Yet another brisket thread...on the smaller side though

[h22lude]

I'm going to be doing my first brisket tomorrow.  I want it to be ready during half time for the second games which is why I was thinking of doing a smaller brisket...maybe around 4 pounds.  I haven't bought it yet but I want to get something with some fat to keep it moist.

My plan is a 4 pound brisket rubbed tonight with paprika, pepper, salt, sugar, chili powder and cumin.  Let that sit over night in my fridge.  Tomorrow morning preheat my MES30 to 225 with hickory.  Drop the temp to 180 and put the brisket on the top rack and put a pan on the rack below to catch the drippings.  I figure this would be better at first so the smoke can get the bottom too.  Once the temp reaches 165 or so I will put the brisket in the pan with the drippings and cover with tin foil until it gets to about 195.  I'll pull it and let it sit for 30 minutes covered in a towel.  While that is sitting I am going to put the drippings in the fridge so the fat separates and I can use what is leftover as a gravy.  I'm hoping this takes about 8 hours (2 hours per pound on low).

If I can't find one with a good amount of fat on it I'm going to get some bacon and lay it on top to act as the fat.

Would you guys recommend me doing anything different for this smaller brisket?

 

[s2k9k]

Sounds like a good plan but I wouldn't drop the temp, keep it up around 225* the whole time.

You probably won't get a lot of dripping and they will probably burn to the pan. You should try Chef JimmyJ's Smokey Au Jus. It's real easy and comes out wonderful!

ChefJimmy’s Au Jus

1- Lg Onion,

4-5 Carrots,

3-4 Ribs Celery

3-4 Peeled Cloves of Garlic

Toss them in a pan under the Beef, and let the whole deal Smoke for one hour, 

THEN  add 4-6 Cups Beef Broth,

2 Tbs Tomato Paste,

1/2tsp Dry Thyme (4-5 sprigs Fresh)

1-2 ea Bayleaf

Finish the Smoking process to the IT you want.

While the Roast is resting, dump the pan juices veggies and all into a 2-3Qt Sauce pot and add 1Cup Red Wine, something you like to drink, and bring the Jus to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Strain out the veggies and let the Jus rest a minute or so for the Fat to rise. Skim off the bulk of the fat then using strips of paper towel laid on top of the Jus then quickly removed, take off the last little bit of fat.

The purpose of Smoking the Vegetable for 1 hour before adding the Broth and Herbs is...The Smoked vegetables Roast in the Dry heat concentrating their Flavors and Sweetness giving the finished Jus a Richer, Deeper, Full Flavor. 

Serve the sliced Beef Au Jus or thicken the Jus to make Gravy

 

[h22lude]

It won't dry out at the high temp?

Is the pan for that au jus on the rack below the brisket or is the brisket in that pan?

Will the drippings burn because I'm doing a smaller brisket or will all briskets not create a lot of drippings?

 

[s2k9k]

It won't dry out at the high temp? 225* isn't really a very high temp and no it won't dry it out.

Is the pan for that au jus on the rack below the brisket or is the brisket in that pan? On the rack below the brisket so it can catch the drippings.

Will the drippings burn because I'm doing a smaller brisket or will all briskets not create a lot of drippings? Being a smaller brisket i don't think it will have enough drippings for what you are wanting to do with them. The drippings will burn if they are just dripping into a dry pan. I assumed from what you wrote that you weren't putting anything in the pan.

 

[h22lude]

Awesome, thanks.

No my original plan I wasn't going to put anything into the pan but now I will try that recipe.

 

[h22lude]

Ok so I went to my local market and asked the butcher for a 4 pound beef brisket.  He brought it out and I paid for it.  I just got home to spice it and noticed he gave me corned beef brisket.  What can I do to save this?  Could I soak in ice cold water for a few hours to try and remove some of the salt brine?  I really don't feel like driving back there to tell the butcher what happened and get a non corned beef brisket.

Worse comes to worse I'll just make pastrami sandwiches instead of beef brisket with au jus lol