Ingredients and Equipment

• Char-Broil Commercial TRU-Infrared 4-Burner Grill – Delivers even heat and moisture retention.
• 5 lb Brisket (post-trim, from 6.7 lbs pre-trim) – Flat cut or small packer, such as Porter Road Dry Aged.
• Cowboy Brand Hickory Wood Chips – For a mild, sweet, and balanced smoke.
• Smoker Box – Controls hickory smoke.
• ThermoPro Digital Food Thermometer with Dual Probe – Monitors meat and grill temperatures precisely.
• Aluminum Foil – For wrapping during the stall.
• Metal Pan – Catches drippings and maintains humidity.
• Custom Rub (from Summer's Fruit Barn,
  South Mountain, Phoenix):
  • Brisket Rub: Salt, garlic, brown sugar for a savory foundation.
  • Honey BBQ Rub: Brown sugar, sea salt, cane sugar, powdered honey, spices, tomato powder, garlic, hickory smoke flavor, bell pepper, dehydrated onion, paprika, and parsley for sweet-smoky depth.
• Spray Bottle with Apple Juice – 100% juice, no added sugar, for a sweet-tart spritz.
• Grill Brush – For easy cleanup.

Preparation Steps

1. Trim the Brisket: Start with a 6.7 lb brisket (like the Porter Road Dry Aged half-brisket) and trim excess fat to a 1/4-inch fat cap, removing silver skin and hard fat to reach a final weight of 5 lbs. This ensures even cooking and optimal flavor.
2. Make the Rub: Mix equal parts Brisket Rub and Honey BBQ Rub (about 1/4 cup each for a 5 lb brisket). The Brisket Rub’s salt and garlic provide a classic base, while the Honey BBQ Rub’s brown sugar, honey, cane sugar, hickory, tomato powder, paprika, bell pepper, onion, and parsley add sweetness and complexity. Adjust ratios for more salt or sweetness.
3. Season the Brisket: Apply the rub generously, pressing it into the meat (the honey and sugars make it sticky). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-12 hours to meld flavors.
4. Set Up the Grill:
   • Indirect Heat: Light the two right burners on low, targeting 225-250°F. Keep the left two burners off to create a cool zone on the left side for smoking.
   • Hickory Chips: Fill the smoker box with dry Cowboy Brand hickory wood chips and place it over the right lit burners. Refill every 45-60 minutes for the first 2-3 hours. Hickory’s mild, sweet smoke enhances the rub’s hickory flavor and apple juice spritz without overpowering, so stop after 3 hours for balanced flavor.
   • Metal Pan: Place the metal pan under the grate on the cool left side with 1/2 inch of water or beef broth to catch drippings and keep the grill humid.
   • ThermoPro Thermometer: Insert one probe into the thickest part of the brisket and place the second probe near it on the cool left side to monitor grill temperature. Keep the receiver handy.
   • Apple Juice: Fill the spray bottle with pure apple juice for spritzing.
   • Preheat: Close the lid and preheat for 10-15 minutes to stabilize at 225-250°F. Use the ThermoPro grill probe for accuracy, as the TRU-Infrared system runs hot.

Cooking the Brisket

1. Place the Brisket: Position the brisket fat-side up on the cool left side over the metal pan, away from the right lit burners. Ensure the ThermoPro meat probe is secure in the thickest part and the grill probe monitors the cool zone.
2. Control the Temperature: Adjust the two right burners to maintain 225-250°F in the cool zone, using the ThermoPro grill probe for accuracy. The TRU-Infrared system requires 20-30% lower settings than a standard grill. If the temperature exceeds 250°F, lower the burners or crack the lid slightly to vent heat. The rub’s sugars and apple juice spritz can burn if too hot.
3. Add Hickory Smoke: Let the smoker box with Cowboy Brand hickory chips produce steady smoke for the first 2-3 hours to form a rich bark. The rub’s hickory flavor and apple juice’s sweetness amplify hickory’s mild, bacon-like smoke. Check the smoker box often, as chips burn quickly. Stop adding chips after 3 hours to avoid excessive smokiness.
4. Spritz with Apple Juice: After 1.5-2 hours, when the bark begins to set, lightly spritz with apple juice every 45 minutes if the surface looks dry. Use a fine mist to avoid washing off the rub. The apple juice boosts the rub’s honey and brown sugar, adds moisture, and creates a glossy crust. Spritz sparingly to maintain texture.
5. Optional Pan Rotation: Around the 2-3 hour mark, check the bark and grill temperature. If one side of the brisket is darker (e.g., the right side closer to the lit burners) or the ThermoPro grill probe shows uneven heat (e.g., >20°F difference across the cool zone), rotate the metal pan 180 degrees using heat-resistant gloves or tongs. This repositions the brisket for even heat and smoke exposure without touching the meat, preserving the sticky bark and keeping the fat-side up. The TRU-Infrared system’s even heat often makes this unnecessary, but it’s an easy precaution with the right burners on. Rotate again before wrapping if needed.
6. Reach the Stall: Cook until the ThermoPro meat probe hits 160-170°F (about 3-4 hours), signaling the stall where evaporation slows.
7. Wrap in Foil: Remove the brisket and wrap tightly in aluminum foil (Texas crutch) to lock in moisture. Reinsert the ThermoPro meat probe through the foil and return to the cool left side over the metal pan.
8. Finish Cooking: Cook until the ThermoPro meat probe reads 195-203°F (another 1.5-3 hours). Test tenderness with a skewer; it should slide in easily through the caramelized crust.
9. Rest the Brisket: Remove, keep wrapped in foil, and place in an insulated cooler lined with towels for 1 hour to redistribute juices.

