Brisket - Kettle Style

[gmc2003]

Well I'm not usually a big fan of tag-along threads, but I thought I'd try one and see how it goes.

The journey starts out at about 8:00 am. The sky is blue and the ambient temp is sizzling 58*. I got the 26" kettle out along with the SnS. A couple good sized chunks of hickory are providing the smoke flavor. This is going to be an interesting day. As we're watching the grandson today, and my daughter is flying up for a visit from Georgia this evening. Since she's coming up our trip down has been postponed until next year.

The victim a 15.45 pd. full packer. I did some trimming. The meat side is rubbed down with Jeff's Original, and the Fat cap side with Mo Casons Brisket rub. I didn't have enough of Jeff's for both sides.

Meat side rubbed down inside the house:

Fat cap up and on the Kettle:

Utilizing the beer pole:

and the fat cap rubbed:

I'll update in a few hours.

Chris

 

[JLeonard]

Trying to convince myself ( err....I mean wife) that I need a 26 in Kettle. Maybe if I show her this pic she'll sway my way.
In for the updates.

Jim

 

[gmc2003]

Cruising along at steady 290*.

Trying to convince myself ( err....I mean wife) that I need a 26 in Kettle. Maybe if I show her this pic she'll sway my way.
In for the updates.

Jim

The 26" is a game changer. My 22" gets used for all high heat cooks, and the 26" for smoking and when more real-estate is needed. You could always try subliminal messaging to sway her.

Chris

 

[smokerjim]

Looking good Chris

 

[chopsaw]

Looks good . That 26 is a brisket smoking machine .

 

[gmc2003]

At roughly the 3 hr. mark. Temps are 133 in the point and 140 at the flat.

Chris

 

[gmc2003]

Looking good Chris

Thanks Jim,

Looks good . That 26 is a brisket smoking machine .

Appreciate it Rich. Couldn't agree more. I've only made one small adj. because of the wind so far, and it's still humming along around 290*

Chris

 

[chopsaw]

humming along around 290*

That's the trick to using kettles for smoking . Let it run where it wants , and know how much fuel it takes to do that .

 

[sawhorseray]

In for the ride Chris, lookin' good so far! Great to see the 26" getting a workout, mine sits in the shed with a cover on it. All I do with brisket is grind for burgers, too much meat for just me, too much time variance for company. RAY

 

[gmc2003]

Update: about 5.5 hrs into the cook. Temps in the flat and point have evened out. Between 159 and 163*. A little over 1/2 the charcoal in the SnS has been used. Time to sit it on a rack in a disposable pan and cover. Wrapping juices are beef broth, sliced carrots and onion. Refilling the SnS with more charcoal. Opening up the vents a tad and am hoping to let her rip at 325* for a spell.

Here she is just before wrapping.

 

[gmc2003]

In for the ride Chris, lookin' good so far! Great to see the 26" getting a workout, mine sits in the shed with a cover on it. All I do with brisket is grind for burgers, too much meat for just me, too much time variance for company. RAY

Thanks Ray. Normally it's just the wife and I so most of the briskets(insert larger cuts of meat here) get portioned out and vacuum sealed for work lunches. With the daughter flying in tonight and depending on what time the son picks up the grandkid. I may not have much left on this one.

That's the trick to using kettles for smoking . Let it run where it wants , and know how much fuel it takes to do that .

Appreciate it Rich. They all have their sweet spot, and once you know where it is --- Your Golden.

Chris

 

[SmokinEdge]

That’s some great color Chris. You using any wood chunks or just coals?

 

[gmc2003]

That’s some great color Chris. You using any wood chunks or just coals?

Thanks Edge, a couple of good sized hickory chunks were buried in the coals. While it's wrapped nothing, but I'll add another chunk when it goes streaking later on.

Chris

 

[gmc2003]

Well I just gave it looksie and I overshot my tgt. of 325* I'm up around 380*. I'm not to worried about the higher temp, but I did make a small adj. to bring it down a smidge.

 

[JLeonard]

Looking great!

Jim

 

[Brokenhandle]

Looking good! That 26 definitely gives you some real estate

Ryan

 

[DougE]

Looks fantastic so far, Chris. In for the finish.

 

[gmc2003]

Last update until I pull it. Current internal brisket temp. is 200ish* in both flat and point, Probing isn't quite there yet(real close). Grill temp is slowly dying. Vents have been opened up to almost halfway and I am holding at 230*(for the time being). I'm not adding any fresh briquettes, and am going to ride these coals out. Total briquettes used not quite a half a bag of KBB.

Brisket removed from the wrap:

...and the juice cooling down so I can put it into the fridge to defat.

Chris

Edit: this post was the 6:00 update. It was delayed by my son picking up the grandkid.

 

[gmc2003]

Looking great!

Jim

Thanks Jim.

Looking good! That 26 definitely gives you some real estate

Ryan

Thanks Ryan, That extra space sure comes in handy at times.

Looks fantastic so far, Chris. In for the finish.

Appreciate it Doug, I'm not a brisket expert, but this one appears to be doing what it's supposed to.

Chris

 

[DougE]

Thanks Jim.

Thanks Ryan, That extra space sure comes in handy at times.

Appreciate it Doug, I'm not a brisket expert, but this one appears to be doing what it's supposed to.

Chris

You know your way around the kettle well, and it will turn out delicious, I'm sure.

My daddy had a saying about experts. He didn't originate it, though. .... "An expert is someone who comes know more and more about less and less until they know nothing about anything".