I've smoked gobs and gobs of ribs, butts, turkeys, etc. over the past 20 years, but never a beef brisket. I'm planning on brisket for my birthday dinner this Sunday. My smoker is an offset masonry stick burner that works very well.
Cook time - From reading other posts and recipes, it seems to me that I need to plan on a cook time of anywhere between about 12 and 16 hours. My guess is that is about as close as one can pin cook time down. Correct? So, if I plan to eat at 4 PM Sunday, I need to put the brisket into the smoker no later than 10 PM Saturday (to allow a two-hour standing time in cooler) - correct?
Brining - I've not read that anyone ever brines brisket. Is that correct?
And the BIG question: Wrap or not wrap? Seems most tales of brisket smoking include some time cooking in a wrap. I don't know if baby-back ribs translate well to brisket, but I have smoked ribs both ways (wrapped and unwrapped) many, many times and I don't wrap anymore at all. They are good when I wrap them, but no better - I actually prefer them unwrapped. Again, I don't know if that has any meaning for my brisket preparation preference, but thought I would throw that out there. I always keep one or two large trays of water bubbling below my ribs, and can do the same with the brisket.
Do most folks wrap their brisket when smoking? Do I risk having a dry brisket if I do not wrap? If I do wrap, I'd like to try the paper that Jeff refers to in his brisket recipe - "USDA approved natural brown (or pink) paper" - where can one find paper like that?
And if I do wrap once the brisket gets to 160 degrees as Jeff suggests, does it stay in the wrap until completely done?
Gonna make baked beans and potato salad all from scratch to go with it. Am I missing anything?
Wish me luck - I'll need it!!! Thanks for any input.
Cook time - From reading other posts and recipes, it seems to me that I need to plan on a cook time of anywhere between about 12 and 16 hours. My guess is that is about as close as one can pin cook time down. Correct? So, if I plan to eat at 4 PM Sunday, I need to put the brisket into the smoker no later than 10 PM Saturday (to allow a two-hour standing time in cooler) - correct?
Brining - I've not read that anyone ever brines brisket. Is that correct?
And the BIG question: Wrap or not wrap? Seems most tales of brisket smoking include some time cooking in a wrap. I don't know if baby-back ribs translate well to brisket, but I have smoked ribs both ways (wrapped and unwrapped) many, many times and I don't wrap anymore at all. They are good when I wrap them, but no better - I actually prefer them unwrapped. Again, I don't know if that has any meaning for my brisket preparation preference, but thought I would throw that out there. I always keep one or two large trays of water bubbling below my ribs, and can do the same with the brisket.
Do most folks wrap their brisket when smoking? Do I risk having a dry brisket if I do not wrap? If I do wrap, I'd like to try the paper that Jeff refers to in his brisket recipe - "USDA approved natural brown (or pink) paper" - where can one find paper like that?
And if I do wrap once the brisket gets to 160 degrees as Jeff suggests, does it stay in the wrap until completely done?
Gonna make baked beans and potato salad all from scratch to go with it. Am I missing anything?
Wish me luck - I'll need it!!! Thanks for any input.