Pan Drippings BBQ Sauce Recipe

Elevate your brisket with this tangy, sweet, and smoky BBQ sauce made from the metal pan drippings, echoing the Summer's Fruit Barn rub’s honey, tomato, and hickory notes and the apple juice spritz’s sweetness, with the Cowboy Brand hickory chips adding depth. This sauce ties the dish together, perfect for drizzling or dipping.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pan drippings (strained, including broth or water from the pan)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• Optional: 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (for heat)
• Optional: 1 tbsp apple juice (for extra sweetness or thinner consistency)

Instructions

1. Strain Drippings: After cooking, remove the metal pan (use gloves) and strain the drippings through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove solids and excess fat. Skim off excess fat, leaving 1-2 tbsp for flavor. Aim for 1 cup of liquid; add beef broth or water if needed.
2. Combine: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix drippings, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Stir well.
3. Simmer: Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for 10-15 minutes until thickened and flavors meld. Adjust with more honey for sweetness, vinegar for tangy, or cayenne for heat. Thin with apple juice or water if too thick; simmer longer if too thin.
4. Serve: Cool slightly and serve warm over sliced brisket or as a dipping sauce. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week; reheat gently.

Yield

About 1.5 cups, serving 8-10 with your 5 lb brisket.

Serving Your Brisket

• Slice: Unwrap the foil and slice against the grain into 1/4-inch slices. For a small packer, check the grain direction of the point and flat. The rub and apple juice spritz create a glossy, sweet-savory bark.
• Serve: Drizzle with the pan drippings BBQ sauce or serve it on the side for dipping. Pair with pickles, coleslaw, cornbread, or grilled vegetables to complement the sauce’s tangy-sweet notes.

Key Details

• Total Cooking Time: About 5-7 hours at 225-250°F (1-1.5 hours per pound for a 5 lb trimmed brisket), typically 5-6 hours for a flat cut or lean packer, plus 1 hour resting.
• Custom Rub: Brisket Rub’s salt and garlic with Honey BBQ Rub’s sugars, honey, hickory, tomato powder, paprika, bell pepper, onion, and parsley, enhanced by apple juice spritz and hickory smoke.
• Apple Juice Spritz: Adds moisture and sweet-tart flavor.
• Metal Pan: Collects drippings for the BBQ sauce; water or broth maintains humidity.
• Hickory Smoke: Cowboy Brand hickory chips provide mild, sweet smoke; limit to 2-3 hours.
• Smoker Box: Controls smoke; dry chips suit the TRU-Infrared system.
• ThermoPro Dual Probe: Alarms at 165°F (wrap) and 195°F (tenderness); grill probe maintains 225-250°F.
• Aluminum Foil: Wraps for juiciness; may soften bark.
• 4-Burner Efficiency: Right two burners create a cool zone on the left; TRU-Infrared uses ~30% less propane.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe overcomes the lack of Char-Broil TRU-Infrared brisket instructions, leveraging its even heat to enhance the Summer's Fruit Barn rub, apple juice spritz, Cowboy Brand hickory smoke, ThermoPro precision, and metal pan drippings for a beginner-friendly BBQ masterpiece, inspired by the challenge of cooking a cherished gift.

Round out your menu with zesty coleslaw, cornbread, or grilled veggies from Summer's Fruit Barn. Visit Summer's Fruit Barn in South Mountain for their amazing rubs and local produce. Share your BBQ success with us, and let’s keep the smoker fired up!