Yesterday/last night I smoked a small brisket (point end) on my mini. The results were good. I used my Dad's dry rub recipe, which serves me well on just about everything, and it didn't disappoint me this time either. I did learn a couple of things though. First, if the forecast calls for significant winds (~20 in this case) go stock up on charcoal before the smoke. No matter how much you already have on hand. Second, if you do get to within 10 degrees of target IT and the last of your charcoal burns burns out, finishing it in the oven doesn't hurt it at all by that point.
I put the brisket on at about 4:30 p.m, which was later than I wanted. It weighed less than 5 lbs, so I figured I should be done between 11p.m. and midnight. I was targeting 190* IT, and at about 10 p.m. the IT was at 180. Then the smoker temp started going down and I knew what that meant. The wind was howling, and I'll bet my fuel burn rate was twice what it normally is. I had scraped together every partial bag of briquettes and lump I could find in the garage, holding out hope that I would make it to 190 before the coals went out. So, when I knew I was out of smoker fuel, I pulled the brisket, put it in a roasting pan under foil, and put it in the oven to finish it up. Just after midnight it was done, and this time rather than wrapping it and putting it in an insulated cooler, I just turned the oven off and left it in there for a couple of hours. It turned out really tender. I'm still getting the hang of briskets, some of it sliced well, and some of it just fell apart. Either way, snacking on brisket in the wee hours of the morning is a pretty good way to start the weekend.
Brushed with mustard and ready for the rub.
Rubbed, wrapped, and waiting...
Loading on the Mini...
Off the smoker, and into the oven - stupid wind!
Done. Fit to eat.
By the way, if you haven't purchased Jeff's BBQ Sauce recipe yet, I highly recommend it - along with his dry rub! They are definitely worth it. I made a batch of his BBQ sauce last night (when I wasn't throwing insane amounts of charcoal into the windswept Mini).
I put the brisket on at about 4:30 p.m, which was later than I wanted. It weighed less than 5 lbs, so I figured I should be done between 11p.m. and midnight. I was targeting 190* IT, and at about 10 p.m. the IT was at 180. Then the smoker temp started going down and I knew what that meant. The wind was howling, and I'll bet my fuel burn rate was twice what it normally is. I had scraped together every partial bag of briquettes and lump I could find in the garage, holding out hope that I would make it to 190 before the coals went out. So, when I knew I was out of smoker fuel, I pulled the brisket, put it in a roasting pan under foil, and put it in the oven to finish it up. Just after midnight it was done, and this time rather than wrapping it and putting it in an insulated cooler, I just turned the oven off and left it in there for a couple of hours. It turned out really tender. I'm still getting the hang of briskets, some of it sliced well, and some of it just fell apart. Either way, snacking on brisket in the wee hours of the morning is a pretty good way to start the weekend.
Brushed with mustard and ready for the rub.
Rubbed, wrapped, and waiting...
Loading on the Mini...
Off the smoker, and into the oven - stupid wind!
Done. Fit to eat.
By the way, if you haven't purchased Jeff's BBQ Sauce recipe yet, I highly recommend it - along with his dry rub! They are definitely worth it. I made a batch of his BBQ sauce last night (when I wasn't throwing insane amounts of charcoal into the windswept Mini).
