I based this recipe on Montreal style smoked meat recipes and opted for brining with spices, cold smoking over oak before slow roasting. I've tried different methods such as hot smoking and steaming while developing the recipe. While the brisket purists amongst you will base a lot of their cooking times on core temps, I tend to go by touch and feel with a long resting time especially if I'm only cooking a small amount of brisket. I know how I want the meat to end up and it will be cooked for a long time. You need to give yourself plenty of time for this recipe, the brine time is about 10 days, with a day air drying before smoking and then roasting. Definitely worth the time and effort. If you are going for larger pieces of brisket then double the cooking and smoking times.

500g brisket with a small layer of fat on top (serves two quite nicely)

You will need an airtight container with a lid

Brine

10g paprika

5g coriander seeds

4 cloves garlic crushed

5g mustard seeds

50g table salt

1 onion roughly chopped

5g chilli flakes

5g black peppercorns

1 litre water

Mix all the brine ingredients together in a plastic container until the salt has dissolved

Place the brisket in and ensure the water covers it completely

Put the lid on and place in the fridge for 10 days

Turn the brisket every day to ensure it gets an even brining

After the 10 days has elapsed, take the beef out of the brine, dry with kitchen paper and place on a baking rack in the fridge for 24 hours

Set your cold smoker up with oak wood chips

Place the brisket in the smoker and smoke for 6 hours

Once smoked, cover and place in the fridge overnight

Set your barbecue up for indirect cooking at 150c

Place the brisket on the barbecue fat side up

Cook for at least 3 hours, I check after two and a half to see how the tenderness is progressing

If the meat starts to flake off, then it is ready

Wrap in foil and place in a warming oven (less than 50c) for 1 hour

I like to serve this in a bagel with some mustard