Beef brisket

[macanudo]

I am trying to smoke my first beef brisket tomorrow . Im afraid of overdoing it with the smoke . How many hours of smoke? abey half the cooking time ? I have a cabelas vertical smoker .
thanks

 

[eman]

First ,What wood are you useing for smoke?
Second, If you keep the smoke thin and blue vs thick and white you can smoke the full cooking time.
If you are useing a strong wood like mesquite or hickory you may not to want to go the full time .
I use pecan and apple mix and as long as you have good airflow and keep the TBS. And Smoke till i pull to foil.

 

[mr mac]

Same here, if I use all mesquite or hickory I'll back off on the amount of wood. If it's a mix with a fruit wood then smoke as normal with a steady TBS.

 

[macanudo]

Im using hickory

 

[bman62526]

If you're using hickory...just use a few less chips at the beginning, and only add a few more every so often. Then after the brisket is about half done, you can lay off the wood - or when you go to foil, might be a good time to quit with the wood.

Like the poster said above - just keep the smoke thin, what's coming out of the top vent...if it's white and billowy like a locamotive - back off on the wood!

Also, brisket can take smoke way better than a lot of other cuts...so if you error on the side of a little too much wood, you still should be ok.

 

[macanudo]

When I go to foil ?

 

[meateater]

Soak your wood overnight in water, make's for a better smoke. JMHO

 

[rivet]

Okay, you didn't say what kind of smoker you have and that's the most important part....no worries we can square you away.

Get your unit humming at 250-275F steady.

In the meanwhile, rub your meat with some nice stuff, assuming you already separated the point from the flat. If you didn't that's okay too. You can smoke a full packer easy enough.

Rub it with whatever you like, garlic powder lots of paprika, onion powder, some oregano. Stay away from salt and sugar.....that's important.

Put that hunk of meat onto your smoker and let it be for about 3 or 4 hours. Meanwhile get a squirt gun bottle and fill it with apple juice.

After 4 hrs, open the smoker and squirt that puppy good, then slap that lid back on and forget about it.

Drink beer, rake leaves, sweep the back patio......be productive and stay away from your wife's hair.

After 2 hours, open the lid and temp that puppy as you squirt it more. Yep it is still around 120 or so.....

Close the lid and make sure your fuel maintains the 250-275 heat range.

I cook my briskets at 250-275, but that's just me. You'll hear a lot of howling about otherwise.....but then that's just the flak. If you aren't taking fire, you aren't over the target!

Let that baby smoke on until 155 or so...you'll get that temp. Once you get there....

That's the PLATEAU. Oh hell....that means drink more beer and watch more DVD's.

Eventually (after about an hour or two) the meat temp will stop falling and start rising again. Yes it will fall. Leave it alone. Then when it rises after 2 hours temp it again.. You want at least 180F internal. Keep it in the smoker until it hits at least 170F, then you can foil it and put it on your cold stove to keep warm.

At 165-170F internal you can wrap that baby in foil and leave it be.

Let it cook and you are set. Put that wrapped baby in an oven with the light on for about an hour and you are set for some nice meat.

Then you are set. Soft, easy pulling meat that friends and neighbours will love.

 

[macanudo]

why no salt and sugar

 

[pineywoods]

Heres a link to a basic brisket smoke

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=50979

I use turbinado sugar and kosher salt in my rub along with a bunch of other stuff. I smoke them at 225-250 Personally

 

[rickw]

IMO sugar and beef just doesn't go together. With salt it can dry out the meat. Use salt, if you must, after it is done.

 

[eman]

I don't use added salt except in cure or brine. IMHO beef is better w/ a savory , Spicy rub. I only use sugar on pork and sometimes poultry.
Again, Different strokes for different folks.

 

[macanudo]

It came out great thanks for all the help . Great site !

 

[mballi3011]

I have to agree with Rivet (john) with this one. So re-read his post again and do just what he said. Plus then I don't have to re-type it.

 

[smoking gun]

Where's the Qview? No pics, didn't happen. lol
I love a nice brisket!

 

[triplebq]

Both act to preserve food ( which will make it tough )


see aritcle here

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-salt-...serve-food.htm