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Brisket Shawarma

Brisket Shawarma

By Mandy Tanner

If you have had shawarma (shuh-WAHR-mah), the meaty sandwich that’s a popular Middle Eastern street food, you know how each bite is filled with tantalizingly spiced tender meat. Traditionally, the meat is cooked on a spit, but thinly sliced, spiced, and smoked brisket works outstandingly well.

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cook Time

8 Hours

Pellets

Cherry

Ingredients

Number of people serving

8

Units of measurement:
Brisket
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 Teaspoon garlic powder
2 Teaspoon ground cumin
2 Teaspoon ground turmeric
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Teaspoon ground ginger
1 Teaspoon Allspice, ground
1/4 Teaspoon ground cayenne
1 brisket point (6 to 8 lb; 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 kg)
2 Teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar or apple juice, for spritzing
For Serving
1/2 Teaspoon Traeger Anything Rub
1 1/2 Cup store-bought or homemade tzatziki
8 store-bought or homemade pitas, warmed
4 Cup lettuce
4 plum tomatoes
1/2 Cup sliced cucumber (optional)
Hummus (optional)

Step

  • 1

    Season the brisket: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cayenne, and stir well. Set aside. Pat the brisket dry. If needed, trim and discard any hard pieces of fat. Season the brisket evenly and all over with the salt. Then season all over with the mixed spices. Place the brisket on the baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

  • 2

    When ready to cook, preheat the Traeger with the lid closed to 225°F; this will take about 15 minutes.

    225 ˚F / 107 ˚C

  • 3

    Insert a leave-in meat thermometer into the thickest part of the brisket, avoiding any large pockets of fat. Place the brisket directly on the grill grate, fat-side-down, close the lid and smoke for 2 hours.

    225 ˚F / 107 ˚C

    02:00

  • 4

    After the 2 hours of smoking, spritz the brisket with the apple cider vinegar. Then spritz every hour until the internal temperature reaches 170°F and the brisket has a nice bark, about 3 to 5 hours; the time can vary widely depending on the size of your brisket, the weather, and your grill model.

    225 ˚F / 107 ˚C

    170 ˚F / 77 ˚C

  • 5

    Have ready 2 long sheets of heavy-duty foil. Transfer the brisket to the foil and wrap it up tightly. (Note: If using the Meater meat thermometer, the end of the thermometer must protrude from the foil for the Bluetooth reading to work.) Return the brisket to the grill, close the lid, and continue to cook until the brisket is tender, 2 to 4 hours. Its internal temperature should be around 200°F, but what is even more important than the actual temperature is that the brisket is tender. To determine that, poke it with a meat thermometer or a thin skewer; it should enter the meat with no resistance and as easily as if it were room temperature butter.

    225 ˚F / 107 ˚C

    200 ˚F / 93 ˚C

  • 6

    Have ready a towel or a towel-lined cooler. Remove the brisket from the grill and, leaving the foil on, wrap it in the towel or place it in the cooler and shut the lid. Let it rest for 1 hour before slicing. (It’s safe to leave the brisket in the cooler for 3 hours.)

  • 7

    To serve: Stir the Traeger Anything Rub into the tzatziki. Unwrap the brisket, transfer it to a cutting board, and slice it thinly across the grain. Serve the brisket with warmed pita, tzatziki, sliced tomatoes, fresh greens, cucumber, and hummus, as desired. Enjoy!

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