Hot off the Big Green Egg are two recipes you have to try! We are excited to share a tasty Big Green Egg brisket recipe as well as a delicious meat loaf recipe. These recipes have been taste tested by our Bering’s customers and have received thumbs up across the board.

 

Flat Cut Brisket

Ingredients:

• 5-10lb Flat Cut Brisket, also called Super Trimmed.
• Brisket Rub or Homemade-See Below.
• Canola Oil.
• Kosher Salt
• Coarse Ground Pepper
• Granulated & Light Brown Sugar

Cooking Concept: Low and Slow. Utilize low temperature to develop a deep smoke flavor and break down that connected tissue. Start by brining your flat cut brisket; this will help to ensure that the brisket stays moist, especially on the narrow side of the flat cut. Cooking a brisket can be a 15 hour experience, so be ready.

Cooking Time: 7-11 hours, plus 2-3 hours of brining and 1 additional hour prior to placing on the Egg

Brisket Consideration: There are many choices available in terms of meat quality, from prime to select, as well as Certified Angus Beef (CAB), Wagyu or Akaushi. We prefer CAB, but any Brisket Flat will work. Look for a fat cap that is uniform, with a nice point at the top of the meat. You can trim away any unwanted fat, but stay away from briskets that have very little fat cap, or weigh less than 5 pounds. If the brisket feels very narrow on the flat side, stay away. The goal is to smoke a brisket that will have about a 5 degree difference between the thicker point side and the flat end.

Food Prep:

1. Pull flat cut brisket from packaging and rinse under cold water
2. Using paper towels, pat the brisket to remove any water moisture
3. Using a small knife, remove any unwanted fat that looks like it shouldn’t be there
   1. Trim fat cap to about 1/3 to ¼” if necessary
4. Using a small knife, score hatch lines into the fat cap of the brisket
5. Place brisket in brine-see brining below
6. Apply canola or any other neutral oil to the brisket
7. Apply your favorite rub to both sides of your brisket-see BBQ items below
8. Leave briskets on counter, let brisket sit on a wire rack or baking sheet for an hour, this will help the brisket to sweat all around the meat

BBQ Items:

10-12 Hickory Chunks or any of your favorite wood chunks

2 Aluminum pans plus one ½ height for the drip pan

1. Soak Wood Chunks for about 15 minutes
2. Place 5 chunks in center of aluminum foil, then wrap
3. Poke holes on top of the aluminum foil (about 10-15)
4. Mix equal parts kosher salt and coarse ground pepper and add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

BGE Setup:

1. Make sure to clean any ash buildup that has accumulated, as you want as much airflow to maintain longer temperatures
2. Fill BGE with enough charcoal to build a pyramid shape leaving the outer parts of the grate open
3. With vents wide open on bottom and top, light fire with your charcoal starters or heating element
   1. After about 10 minutes, use your ash tool to stir the charcoal around the bottom of your grate (This will help the fire spread quicker)
4. Add more charcoal to the top of the first ring
5. Place smoke poach with wood chunks into the center of your charcoal
6. Place remaining 5 wood chunks around charcoal and nudge them into the charcoal
7. Place plate setter (legs up) for indirect cooking with one leg directly in the back of the egg
8. Place aluminum pan on top of plate setter (this will be used to add moisture to the meat, plus take care of the fat drippings)
9. Place grill on plate setter
10. Let fire start to light the new charcoal as well as your chunks, about 5 minutes
    1. BGE should be smoking at this point
11. Close Lid and leave vents open until temperature reaches 250 degrees
12. Place the Brisket Fat side down with the thickest part of your meet to the back of the egg
13. If using a thermometer, place into the side of the thickest part of your brisket
14. Smoke the brisket at 250 degrees for at least 4 hours
    1. Internal temperature should be somewhere in the 150 degree range depending on how big the brisket is
15. After smoking for 4 hours, flip your brisket over to fat side up.
    1. This Depending on how large your brisket is (cook for an additional 2-3 hours at 250)
16. After 6-7 hours its time to wrap your brisket in butcher paper or aluminum foil
    1. Internal temp should be in the 168-175 range – continue cooking for 1 ½ to 2 hours until your brisket reaches 185-190
    2. Wrapping options below
17. Remove brisket from the grill and place in cooler for at least an hour (longer if you are waiting for guests) you can also place in your traditional oven

Tips:

If your fire starts to lose temperature, you can finish in the oven by simply moving the drip pan and placing under the brisket on one rack, with the brisket directly over the top on the above rack. You can also finish in the oven after you wrap it. Cook it in the oven at 250 degrees until your brisket reaches 185-190 degrees.

Aluminum pans are a great way to brine your brisket in the fridge, just make sure you double them up. For your drip pan, use an aluminum pan that with ½” height so that it will fit underneath the grill and on top of the plate setter.

If using a remote thermometer to monitor your meat temps, don’t panic if you see the meat temperature stay at 158-160 degrees, this is normal. Just continue to cook at 250 degrees and your brisket will start to creep up again.

