Smoker-Style Barbecued Beef Roast with Herb Mop

With a few steps and just a few basic ingredients, you can make this subtly smoked Beef Brisket without a smoker! You can skip the Herb Mop and simply add 2 tbsp (30 mL) each chopped fresh rosemary, thyme and oregano leaves to the vinegar sauce. Adding wood chips to the barbecue won’t produce the same intense flavour as a smoker and the brisket won’t achieve the coveted smoke ring but it will have a great crust and will be beautifully tender. For the strongest smoke flavour, select a hard wood, such as hickory or mesquite.
Yield 6 Servings Prep. Time 15 min Cooking Time 480 min Total Time 495 min

Ingredients

Here are the following ingredients:

  • Wood chips, such as hickory or mesquite, soaked according to package directions

Herb Mop

  • 1 small bunch rosemary sprigs
  • 1 small bunch thyme sprigs
  • 1 small bunch oregano sprigs
  • 1 stick, twig or old wooden spoon
  • Butcher’s twine

Smoked Brisket

  • 1 cup (250 mL) EACH white vinegar and cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) EACH packed brown sugar and ketchup
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) hot pepper sauce, such as Frank’s
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) EACH dry mustard, garlic powder and onion powder
  • 4 lb (2 kg) Beef Brisket, Point Portion (Pot Roast)
  • 1½ tsp (7 mL) EACH salt and fresh ground pepper

Shopping List

Here are the following shopping items to buy:

Method

Follow these cooking methods/directions:

  1. Fill drip pan part way with water and place under grill (off to one side). Preheat barbecue to medium-high (400°F/200°C). Turn off burner under drip pan.

  2. Add soaked wood chips to smoker box. Alternatively, wrap 2 cups (5 oz/150 g) wood chips loosely in foil to create a small pouch, punching a few holes at the top of the pouch to let the smoke out. Place smoker box or pouch on the grill grate above the burner that is turned on for 10 to 20 minutes, or until starting to smoke.

Herb Mop:
  1. Meanwhile, arrange rosemary, thyme and oregano sprigs together like a bouquet of flowers. Attach to the end of a stick, twig or wooden spoon by tying together with butcher’s twine to make a broom handle or the herb “mop”; set aside.
Smoked Brisket:

  1. Combine white vinegar, cider vinegar, sugar, ketchup, hot pepper sauce, mustard, garlic powder and onion powder in a medium bowl; set aside for basting. Pat beef dry with paper towel. Season all over with salt and pepper.

  2. Place roast on grill over drip pan (off the heat). Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer sideways into centre of roast, avoiding fat.

  3. Close lid and cook for 2 hours. Flip roast and baste with vinegar sauce using herb mop. Repeat flipping and basting every 2 hours, for 8 to 10 hours total cooking time until meat is fork-tender and thermometer reads between 200°F (93°C) and 205°F (96°C).

  4. Transfer brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

  5. Carve roast across the grain into thin slices.