3 Meat Plate Recipe

Trim and dry

Pat the brisket, ribs, and chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat from the brisket leaving about 1/4 inch fat cap. Remove silver skin from ribs if present.

Combine the dry rub ingredients (kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne) in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Generously apply the dry rub to each protein: coat the brisket evenly on all sides, massage rub into ribs (both sides and into the bone gaps), and rub thighs under and over the skin. Let the rubbed meats sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate covered for up to 4 hours to absorb flavors.

Set up smoker or grill

Preheat a smoker to 225°F (107°C) for low-and-slow cooking. If using a charcoal or gas grill, set up for indirect heat and stabilize at about 225–250°F (107–121°C). Add wood chips or chunks (hickory, oak, or apple) for smoke flavor.

Place the brisket fat-side up on the smoker grates away from direct heat. Position the ribs bone-side down and chicken thighs skin-side up on separate areas of the grate so they aren’t stacked.

Smoke times and internal temps

Smoke the brisket until it reaches an internal temperature of 195–203°F (90–95°C), about 1.25–1.5 hours per pound (estimate 2–3 hours for these quantities depending on thickness). Smoke the ribs until tender and the meat pulls back from the bone, around 5–6 hours at 225°F. Smoke the chicken thighs until internal temp is 175–185°F (80–85°C), about 2–3 hours.

Every 45–60 minutes, baste meats with the mop: combine apple cider vinegar, water, apple juice and worcestershire sauce in a spray bottle or small pot and lightly spritz or brush the meats. Do not over-saturate; this keeps the surface moist and adds tang.

When the brisket hits about 165°F (74°C) and stalls, wrap it tightly in butcher paper or heavy-duty foil to help it pass the stall and retain moisture. Return to the smoker and continue until final temp is 195–203°F. For ribs, when they have a good dark bark (about 4 hours), you may wrap them in foil with a tablespoon of apple juice and a pat of butter for 30–60 minutes to tenderize, then unwrap and return to smoker for 15–30 minutes to set the bark.

About 20 minutes before the meats are done, combine BBQ sauce and honey in a small saucepan and warm gently. Brush a light coat of sauce on the ribs and chicken for the final 10–15 minutes of cooking to set a glaze (do not heavily sauce the brisket if you prefer traditional bark; you can serve sauce on the side).

Remove all meats from the smoker when they reach target temps. Tent the brisket and ribs in foil and let rest for 30–45 minutes; rest chicken 10–15 minutes. Resting redistributes juices and makes slicing easier.

Slice the brisket against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Cut the ribs between bones into individual portions. Serve chicken thighs whole or halve them.

Brush a small amount of the warmed BBQ sauce on served portions if desired. Melt butter and brush onto sandwich bread or buns, toast briefly on the grill or in pan until golden.

Garnish with chopped parsley, serve with pickles or pickled onions, and a side of remaining BBQ sauce. Sprinkle coarse sea salt to taste as needed.