I got a 22.5" WSM a couple weeks ago. So far I have done ribs - twice and a pork butt. For the ribs I used a rub mixture that I got from the VWB website. The butt was seasoned with "Louisiana Fish Fry" cajun seasoning - I use this when I grill chicken - and it was mopped with a mixture of soy sauce and gourmet salt at the 10 hour mark. The second set of ribs I did turned out great using the 3-2-1 method. The butt was great - juicy, tender, and tasty.
When I did the pork butt the WSM held temperature very good. I smoked for 11 1/2 hours and the high was 257 and the low was 244 and I made one adjustment to the vents during the whole cook. So now I have the big head and am going to try my hand at a brisket tomorrow night.
The whole brisket weighs 15.64 pounds. It is in the cry-o-vac package in the frig right now. At first I was going to season with the Louisiana fish fry and add some montreal steak seasoning and salt as well. I have been reading other brisket threads tonight and saw where SmokinAl said he does worchester and the montreal steak seasoning. I love worchester seasoned meats and have decided to try to do mine half and half with the two separate seasonings. Or at least try to do the flat with the LFF and the point with the worchester and MSS.
I was planning on starting the brisket at 10 pm tomorrow night and smoke it at 220. I have the Maverick ET-732 with the pit and food probes, so I will be using that to watch the temperatures.
So some questions I have right now:
1) Has anyone here ever tried to use different seasonings on half or on different parts of a brisket? Does it work?
2) Since this thing is almost 16 pounds should I start at 3 pm so it will be ready sometime Sunday afternoon? Does it really take 1 3/4 hours per pound to cook these things?
3) What is the best wood to use for brisket? I have mesquite, pecan, and hickory chunks. I used pecan both times for the ribs and really liked it. I did hickory with the butt and that was very good also - seemed like a stronger smoke smell and taste than with the pecan. I was thinking of doing maybe a combination of hickory and mesquite for this brisket. Does that sound like a good mixture or something I should not do?
4) Does smoking a brisket for longer periods of time make it more tender? I would like to have it as tender as possible, but I have also read that you should take the meat off when it hits temperature regardless of how long it has been on the smoker.
These are my questions for right now but I am sure I will have more tomorrow if not tonight.
Thanks in advance for any advice you share with a first time brisketeer !!!
When I did the pork butt the WSM held temperature very good. I smoked for 11 1/2 hours and the high was 257 and the low was 244 and I made one adjustment to the vents during the whole cook. So now I have the big head and am going to try my hand at a brisket tomorrow night.
The whole brisket weighs 15.64 pounds. It is in the cry-o-vac package in the frig right now. At first I was going to season with the Louisiana fish fry and add some montreal steak seasoning and salt as well. I have been reading other brisket threads tonight and saw where SmokinAl said he does worchester and the montreal steak seasoning. I love worchester seasoned meats and have decided to try to do mine half and half with the two separate seasonings. Or at least try to do the flat with the LFF and the point with the worchester and MSS.
I was planning on starting the brisket at 10 pm tomorrow night and smoke it at 220. I have the Maverick ET-732 with the pit and food probes, so I will be using that to watch the temperatures.
So some questions I have right now:
1) Has anyone here ever tried to use different seasonings on half or on different parts of a brisket? Does it work?
2) Since this thing is almost 16 pounds should I start at 3 pm so it will be ready sometime Sunday afternoon? Does it really take 1 3/4 hours per pound to cook these things?
3) What is the best wood to use for brisket? I have mesquite, pecan, and hickory chunks. I used pecan both times for the ribs and really liked it. I did hickory with the butt and that was very good also - seemed like a stronger smoke smell and taste than with the pecan. I was thinking of doing maybe a combination of hickory and mesquite for this brisket. Does that sound like a good mixture or something I should not do?
4) Does smoking a brisket for longer periods of time make it more tender? I would like to have it as tender as possible, but I have also read that you should take the meat off when it hits temperature regardless of how long it has been on the smoker.
These are my questions for right now but I am sure I will have more tomorrow if not tonight.
Thanks in advance for any advice you share with a first time brisketeer !!!