Brisket is no doubt one of the hardest things to nail on the smoker. Its a big, tough bit of meat that generally needs a lot of cooking, but when you get it right.... its damn good!

We've been having some great results cooking our briskets hot and fast recently, so we thought we'd share...

The main benefits from cooking hot and fast are that the meat cooks MUCH quicker, and can be done in 5-6 hours, and that there is also a lot less shrinkage in the meat.

This recipe is only a guide, you will have to use your own judgement on when the meat is done. Obviously it will depend on the piece of brisket you are cooking...

We have better results when using USDA or Australian grain fed briskets, as they tend to have a lot more fat content than UK grass fed briskets.

What you will need:

• Whole brisket - around 6-7kg
• Around 1/2 cup of your favourite beef rub
• 1 can of beef consommé ( we use Baxters )

1.Trim your brisket to remove any hard excess fatty bits that won't render out and discard. There are a million videos on Youtube showing you how to do this, so I wont go into any details here. One we found useful was this one by brisket master Aaron Franklin.

2.Allow your brisket to come up to room temperature and season generously with your rub. Don't use any mustard to make the rub stick as this will burn.

3.Get your drum up to 300f/150c and add your smoking wood - we like a nice strong wood like Oak or Hickory. We also recommend using one of our steel heat diffuser plates when cooking brisket hot and fast, as this will give your meat some protection and reduce the amount of fat hitting the coals. This can run the risk of over smoking the meat.

4.Put your brisket on the smoker fat side down for around 2.5 hours, or until the internal temperature is around about 165f/75c and you are happy with the bark.

5.Prepare to wrap the brisket by laying down 2 or 3 large sheets of tin foil on a work surface with plenty of space. Take the brisket off the smoker and place in the centre of the foil. Carefully pour the beef consommé around the brisket and wrap up tightly, making sure you have no leaks!

6.Place the wrapped brisket in a large foil pan and place back on the smoker. Cook for an additional 1 hour and 20-40 minutes depending on the size of your brisket.

7.Begin checking the brisket for tenderness after 1 hour.  To check for tenderness, carefully open the foil slightly and insert a skewer or thermometer probe into the brisket. Desired tenderness is achieved when the skewer easily slides into the brisket. It should feel as though you are inserting the skewer into a block of butter. If the brisket is still tough, re-seal the foil and repeat this test every 30 minutes.  It's far better to slightly over-cook a brisket, than to under-cook one. This is a "feel" operation, but the target temperature is about 210-214f. Remember every brisket is different.

8.When the brisket reaches its desired tenderness, (usually between 210 -214°F), remove it from the smoker and slightly open the foil to vent. Leave like this for 5 to 10 minutes. Next wrap the brisket tightly and let it rest for 45 minutes before slicing. This resting period is very important, do not be tempted to skip this step.