In questions of the barbecue nature, I defer to Bo McSwine (YES! That's his real name.)
Bo's restaurant is so busy, I've seen him sell out in less than 1 hour! He does a big take-out business. His big commercial smoker is filled in the wee hours and he opens at 5pm. When the food is gone, he closes up.
Bo's has been named by Sunset magazine as the greatest BBQ in America. Bo's specialty? Brisket. Dry rub. SLOW cooked in a smoker with a mop during the last few hours. Tender, moist, MAGNIFICENT! NO, don't brown the brisket. Let the smoke work it's magic.
Here's a shot of the genius at work;
