First Brisket

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jd huskerfan

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 9, 2009
16
10
Nebraska
I'm going to try my first brisket. It is an 8 lb flat. Rubbed it with Jeff's Rub earlier in the day. Put in on the MES, 225 deg at 1:00 AM. Put a pan with onion, mushroom and apple underneath to catch the juices.

I'm a little nervous after last week's pork butt didn't turn out quite like I wanted. If anybody has suggestions, they will be more than welcome. Should I mop with apple juice periodically?

Any side items, etc that are a "must have" with brisket?

I'll post pictures here tomorrow or Monday.

Thanks everyone.

JD
 
Yes, I would recommend mopping with something periodically. Apple juice works well, as does AJ w/ Captain Morgan.

Just take it slow and don't freak out when it plateaus.
 
As Figjam said, mop or spray every 1/2 to 1 hour. Dutch's Wicked Baked Beans are a must with brisket. Good luck and don't forget the qview.
 
I would mop every hour after the first hour. the better the juice the better the mop. The product called "simply apple" is a great juice, and you find it in the fridge section next to the oj.

I would put water in that pan to create some moisture in the MES.

DO NOT oversmoke. The MES does not have a very high airflow. Less wood chips is better. I typically just throw in a handful at the beginning, and watch the output. Remember thin blue! Keep doing that until the temp of the meat is about 140, then stop, and continue the mop schedule till you take the meat out at 185 for slicing or 200 to 205 for pulling

I dont foil when I do my briskets in the MES. I think I get a better bark out of the MES this way.

Good luck!
 
Iusually run my MES at 250 deg. when doing brisket and mop once an hour after the first 2 hrs.
Heat recovery on the watt burner is slow, slow ,slow.
Open the door as little as possible and be quick.
Good smokes, Bob
 
good luck on the brisket,and I with Rivet beans and tatersalad
 
I decided to do some twice smoked potatoes that I found in the Side Items forum. Dutch's Wicked Beans have been great in the past, so they are on too.

I did put water in the pan...I should have put more water in the pan with the onions, mushrooms, etc. They dried out and are a complete waste.

The brisket stalled at 153 degrees for about 4 hours. It has started climbing again. But may have stalled again at 168.

JD
 
What he said, don't let the temp stall spook ya'.
 
The brisket was very tender. I wish it would have been a little juicier, but I'm sure the water pan and the onion, mushroom, apple pan both evaporating completely had something to do with that. The beans were again excellent. The potatoes were very good also.

Here is the Q-View:

Brisket rubbed and ready to go in the MES with the pan of onion, mushroom, apple:

watch
watch




Brisket at 11 hours during the stall. Potatoes loaded in MES:

watch


Brisket pulled at 5:45, almost 16 hours. Sliced at 6:30:



Plated and ready to eat:
 
Looks pretty good. Try stopping 5 degree's sooner next time, along with keeping moisture in the pan. Not much of a smoke ring on the meat from the MES sometimes translates to lack of moisture.

Just as a helpful hint for easy clean up, foil your water pan, and drip plate. Especially when doing Briskets.
 
Hey no worries on the smoke ring, that's some nice looking brisket. Too bad your water pan ran out though, no worries, I'd still love a platefull and ask for seconds!
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The Brisket looks great. You will improve with practice...
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Lookin good!!!!!!!
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Looks to me like yer gettin the hang of it...Besides, ya get to eat all the mistakes....lol
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