Brisket is one of the toughest forms of meat that can be cooked, though if one cooks it properly, it will come out tender and filled with flavor. The trick is how it is marinated.
First, you should take a naturally-thawed brisket (never thaw this kind of meat in a microwave) and pierce it across the grain with a knife. Cut the meat every half inch or so.
Pour apple cider vinegar over the brisket. The vinegar will help tenderize the meat and will add sweetness to it.
Proper brisket should be cooked low and slow in a smoker, using wood or charcoal. However, if weather or lack of patience makes you unable to do this, add liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce to the marinade.
Finally, you should add a rub to the meat. Here you can use your imagination, but a good mix would include garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and black pepper.
Cover the brisket and place it in the refrigerator. Leave for 24 hours to allow the marinade time to work its magic.
The vinegar is acidic enough to help to break down the brisket's meat fibers to make it softer and easier to chew. Piercing the meat with the knife allows the marinade to penetrate below the surface and aid the tenderizing process. It also allows the marinade's flavorful spices to penetrate.
When you are ready to cook, remember that whether you use a smoker or an oven, you need to cook low and slow. If you try to cook too quickly over high heat, the meat will come out very tough, defeating the purpose of the marinade.
For an oven, a good rule is to cook at 300 degrees for about eight hours. A smoker should be set to about 250 degrees, and the meat will take ten to twelve hours to cook. In both cases, baste every hour,
The result should be tender meat that is easy to slice. Serve either as an entre or with sandwich bread and your favorite barbeque sauce on the side,
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