This was my second brisket on my smoker... So far it has only smoke 2 briskets, 1 small ham, and some KC Strip Steaks.
For this brisket I mainly followed Jeff's latest newsletter about brisket and burnt ends. Here is how it went:
Started with a 11.2 lbs packer brisket
Night before I took it out of the fridge and rinsed the brisket.
Then I rubbed the meat side with mustard.
Then coated with Jeff's Rub recipe (meat only, not on fat cap)
Next day around 6PM
Soaked Hickory wood chips about 30 minutes, pulled brisket out of fridge while wood chips were soaking.
Then added the wood chips to the bottom of my electric smoker. Turned on to high and waited about 20 minutes for the smoker to warm up and smoke to start.
Brisket was longer than my 15" diameter grate so I put it down and folder up the thinner "flat" end of the brisket. Used a metal skewer to hold the meat in that position. (looks like a monster brisket on that grate)
I planned on a 17 hour smoke, with 2 hours at the end to allow the brisket to rest and for making burnt ends.
Tried cooking around 230-240. Newsletter indicated 250. Things cooked faster than expected. I planned on putting the brisket in foil around 11pm and adding beef broth. Newsletter did this around 5 hrs in and at 150 internal temp. I did this at 9:30 (3.5 hrs in) and at an internal temp of 160.
Things progressed somewhat normally except again faster than I planned. At the rate it was cooking I could of had it ready around 4am instead of 11am. So I was continually trying to keep it from getting too hot and turning it down more.
Around 2am I went out to add more water to the water pan (had been doing this about every 2 hours) and after filling the pan I heard a hissing... the broth was leaking out of or over the foil "boat"... wish I found a pan that would have worked...
Drained the broth and fat juices into a large measuring cup, added another layer of foil underneath. Then I re-added the broth... Then when I was trying to scoot it over to put the lid on... the grate somehow slipped up and over making it fall down in the smoker, draining my juices... you can imagine the thoughts and words I had... I decided that if I was going to have to add more broth then I would finish it in the oven. Refoiled, added 2 cups broth, cooked in roasting pan.
Internal temp was still rising faster than desired, so I lowered the oven temp to 200 deg so I could delay it hitting 200 deg internal until sometime between 10 and 11am... worked well. As I got closer to 9:30/10:00 I turned the over back to around 230.
For all that hassle it came out good. At 11:30 I pulled the brisket at 199 degrees internal, separated from juices, foiled and let rest 1/2 hour.
Then pulled the brisket out, slid my gloved hand down the fat seam between the point and flat and removed excess fat with glove.
The brisket was extremely tender, so I had to cut up my burnt ends in about 3" cubes.
Then added more of Jeff's rub...
Rewrapped the flat and put into oven at 190 degrees to hold for a while.
Then put the burnt ends on the grill (per Jeff's #2 option for burnt ends in his newsletter)
Stirred about every 5 mins and added more rub.
Then before last stirring added some of Jeff's sauce... turned until both sides carmelized.
Brisket was so tender that I was slicing 1/2in and more thick slices... still could not get a 'slice'...
Final Pics
I think next time I might go to an internal temp of 190 to try to get more of a slice
Anybody else have one cook much faster than expected?
Burnt ends were excellent... You must try Jeff's methods (grill burnt ends in pan), rub, and sauce.
For this brisket I mainly followed Jeff's latest newsletter about brisket and burnt ends. Here is how it went:
Started with a 11.2 lbs packer brisket
Night before I took it out of the fridge and rinsed the brisket.
Then I rubbed the meat side with mustard.
Then coated with Jeff's Rub recipe (meat only, not on fat cap)
Next day around 6PM
Soaked Hickory wood chips about 30 minutes, pulled brisket out of fridge while wood chips were soaking.
Then added the wood chips to the bottom of my electric smoker. Turned on to high and waited about 20 minutes for the smoker to warm up and smoke to start.
Brisket was longer than my 15" diameter grate so I put it down and folder up the thinner "flat" end of the brisket. Used a metal skewer to hold the meat in that position. (looks like a monster brisket on that grate)
I planned on a 17 hour smoke, with 2 hours at the end to allow the brisket to rest and for making burnt ends.
Tried cooking around 230-240. Newsletter indicated 250. Things cooked faster than expected. I planned on putting the brisket in foil around 11pm and adding beef broth. Newsletter did this around 5 hrs in and at 150 internal temp. I did this at 9:30 (3.5 hrs in) and at an internal temp of 160.
Things progressed somewhat normally except again faster than I planned. At the rate it was cooking I could of had it ready around 4am instead of 11am. So I was continually trying to keep it from getting too hot and turning it down more.
Around 2am I went out to add more water to the water pan (had been doing this about every 2 hours) and after filling the pan I heard a hissing... the broth was leaking out of or over the foil "boat"... wish I found a pan that would have worked...
Drained the broth and fat juices into a large measuring cup, added another layer of foil underneath. Then I re-added the broth... Then when I was trying to scoot it over to put the lid on... the grate somehow slipped up and over making it fall down in the smoker, draining my juices... you can imagine the thoughts and words I had... I decided that if I was going to have to add more broth then I would finish it in the oven. Refoiled, added 2 cups broth, cooked in roasting pan.
Internal temp was still rising faster than desired, so I lowered the oven temp to 200 deg so I could delay it hitting 200 deg internal until sometime between 10 and 11am... worked well. As I got closer to 9:30/10:00 I turned the over back to around 230.
For all that hassle it came out good. At 11:30 I pulled the brisket at 199 degrees internal, separated from juices, foiled and let rest 1/2 hour.
Then pulled the brisket out, slid my gloved hand down the fat seam between the point and flat and removed excess fat with glove.
The brisket was extremely tender, so I had to cut up my burnt ends in about 3" cubes.
Then added more of Jeff's rub...
Rewrapped the flat and put into oven at 190 degrees to hold for a while.
Then put the burnt ends on the grill (per Jeff's #2 option for burnt ends in his newsletter)
Stirred about every 5 mins and added more rub.
Then before last stirring added some of Jeff's sauce... turned until both sides carmelized.
Brisket was so tender that I was slicing 1/2in and more thick slices... still could not get a 'slice'...
Final Pics
I think next time I might go to an internal temp of 190 to try to get more of a slice
Anybody else have one cook much faster than expected?
Burnt ends were excellent... You must try Jeff's methods (grill burnt ends in pan), rub, and sauce.
