Whose got the best prep for their brisket?

needsmetidaho · Dec 19, 2011

I know this is a loaded question. Different part of the county do different things and swear by those meathods. Dry Rub, Wet Rub, No Rub. Marinade, Brine, Inject. Im very interested in who does what. I have tried most of the meathods above with the exception of Injecting. Not even sure if Brisket can be injected.

I would love to hear peoples favorite ways to prep your Brisket. If you want to share the details of your meathod, even better. Please post where you are at in the country when you reply.

Phillip

rbranstner · Dec 19, 2011

Yes brisket can definitely be injected. My favorite way is to inject it the night before and then rub it before it goes into the smoker.

SmokinAl · Dec 19, 2011

I trim my brisket very well taking all the fat & silver skin off. Then coat with EVOO or thick Worcestershire sauce & dust with Montreal steak seasoning. I also do the same thing to the fat I cut off. I don't inject because I like to smoke brisket real low 210 degrees and don't want to have to worry about getting it through the danger zone in 4 hours. I put the brisket & fat in the fridge overnight. Then the next day I put the brisket in the smoker set at 210 on the bottom rack. I put all the trimmed fat on the top rack so it drips on the brisket & bastes it all night while I sleep. I also put a pan under the brisket with beef broth, onions, celery, carrots & garlic cloves. When the brisket is done, the pan juice is the base for my au jus.

needsmetidaho · Dec 19, 2011

Thats very interesting. Though the way you do it sounds more like a roast than a brisket that you use with BBQ sauce. I have an idea. Can you send me some?

I usually trim my briskets completely as well. But it seems that this practice is in the minority here. You said that you put the fat in the rack above and let it drip down on the brisket. Doesnt this accomplish the same as leaving it on? Sounds very interesting. I would not be able to do that since I dont have an upper rack. But its interesting just the same.

Uh, what is EVOO?

Phillip

needsmetidaho · Dec 19, 2011

What do you inject it with?

For turkey, I use Butter, garlic powder, onion powder, and several herbs.

chef jimmyj · Dec 19, 2011

EVOO...Extra Virgin Olive Oil...I go similar to Al,I don't inject because I'm all about the Meat flavor not everything you would inject in, I guess some good Beef Broth or leftover Jus would work. Trimming allows better Smoke penetration and the dripping fat still does the basting...You can render the fat add some rub and Mop since you have only one rack...JJ

alblancher · Dec 19, 2011

I do a simple rub with a combination of smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic and onion powder, maybe a bit of brown sugar and salt Leave it in the fridge overnight

If you notice the fat cap on some briskets is almost an inch thick, you need to take some of that off. I like a quarter inch trim. If you do a packer you can separate the point from the flat after it has been on the smoker for a while.   That way you don't over do the flat and can take the point to a higher temperature.

Use your gloved hand to follow the fat line between the point and the flat and gently pull them apart.

Take the flat to 160 and wrap it in foil. Then return to the smoker and bring to 180. This way you can slice it for serving.    Take the point to 165 or so, cut into 2 inch chunks and wrap with some BBQ sauce. Let it go until the chunks are about cooked through and tender remove thecover and return to the smoke until the BBQ sauce is sticky and the meat is tender

This is the way I do it, there are many great ways to cook a brisket and you will get a lot of great advice.

mballi3011 · Dec 19, 2011

I use a very simple of Old Bay seasoning and brown sugar. Then mix up some of the same mixture with water an inject that into the brisket. Now for the trimming I don't hardly cut anything off maybe just some of the hard fat cap. I let the fat cap melt and run all over the brisket while smoking. Now I have gotten rave reviews on my briskets and have many repeat customers from the catering side also. So don't change a thing.

needsmetidaho · Dec 19, 2011

Good Point on the injector. I like the idea of trimming completely and then letting the fat drip down.

shooterrick · Dec 19, 2011

Well I have never had a prob getting a brisket through the danger zone but I always just cook flats or seperate the point and cook seperate. I inject with beef broth and 2tbs of my rub per cup. I do this the night before after it is rubbed and then to the fridge overnight to marinade. In the morning I hit it again with a dusting of rub and to a 225-250 F smoker. At internal of about 165 I foil and add either apple juice or more broth. I continue to cook to 190F to slice and 205 to pull. I rest in an insulated cooler at least one hour. Reserve the drippings and use as a finishing sauce.

needsmetidaho · Dec 19, 2011

I really look forward to trying some of these suggestions. I see now why my brisket has not been as tender as it should have been. Thanks a lot everyone. If I have the room on my little grill, Im going to experiment. I will put on an untrimmed brisket and leave the fat mostly on and then 1 trimmed with all or most of the fat gone. I think I will inject the one with most or all the fat gone and just rub the other.

