to all -
as you know, i helped a freind with our first brisket about three weeks ago on his weber kettle. it came out great and since then, i have been eager for antoher one. today, i bought a brisket at wal-mart (you don't want to know the price of the local stuff), and will be cooking it this weekend on the SnP.
first, i started a thread in order to get y'all's opinion on the three best flavors that, when together, compliment beef. here's the link if you would like to provide an answer:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...881#post310881
next - this brisket is 7.38 lbs. and appears to be cut from the flat; it is well-trimmed with a little fat on the bottom and a full fat cap on top that looks to be 1/4 inc deep. it does seem to be slightly thicker at one end than the other.
for my first solo brisket, i didn't want to get the whole big packer thing as they are rather expensive up here - as it was, this was 1.86$ per pound - just out of curiosity, is that considered a good, not-on-sale price?
it was sold not frozen and i figure it will hold fine until this weekend. the date on it says it is all good until 12JUN09. if anyone thinks i should toss it in the freezer and then take it out the night before the actual smoke, say so now, but as of this point i see no reason to do that.
next - this brisket will be slow-smoked on my brinkmann SnP. the pit has the "rotissierie holes" in the ends plugged and also has a chimney exhaust extension down into the smoking chamber terminatiing just above the grate - other mods are forthcoming but wil not be in place this weekend.
i plan on using hickory but also have apple available. i would love to try cherry but i don't have any right now - might get some if i remember to. i get good prices on wood chips for my little chief in cherry, alder, apple and hickory. the only catch is that the cherry, apple and hickory are blended with alder, but i don't see that hurting anything and could in fact mellow things quite well if i decide to do it.
i bought a wire-probe thermomenter for 14$ at wal-mart when i got the brisket, and am thinking that 190 will be a good target temperature. once again, if anyone thinks otherwise, please let me know.
my choice of rub, mop and glaze/finishing sauce (if any) will be made after bouncing a few ideas around.
as far as a rub goes, if i can't think of anything otherwise, i currently plan on using a mixture of garlic and onion powder, red pepper flakes, worcestershire pepper, cumin and paprika. note thelack of salt and sugar - also note the lack of proportions or amounts of each ingredient. need to come up with that!
as far as a mop/basting sauce goes - i am not sure yet, but barring any better ideas, i do believe that my normal dr. pepper/low-sodium soy sauce/olive oil mop might do very well, if i choose to use one at all. several times as i ahve used this mop, i've thought to myself how good it would also work for beef. i might also add some worcestershire sauce, but that is an idea that i haven't fully developed, yet.
finishing sauce, glaze, table sauce - i don't know aything about this, but i would like to think of something that has some sort of tomato base. for my recent beef ribs, i used a ketchup/brown sugar/vider vinegar glaze that i applied the last 30 minutes or so of cooking. this worked very well and resulted in a nice look and flavor. barring any better ideas, i may try that again, perhaps subbing red wine or red wine vinegar for the apple cider vinegar.
that's about all the preliminary info i can think of to give - i would now like to throw the topic open for thoughts, suggestions, opinions and any other ramblings. i am prepaed to take all seriously but am also prepared to go completely solo if i have to!
as you know, i helped a freind with our first brisket about three weeks ago on his weber kettle. it came out great and since then, i have been eager for antoher one. today, i bought a brisket at wal-mart (you don't want to know the price of the local stuff), and will be cooking it this weekend on the SnP.
first, i started a thread in order to get y'all's opinion on the three best flavors that, when together, compliment beef. here's the link if you would like to provide an answer:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...881#post310881
next - this brisket is 7.38 lbs. and appears to be cut from the flat; it is well-trimmed with a little fat on the bottom and a full fat cap on top that looks to be 1/4 inc deep. it does seem to be slightly thicker at one end than the other.
for my first solo brisket, i didn't want to get the whole big packer thing as they are rather expensive up here - as it was, this was 1.86$ per pound - just out of curiosity, is that considered a good, not-on-sale price?
it was sold not frozen and i figure it will hold fine until this weekend. the date on it says it is all good until 12JUN09. if anyone thinks i should toss it in the freezer and then take it out the night before the actual smoke, say so now, but as of this point i see no reason to do that.
next - this brisket will be slow-smoked on my brinkmann SnP. the pit has the "rotissierie holes" in the ends plugged and also has a chimney exhaust extension down into the smoking chamber terminatiing just above the grate - other mods are forthcoming but wil not be in place this weekend.
i plan on using hickory but also have apple available. i would love to try cherry but i don't have any right now - might get some if i remember to. i get good prices on wood chips for my little chief in cherry, alder, apple and hickory. the only catch is that the cherry, apple and hickory are blended with alder, but i don't see that hurting anything and could in fact mellow things quite well if i decide to do it.
i bought a wire-probe thermomenter for 14$ at wal-mart when i got the brisket, and am thinking that 190 will be a good target temperature. once again, if anyone thinks otherwise, please let me know.
my choice of rub, mop and glaze/finishing sauce (if any) will be made after bouncing a few ideas around.
as far as a rub goes, if i can't think of anything otherwise, i currently plan on using a mixture of garlic and onion powder, red pepper flakes, worcestershire pepper, cumin and paprika. note thelack of salt and sugar - also note the lack of proportions or amounts of each ingredient. need to come up with that!
as far as a mop/basting sauce goes - i am not sure yet, but barring any better ideas, i do believe that my normal dr. pepper/low-sodium soy sauce/olive oil mop might do very well, if i choose to use one at all. several times as i ahve used this mop, i've thought to myself how good it would also work for beef. i might also add some worcestershire sauce, but that is an idea that i haven't fully developed, yet.
finishing sauce, glaze, table sauce - i don't know aything about this, but i would like to think of something that has some sort of tomato base. for my recent beef ribs, i used a ketchup/brown sugar/vider vinegar glaze that i applied the last 30 minutes or so of cooking. this worked very well and resulted in a nice look and flavor. barring any better ideas, i may try that again, perhaps subbing red wine or red wine vinegar for the apple cider vinegar.
that's about all the preliminary info i can think of to give - i would now like to throw the topic open for thoughts, suggestions, opinions and any other ramblings. i am prepaed to take all seriously but am also prepared to go completely solo if i have to!