is key to not over or under-cook the Brisket.

5. Let the meat rest!! The minimum time is 45 minutes but resting for 2-3 hours makes a better end product. With such a big chunk of meat, it settles down, and the texture gets better.

6. Carving – You can ruin a brisket if you slice it from the wrong direction. Always slice against the grain, and the tricky part is that the grain runs in two different directions on a brisket. There are some great YouTube videos on how to slice meat.

7. If you follow a vegetarian diet, no problem, as many types of food are smoked today. Vegetables are becoming one of the fastest-growing smoked food items. Smoked salmon…excellent! And don’t be surprised to find smoke flavors infused in fruit, yogurt, desserts, and even alcoholic beverages, complete with smoke plumes. Now that’s a presentation to behold!

8. You’re ready to serve! Don’t forget the delicious and vitamin-packed side dishes of salad, roasted veggies, and fresh fruit. As you can see, you don’t have to be an expert to pull off your first smoked meat extravaganza this summer; just a little patience and time. Here’s to great family and friends time this summer!

Chris & Monica’s Lil’ Brisket Shack: Texas Style Whole Smoked Brisket to order! Enjoy this delicious Texas favorite without all the hassle. To order call (619)952-3292 or find them on FB: https://www. facebook.com/chrisandmonicaslilbrisketshack