By purchasing fresh meat on the market or directly from the producer, we are already mentally starting to think what to cook from it. And if you got a brisket, then it's just great. Today we learn a few different instructions on how to smoke a brisket in a smokehouse. We will study the moments associated with the preparation of meat so that the delicacy is a success.
What is the harmlessness of the delicacy
Home-made smoked meats are popular because they are safe for health, and their aroma is much brighter, and the taste is more pronounced. In general, few will be able to voluntarily deny themselves a tasting of pork belly. It can be used by adults and children, but it is better to do it in moderation.
Before you smoke the brisket at home, it does not need to be soaked in liquid smoke. Everything is natural here: brisket and smoke.
Smokehouse can be purchased at the store. But if there is interest, then the unit can be created at home without unnecessary difficulties.
Meat selection
Recipes for the preparation of this delicacy are different in composition of the pickling liquid. But an equally important step before you smoke a hot smoked brisket in a smokehouse is the right choice of the main product.
The most preferred cut is meat with a little fat. The piece itself can be on the bone or without it. Its presence does not play a special role. We leave skin on meat. It saves from the fact that at the output the product does not become dry and hard. Always remember that the most delicious delicacy will come from a young, moderately well-fed pig.
So, before you smoke the brisket at home, we get pork that has the following qualities:
- The pulp is evenly interlaced with fat strips. The color is pink, natural.
- The piece has no stains, plaque and stains.
- The fat component of the brisket is no more than 2-2.2 centimeters. Fat should not flake.
- When pressed, muscle tissue returns well to its original form. The meat is dense and elastic. With a uniform fiber structure.
Marinade matters
Before you smoke the brisket at home, you need to prepare it, or rather, properly and tasty marinate it. Each fan of homemade smoked delicacies has his own, proven over the years recipe for brine for meat. If you don’t yet have a favorite from these instructions, it will probably appear now. We present for your review several different, but equally tasty brines for the preliminary preparation of the meat product. After marinating, we will proceed to the point on how to soak pork belly.
The marinade is based on water and salt. Additional components are added in accordance with one way or another.
With spices and spices
For 3 liters of water, take 200 g of salt. Salt should not contain iodine. Take a special - pickling.
Boil the water and dissolve all the salt in it. You can add sugar to your personal taste. Then we introduce spices and spices. It is good to add peas of pepper (allspice or bitter) - 5-8 pieces. Bay leaf - 2 large specimens. Garlic - chop 5-7 slices and introduce at the end of the brine preparation. Send to a cold place for three days. Before staining the brisket, it must be removed from the brine and suspended in a cool room for withering and spontaneous removal of excess brine. The procedure takes 2-4 hours.
In a smokehouse we kindle a suitable chip and, hanging a piece, we cook it for 60-70 minutes. Hot smoked temperature - 40-90 degrees.
With soy sauce
This sauce gives any meat softness and juiciness. And here is how to soak the brisket in our case. Ingredients:
- fresh brisket - half a kilogram;
- salting salt - 2 teaspoons;
- garlic - 4-5 cloves;
- a mixture of peppers to taste;
- soy sauce - so that the meat product is well surrounded by it.
How to cook
We use a durable bag for pickling meat. Rub the washed piece with salt and a mixture of peppers. Peel the garlic through a press and rub it with a piece. Now pour the sauce into the bag. Its exact amount will depend on the mass of fresh brisket. In the process of pickling, you can add the sauce additionally. The time spent in the refrigerator for meat is two days.
Next, we proceed to drying: the brisket prepared in this way is wrapped with twine. After four hours of airing in the shade, we smoke for two hours.
With tomato paste
Place the breast in an enamel container. Next, we need the following ingredients:
- vinegar (6%) - one hundred milliliters;
- thick tomato paste - 1 cup;
- sugar - 100 g;
- salt, paprika and garlic to taste.
Before you smoke the brisket, it must be generously salted and grated with garlic. Sprinkle with paprika and distribute the spices evenly throughout the piece.
Then mix in a glass bowl a glass of tomato paste, sugar and all the vinegar. Pour the meat with the marinade and keep it in the cold for 8 hours. Otherwise, we carry out the actions described above in the article: air and smoke in the smokehouse for an hour or two.
Lemon pickle
Delicious is a delicacy aged in lemon juice. Component List:
- brisket - 300-500 g;
- lemon juice - 150-180 ml;
- lean oil, without aroma - 200 ml;
- salt - 50 g;
- parsley - greens;
- fresh ginger - 2 tablespoons.
Squeeze juice from lemons. Mix with vegetable oil and grated ginger root. Other spices add to the recipe to taste. Coat the meat with the resulting aromatic mass. Stand in the cold for two days. Next, start smoking - 2 hours.
Pickle fruit
If you have plenty of fruit, why not cook smoked bacon on a fruit marinade? Here's what you need to create a delicacy:
- fresh brisket - arbitrary amount;
- oranges
- kiwi;
- grapefruit;
- tangerines;
- Chile;
- aromatic herbs - to taste;
- salt;
- thyme - to taste.
The method of preparation of marinade
Clear all fruits. Grind them in a blender until liquid. Remove the seeds from the chili and also punch it with fruit. When cleaning and rinsing peppers, use medical disposable gloves. Dry thyme and other aromatic herbs, crush in a mortar and add to salt.
The scented mixture carefully rub the prepared fresh brisket. Put the meat in a suitable container. Pour the resulting mashed fruit with pepper into the same bowl. We make sure that the puree penetrates from all sides to the brisket. From four to six hours we keep the meat prepared in this way. Take out. Wipe with a paper towel, removing the remaining mashed potatoes. Weak and smoke.
How to smoke brisket
All hot smoked smokehouses have approximately the same principle. This is a container that closes with a lid. It must be made of metal. Inside the unit there are grilles. They fit the product for further processing. There is a special pallet under the grill. The draining fat and juice flow down there. Under the pallet there is a place in which chips suitable for smoking are laid.
At the bottom of the smokehouse, we fall asleep sawdust or shavings. Next, install the pallet. Then comes the grill. On the last we place meat products for smoking. We cover the entire structure with a lid. We make a fire. We smoke the brisket, according to the recipe, placing the device at a distance of 60-80 centimeters from the high temperature zone.
The process takes place either over a small fire, or over very hot coals.
Wood material
Before you smoke smoked brisket, you should pay attention to the materials for the smokehouse. The use of wood chips of a certain type of wood can significantly change the taste of the output product. What materials are preferable to put in the device? Get to know them:
- The leader can be called apple chips. Such material is abundant not only in stores, but also in natural nature. The smoke does not give bitterness, but at the same time has excellent hiding aromatic characteristics. Use as an independent material or mix with other breeds of raw materials.
- A mahogany sliver is famous for giving the product a pleasant golden hue.
- Thanks to the oak, the brisket after processing will have a range of colors from golden to brown.
- Juniper sliver is used only as an additive. Gives a piquant aroma and taste to the product.
All these tips will help you easily prepare delicious smoked brisket at home.