First Brisket - SUPERBOWL SUNDAY - Need advice

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durango155

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 13, 2012
9
10
Phoenix, Arizona
newbie here, trying to smoke my first brisket on superbowl sunday to serve as one of the meats at our party.  I have never made a smoked brisket before but I am experienced smoking ribs.  I have already purchased a 5.8 lb brisket from Costco which looks to be the "flat" i believe as it's not very thick.  Can one of the seasoned vets point me in the direction of the easiest no fail reciepe?  I am looking to get tender smoked brisket to serve on small rolls with just a hint of bbq sauce.

Thanks in advance for your help for a newb
 
I like to put a rub to mine the night before a smoke.  Preheat smoker to 225-240°.  Since you have a flat which is going to be more lean than a packer, you may even want to inject it before smoking.  Take it to 165°. double wrap with heavy duty foil adding in some liquid (apple juice and rum?).  Let the internal temp rise to 195° for slicing or 205° for pulling.  Wrap in some old towels, place in a cooler for a couple of hours and enjoy.  Good luck.
 
I'm pretty sure it's a flat, it's 5.8 lbs but not more than 2-4 inches thick...yeah trying to get tender so I am obviously worried about drying this thing out
 
actually it's comes to more of a point...it was the standard cut at costco if anyone could help me out.  Either way...I need to go low and slow.  5.8 lbs so any guess on how long I should expect to cook it.  Game starts at 4:30 and would like the food ready to serve by then.

thanks
 
It will probably take between 9 and 12 hours to cook at 225. The ones costco sells in that weight are flats. You can do it early and hold the meat for up to 4 hours foiled and wrapped in towels in a cooler.
 
Keep your temperature between 200 and 215 in the smoker.  Being that it's a flat you want to stay really low on your heat or you will dry it out.  Expect it to stay in the smoker 7 to 8 hours being that it's only 5.8 lbs.  In my experience pull it out no lower than 190 and no higher than 200.  See, even when you pull it out of the smoker the meat temp will still rise for a short time.  FTC for another hour or so.  I think you'll have the perfect texture. 

Good Luck and Happy Smokin,

Smoke

For a backup, throw in an eight pound pork butt for 11 or 12 hours.  Those are more forgiving.
 
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We foil them at 165, then take them to 205. Tender every time. A good way to tell if they are done is to stick a toothpick in & it should go in without any resistance. I would start it early, figure on about 2 hours per pound at 210-220. If it gets done early it will stay hot wrapped in foil & towels in a dry cooler for several hours.
 
It will probably take between 9 and 12 hours to cook at 225. The ones costco sells in that weight are flats. You can do it early and hold the meat for up to 4 hours foiled and wrapped in towels in a cooler.


 But don't be surprised if it is done in 6 to 8. I had one do that to me one time.
 
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I like to put a rub to mine the night before a smoke.  Preheat smoker to 225-240°.  Since you have a flat which is going to be more lean than a packer, you may even want to inject it before smoking.  Take it to 165°. double wrap with heavy duty foil adding in some liquid (apple juice and rum?).  Let the internal temp rise to 195° for slicing or 205° for pulling.  Wrap in some old towels, place in a cooler for a couple of hours and enjoy.  Good luck.
Bassman has a winning technique very similar to what I do and it is consistant every time.  You can start early and hold it in a coooler packed in towels for hours.
 
I am going to have to try your technique wrapping in foil at 165 etc.  We did a couple of briskets and they just seemed I know don't know little on the dry side not very tender, we just didn't care for them.  Then we got hooked on bottom sirloin/tri tip and have not done brisket since.
 
Interesting. I have never tried the foil at 165, I may give non packers a try again doing them this way, I was less then happy with them being more dry then the packers. 

EDIT;

I forgot to mention figure 2 hours per pound and add 2 hours. As others have said wrap in foil, wrap in towels and place in cooler. It will stay above the 140 for several hours. I have transported meat wrapped this way 4 hours away and still been way above 140.
 
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