First Brisket of the year

Thanks Scarbelly.  

I just hit my target temperature, So now it's time to let the meat rest.  I'll get you guys some pics when I carve this thing up for dinner.  I'm definitely better at this than I was last year, thanks largely to you guys.  Based on the smell, and what I've tasted of the drippings, this might be the first time I like my own brisket better than the restaurant stuff.  Considering my first smoke was around this time last year - I'm fairly pleased with my progress.

Of course, the proof is in the pudding, and I shouldn't count my brisket before its hatched.  For all I know, something has gone horribly wrong and I'm about to learn some obscure but valuable lesson about the oxidative properties of cotton as pertains to bovine hemoglobin in the presence of smoke, or folding the brisket is going to screw up my temperature consistency somehow, or I'll just choke and burn the thing because I'm shaking off the rust from a long northwest winter.  

I don't think that's going to be the case, though.

Just in case anyone was wondering, The brisket turned out great.  The fat was so soft that I was able to scrape the cap completely off with a knife.  I could have used a spatula.  I know some people prefer a bit of fat left in the cut, but I'm a bit of a Spratt (I prefer lean meat).  I found the seam for the point on accident, while scraping the fat off the cut - it came off fairly easily and went into the roasting pan with the drippings.  I'm going to skim the fat once it cools and attempt to make some kind of bbq sauce out of the drippings for burnt ends.  If that doesn't quite work, it'll all go into chili beans in the crockpot for a few days.  One way or another, I'll find something to do it.

Once the meat was trimmed and sliced, it was time for the taste test.  When I started smoking a year ago, this was what I wanted to accomplish.  The meat was tender, and the flavor went all the way to the center.  The smoke flavor was bold and it had a bit of spice on it.  Heavily smoked, but without a trace of creosote.  From here on out, there's no excuse to go to a BBQ restaurant - because I've learned how to make it exactly the way I want it.  I'm not on par with you guys yet, but I'm finally putting out results which are unconditionally and irrefutably good.  After a year of 'nearly good' barbecue, it's nice to have finally nailed it.

So, yeah - I'm pretty stoked on the results.  The only downside is I'm going to need a bigger smoker so I can do 4 packers at a time.  

I did get some pictures, and I'll post those after the food coma.

My Flat is warped!



Sliced and ready



No funny business here.  That ring is from smoke - not brine.