When you open the lid to wrap, check your fuel, you should have plenty of fuel for the desired time, but do a quick check. If needed, add more charcoal and let the fire start to light again. Place your wrapped brisket back on grill and use your vents to bring your fire back to 250 degrees.

Wrapping:

Wrapping your flat cut brisket is optional, especially if brining, but can be necessary if you are looking to add moisture through the steam that is created when wrapping. We suggest wrapping around 168-175 degrees. If you choose to wrap, place the brisket fat side down and place a little liquid in the aluminum foil. We prefer a ¼ cup beer, ¼ cup water and ¼ of apple cider vinegar, but feel free to use any liquid you like. If using butcher paper, make sure it doesn’t have a wax side; otherwise butcher paper will allow the meat to breath, while still sealing in your brisket goodness.

Remote Monitoring: Optional

Meat thermometer and ambient temperature probes will aid you in getting accurate readings from your meat and BGE. Attach the ambient temperature probe to the grill right next to your brisket.

Brining:

Add 2/3 to 1 cup table salt (non iodized) and ¼ to ½ cup of granulated sugar to 4 quarts of water. For a brisket that is 5-8 pounds, 2/3 salt and a ¼ cup sugar will work. For a larger 8+ pound brisket, increase to 1 cup and ½ cup respectively to 6 quarts of water. Brine for at least 1 ½ hours, up to 3 hours.

Remove from brine and rinse and pat dry to remove any surface moisture. We suggest brining the night before and placing in fridge in an aluminum pan (this can be covered or uncovered).

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs. ground beef (80/20, 85/15 or 90/10)
• ¾ lb. ground pork
• ½ lb. ground veal
• 1 package bacon
• ¾ cup bread crumbs (unseasoned or seasoned)
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, plus one yolk
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 teaspoons Worshtershire sauce
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fine ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil

 

Cooking Concept:

BGE Meatloaf will utilize a couple of different cooking concepts. Your desired cooking temperature should be 350 degrees indirect, allowing wood chips to add a rich smoky flavor to the meatloaf. The bacon will help seal in the moisture, while providing added flavor. Meatloaf will be basted towards the end of the cooking process to add a nice finish.

Food Prep:

 

1. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray to coat
2. Sauté onions and garlic with 1 tablespoon of oil then allow to cool
3. Add Worshertishire sauce, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and basil to onion mixture and set aside
4. Combine eggs, buttermilk, Dijon mustard and lightly whisk together
5. Combine bread crumbs to egg mixture, let sit for 5 minutes
6. Add egg and onion mixture to meat; use your hands to combine together
7. If using bacon, place one end close to where the horizontal edge of the loaf will sit
8. Place meat on cooking sheet and form a loaf, just covering the edge of the bacon
9. Apply glaze or BBQ sauce to the loaf
10. Drape bacon over the top of the loaf and tuck underneath the other side

BBQ Items:

 

• Hickory wood or other wood chips.
• Meat thermometer or iGrill mini/pro or other monitoring device will work
• Instant Read Thermometer if not using remote monitoring device
• BBQ sauce or your favorite glaze (See glaze recipe below)

 

1. Soak Wood Chips for about 15 minutes.
2. Place Wood Chips in center of aluminum foil, then wrap.
3. Poke holes on top of the Aluminum Foil (about 10-15).

Glaze: You can utilize any glaze or BBQ sauce, even basic ketchup will work. A quick glaze recipe should include ketchup, cider vinegar and sugar.

½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, tablespoon light brown sugar or granulated sugar, plus 1/2 teaspoon molasses (optional). Whisk together.

BGE Setup:

1. Fill BGE with charcoal and form pyramid
2. With Vents wide open on bottom and top, light fire and after about 5-10 minutes, use your ash tool to stir the charcoal up
   1. This will help the fire spread quicker
3. Place smoke poach on charcoal if using
4. Place plate setter (legs up) for indirect cooking
5. Place grill on plate setter
6. Close lid and leave vents open until temperature reaches 350 degrees
7. Place meatloaf on the grill, insert meat thermometer or igrill probe to deepest part of meatloaf (insert from the open end where the bacon isn’t covering the loaf)
   1. Close the vents enough to maintain temperature of 350 degrees
8. When your probe reaches 150 Degrees, open the BGE and apply BBQ sauce, or glaze directly on the bacon
9. When your probe reaches 160 degrees on the meatloaf, it’s done
10. Let meatloaf sit for 15-20 minutes before serving

TIP: Make sure to give your meatloaf time to sit once you pull it off the grill.

Grilling time can vary, but your meatloaf should take about 40-50 Minutes.

Finished Temperature is 160 Degrees.

 

Enjoy!

Bering’s Grilling Experts

*Thanks to Kenny Martin, Bering’s Big Green Egg Grill Master, for compiling these delicious recipes!