Meat. I personally love it. As you should too. My favorite kind of meat is smoked beef brisket. The skill and artistry of preparation teamed up with the method of cooking are fascinating to me. Not to mention the care and attention that has to be used in raising cattle and then having the knowledge of butchery to make the perfect cut. Dry rubs, sauces and injections there's dozens of recipes, with mostly one thing in common, smoke. Yes, I'm sure there are a couple whack-jobs out there using electric grills or some new "laser" technology, but they'll never produce the same delicious flavor that real hardwood smoke gives. Oak, Hickory, mesquite and the list goes on, each with their own distinct aroma and appeal. The sauce debate rages from location to location. With my vote going for a Carolina style mustard sauce. Call me crazy if you want, I just can't get enough of it. Now, I'm not gonna lie to ya' here, I'm not really sure what my wife uses for the rub. I know we smother the whole piece with mustard, and then there's a secret bland of herbs and spices that I haven't been able to replicate. I'll just leave that in her hands. Slow cooking is where it's at and you can believe I take my time. I usually like to start the fire around eleven O'clock the night before we plan to eat. By midnight the smoker is at full temperature and the smoke is rolling. Drop on the chow and let it sit, flipping occasionally for a perfectly charred exterior. I'll stay awake most of the night to tend the fire. Just puttering around in the garage the rest of the time. By noon of the next day the smell is breathtaking. I have to fight of the urge to start picking away at the caramelized edges commonly referred to as "burnt ends". Two, three, four more hours of painstaking sensory overload. Finally around four in the afternoon we pull the brawn off the grill and bring it inside to rest. Seriously, she makes me wait another whole hour before we start cutting......I'm not kidding. The first bite is always mine though. So that makes it all worth it. I'm including pictures for attention and to let you see this is how I roll.
