A Mouth-Watering Coffee Rub Brisket Will Elevate Any Barbecue

Nothing beats a homemade brisket. Between the crispy bark, the melt-in-your-mouth fat, and the general awesomeness of cooked meat, it ranks near the top of the best possible things to put in your mouth. To help you make your own, we’ve got a great recipe from our friends at Traeger Grills to share with you.

This coffee rub brisket takes some of the best things in the world — coffee, beef, and fire — and puts them all in one place (technically two places — your grill, followed by your mouth). Like any good brisket, this one takes time to cook — 9 hours, in fact — so it’s best to set aside an entire day to prep and then sit by the barbecue with a beer or four, taking in the sweet, sweet smells that will be coming out off the grill. (Need some beer choices? We recommended these beers for passing the time.)

“Make that bark dark. Beef has our coffee rub written all over it. This brisket is generously injected and seasoned with our new rub mixture for a richness in flavor that’s simply unmatched,” say the folks at Traeger.

For the purposes of this recipe, we used the brand-new-for-2019 Traeger Ironwood 855 grill. We also used hickory wood pellets to complete the rich, dark, and oh-so-irresistible flavor profile. 

Slow-Cooked Brisket with Traeger Coffee Rub

(Prep time: 10 mins; cook time: 9 hours; serves: 8-12)

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 lb) full packet of beef brisket
• .25 cup Traeger Coffee Rub, divided
• 5 cups water
• 4 tbsp salt

Method:

1. Trim excess fat off brisket leaving a .25 inch cap on the bottom.
2. Combine 2 tbsp coffee rub, 1 cup water, and 2 tbsp salt in a small bowl, stirring until most of the salt is dissolved. Inject the brisket every square inch or so with the coffee rub mixture. Season the exterior of the brisket with remaining rub and remaining salt.
3. When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on “Smoke” with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes. (Note: hickory wood pellets are recommended for this recipe.)
4. Place brisket directly on the grill grate and cook for about 6 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Wrap the brisket in two layers of foil and pour in .5 cup of water. Secure tin foil tightly to contain the liquid. Increase temperature to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and return to grill. Cook an additional 3 hours or until internal temperature reaches 204 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Remove brisket from the grill. Let cool, then slice. Enjoy!

Article originally published May 10, 2019.

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