If I have a large enough smoker, I would love to try several different meathods at the same time to find out which I like the best. But my little grill wont handle much. Maybe I can get a bigger smoker one of these days.

I want to do some burnt ends as well. Most burnt ends I have seen are the fatty parts of the brisket, which I dont want. I will try cubing like I have saw in here and putting in sauce until it thickens up good.

Now I just need to find a good sauce recipe.

Phillip

sprky · Dec 20, 2011

You all should feel honored my SECRETE brisket recipe is being reveled. SHHHHHHHH lets keep this to ourselves.

Here is how I do my briskets;

Trim fat cap 1/4 -3/8 inch, score fat cap, cover with mustard slather, cover with rub, wrap in saran wrap, place in fridge for at least 12 hours longer if time allows. Re cover with rub, place in 200 – 225 degree smoker, try and maintain 215 degrees, sprits every couple hours after 4. Smoke till IT 190 degrees, Pull, sprits, wrap in HD foil, place in towel lined cooler for couple hours. Slice thin, de-fat drippings and juice in foil, add 1/4 cup beef broth, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp rub, and few shakes chipotle Tabasco sauce, reduce for Ajue. Drizzle Ajue over slices; serve with remaining Ajue on the side.

Mustard Slather

1 – 16 oz bottle cheap yellow mustard

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Rub

1 – Bottle Kroger stake seasoning (size of bottle escapes me, none in cupboard to check. Think its 8 or 12 oz)

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp Beau Monde seasoning (secret ingredient)(leave this out and rub totally changes)

1 Tbsp dry mustard

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 1/2 tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Mix everything together sample, add chipotle chili pepper to adjust heat as needed. I always add 1/2 Tbsp then sample, and go from there.

1/2 - 2 Tbsp chipotle chili pepper (heat varies with each bottle and brand)

Sprits

8 oz Apple Cider (100% Apple juice good substitute)
6 oz Jack Daniel’s (Evan Williams’s good substitute)
4 oz water
2 oz Apple Cider Vinegar

coacher72 · Dec 20, 2011

needsmetidaho,

Here is a BBQ sauce recipe I've used for years. We really like it. It comes out a little thinner than store bought but I think you can use less water to have it come out thicker. The recipe makes a little over a gallon. We can it in mason jars and use it year round. If anything, the recipe can be a good base to tinker with to create one that you like. The recipe came from a county cook book my in-laws bought.

Bar-B-Que Sauce

1 gal Ketchup

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp celery seed

4 tsp bar-b-que spice

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid smoke

1/2 cup of worchestershire sauce

1 tsp salt

1/2 gal of water

1/2 tsp red pepper

1/2 tsp garlic salt

3 cups sugar

1 cup prepared mustard

1/3 cup white distilled vinegar

Mix all ingredients together and bring to a boil but do not boil. (Makes approx. 1 1/2 gal)

Hope you like it.

Steve

smokin vegas · Dec 20, 2011

All these sound great thank you for sharing these recipes!!!

dpeart · Dec 20, 2011

I keep mine simple.

Trim brisket so to about 1/4 inch fat (at most)

Apply rub

4 parts salt

2 parts ground black pepper

1 part cayenne pepper (sometimes up to equal amounts as black pepper, just depends on how spicy I want it)

I use live oak for smoke.

Put on smoker at 225 till done. I don't flip, turn, twist, sweep, vacuum or mop. Just let it cook :)

dave

alelover · Dec 20, 2011

This is what I use.

1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons paprika
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons onion powder
1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon Cavender’s

Good for an 8-10 lb. Brisket

frosty · Dec 20, 2011

Wow, so many wonderful variations. I cannot see anything that seems overboard, or too spicy. Lots of ideas. Taking it all in!

needsmetidaho · Dec 20, 2011

Thanks for the recipe. I will play with it and see what I can do.

I will certainly try this. I have never tried to make my own sauce. Never seems to come out right. Most sauces I have had seem like heart atachs waiting to happen. I have struggled with High Blood pressure due to eating way to much salt when I was younger.

same with Chili. I love Chili, but most chilis I have had and seen have way too much salt in them.

Anyone have a low salt version of BBQ sauce that they want to share?

Phillip

needsmetidaho · Dec 20, 2011

1/3 cup cocoa powder

cocoa powder???

That sounds very weird, but interesting.

atlanta stoves · Dec 23, 2011

New to this forum, however after reading all these suggestions I can't wait to try a few (well maybe several).

Whose got the best prep for their brisket?

Fire Starter

Smoking Guru

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Fire Starter

Fire Starter

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Master of the Pit

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Fire Starter

Master of the Pit

Fire Starter

Master of the Pit

Smoking Fanatic

Smoking Fanatic

Smoke Blower

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Fire Starter

Fire Starter

Newbie

Similar threads

Hot Threads