Basic Brisket Smoke

[gruelurks]

I'm on the last hour of my cooler resting brisket today. Popped it in at 11 am EST while I was away at my pinball league meeting. (Wifey took care of the chips for me, she knows what to do!)

Will post some qview later tonight!

 

[sprinkle]

The wife and I are having a wine tasting at her store tomorrow at 1pm, Red Zinfandels and BBQ pairing. Sort of under pressure because alot of customers will be there and the timing is my most concern. I have pork dialed in, brisket I am still learning. Marinading the brisket and rubbing the shoulders (2 different ways)I am pretty sure that I will be smoking the meats for a few hours tonight at around 225, then dial down, wrap in foil until I get up around 6 and I will get up at 3 to stoke. I will be doing a combo of woods Apple first, have 2 cherry logs and always have my Bourbon oak planks. Thoughts or opinions? Cheers! Mike

 

[stanq]

Hi Dutch, have you ever cooked authentic South Texas "Pan de Campo" also known as Camp Bread?

There is a festival in San Diego, Texas called Pan de Campo. It is amazing how they can cook with Dutch ovens.

They made it look esay so I gave it a try, forget it, my bread crumbled like corn bread. So I became a taster and not a cooker.

 

[ismoke]

Doing my first brisket tomorrow - I'm planning using a Mr. Brown style rub on it, putting that on tonight, and then throwing it on at about 225. I was thinking about starting on the grates for a couple hours, then in a foil pan, then foiled up to finish.

However, I've never trimmed a brisket before - does everyon trim, or can you do without? FWIW, I don't trim pork butts when I smoke them. Also, can someone post a quick walkthrough of trimming a brisket for me? I'd greatly appreciate it!!

Be on the lookout for Q-view tomorrow!

 

[flyhigh123]

i smoked 2 briskets and both came out a little too soft where it was pulling apart. i want to cook it so that it can be sliced, not too dry.

Last time, i smoked to 165, then foiled to 185 and it was a bit dry and not sliceable... maybe it was the carryover heat?

how about 160 and then foil to 180?

what you guys think?

or 165 and foil to 180?

 

[mjrodney]

The smallish brisket flat (with fat cap) I did yesterday was scored to mark the direction of the grain for future slicing......rubbed with my not so secret beef rub.......smoked to 165.....then double wrapped in HD foil with a little apple juice........and returned to the smoker until it hit 203.

Then the foil package was wrapped with 3 heavy beach towels and placed it in a cooler for 1 1/2 hours.

The result was tough and very chewy.

If I had guests over for dinner, I would not have served it.

Anyone have a clue as to what went wrong?

 

[fatback joe]

What temp did you cook it at?

 

[willkat98]

Maybe your scoring moved?

When doing briskets, I will take 3 toothpicks and insert them "with" the grain on the top.

Note that I use the Fat Cap Down ( <-Click Link ) method in my verticals, so when I say tooth picks "on top" that is the side I can see the grain.

Anyway, the raw meat has the three toothpicks sticking out, roughly in the same line, following the grain.

But after it cooks, the the two on the ends can be both pointing one way, and the middle pointing the other, meaning the grain started out in approximately the same direction, but ended up in more of a "V" grain wise when finished.

I have had briskets contort to all different forms and the only way to track the grain (and therefore adjust my slicing) was to use the toothpicks as a guide.

Was it possible the "scoring" you did got contorted?

Just trying to help.

The best part is you get to try again!!!

Chop the rest of what was left up into small pieces and chuck into the chili pot!!!

 

[mjrodney]

Cooking temp was 235-250.

I will add the toothpick line to my repertoire next time, but the significantly sized and leftover piece of brisket in the refrigerator does appear to match the cut.

One thing I will now take from the Pitmasters television series, is their common refrain...use good meat.

I'm on the hunt for a better supplier.

 

[mama's smoke]

At about what temp will it plateau?

 

[herkysprings]

anywhere from 155+ to 160ish. Once it breaks through 170 you should start seeing a decent steady climb.

Usually. Each hunk of meat is different.

 

[kansasqueball]

Planning on doing my first brisket soon, lot's of good info here.

 

[prncinghrse]

Has anyone tried starting brisket in the oven with rub for the first 6 hours? I could then fire up the Lang the next day and put the butts and briskets in for the same 4 + 2.

Thanks

 

[rp ribking]

This is what I do:

I buy when Briskets are cheap.

I buy a full packer and do not trim any fat off.

I season w/my blend of dry rub and mustard for the BARK.

I put the fat cap up for 3/4 of the smoke with Hickory wood.

The last 1/4 of the smoke I flip over/fat cap down, to save the meat from drying out. This is my THEORY!!

I take it off the WSM at 185* and let it rest in cooler for a couple of hours. 1 time I had 1 in the cooler for 4 hours and it was still hotter than you know what.

I hope this helps.

RP

 

[panhead]

waiting on my brisket to smoke..i started it at 4 am and its coming along quite well...

 

[westsidebbq]

Thanks for the tips. I've been foiling mine, but more based on time than temperature. I'm gonna try it this way to see if I get better results.

 

[sammy4chickens]

Well it looks like everyone has their own little trick to fixing a brisket, so I'm to try and add just a little of each of you and see what happens.................Thanks Guys!

P.S. I'll try to let you know what they thought about it as I'm just cooking it, I don't even get to be there for the finished product; My wife and I will be out of town for our 40th Anniversary that same day.

 

[Bearcarver]

Well it looks like everyone has their own little trick to fixing a brisket, so I'm to try and add just a little of each of you and see what happens.................Thanks Guys!

P.S. I'll try to let you know what they thought about it as I'm just cooking it, I don't even get to be there for the finished product; My wife and I will be out of town for our 40th Anniversary that same day.

Congrats Newlywed Sammy,

Number 42 coming up for us in December.

Bearcarver

 

[eman]

Dang i thought we was old timers . We made 27 yesterday.

 I have made a few briskets and don't think i've ever had one that was dry or tough.

 I love my mes.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

As Dutch stated,"PATIENCE" is the secret to a good Brisket.Figure1.5hrs./lb. and if  that is the onlt thing you are smoking,'KEEP YOUR LID SHUT'

 Otherwise you will lose precious heat and pressure.

Have fun and,