Brisket advice please

[mdslammer]

Hello,

My first post. Sorry for the newbie question. I have only cooked beef brisket a few times and it was not good.

So any advice how to smoke a 5 lb. brisket would be greatly appreciated. I have some rubs and butchers paper and a smoker.

Having never used butcher paper before, is a bit confusing. Do I smoke the meat for X amount of time and then, wrap the brisket?
Or do I start from rhe beginning then remove for any sauce? I'm spit ballin' here...My apologies.

Any help would be great. Thanks.

Mark

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Sounds like a brisket flat.

BRISKET FLAT, MY WAY

It's no secret that a lot of folks have a problem smoking a small well trimmed brisket flat. I to had my struggles for a while, but a couple of years ago I found this method and have been using it ever since. So I would like to share my method with all of you. If you already are successful...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[JLinza]

If I were in your shoes, I would season with salt and pepper and have my smoker running at least 250⁰. Let the bark set up or at around 160 internal and then wrap in butcher paper. Don't focus on time. Cook to probe tender, should feel like peanut butter. Be sure to let it rest for a bit. The above post is a great guideline too.
Oh, and post pics, when you nail it. . Also, what are you cooking on?

 

[Fueling Around]

This supplements John's JLinza great instructions.
I smoke my brisket in a pan similar to SmokinAl
I like to collect the natural juice from the meat and fat.
I leave a decent amount of fat on the meat but cross hatch so as the fat renders it opens up the meat to pick up smoke. Smoke and flip about midway. At the stall, I foil wrap the pan and finish in the oven. Once wrapped or covered your not getting any smoke past the barrier.

Cooking to probe tender is the most important step. I've had brisket ready at 200°. My last one had to go to 210° before it was probe tender.
Second most important is a rest. You can do it on the counter or wrapped in towels and in your cooler. The meat needs to cool and firm up to slice it.

 

[zwiller]

Guys have you covered. Sometimes advice you get is not something you want to hear. Brisket flat is a pretty lean cut and not ideal for making smoked brisket that's why the injecting/pan cook. It is PERFECT to cure as corned beef. I get a whole packer and cut off any fat over say 1/8" thick. Then I simply cut in half then half again. You now have 4 pieces. 1 being mostly flat (lean), 1 being mostly point (fatty) then 2 section of both with seam of fat between. Use flat as corned beef, use point for pastrami (sorry no pic), then use the those center sections as smoked brisket. I think those center sections are much more forgiving to smoke than a flat. Good luck and welcome to SMF!

 

[GatorAGR]

Hello,

My first post. Sorry for the newbie question. I have only cooked beef brisket a few times and it was not good.

So any advice how to smoke a 5 lb. brisket would be greatly appreciated. I have some rubs and butchers paper and a smoker.

Having never used butcher paper before, is a bit confusing. Do I smoke the meat for X amount of time and then, wrap the brisket?
Or do I start from rhe beginning then remove for any sauce? I'm spit ballin' here...My apologies.

Any help would be great. Thanks.

Mark

Looking forward to following along. Good luck!

 

[mdslammer]

If I were in your shoes, I would season with salt and pepper and have my smoker running at least 250⁰. Let the bark set up or at around 160 internal and then wrap in butcher paper. Don't focus on time. Cook to probe tender, should feel like peanut butter. Be sure to let it rest for a bit. The above post is a great guideline too.
Oh, and post pics, when you nail it. . Also, what are you cooking on?

Thank you for your post and advice.
I have an electric smoker purchased from Bass Pro Shops years ago.

 

[mdslammer]

This supplements John's JLinza great instructions.
I smoke my brisket in a pan similar to SmokinAl
I like to collect the natural juice from the meat and fat.
I leave a decent amount of fat on the meat but cross hatch so as the fat renders it opens up the meat to pick up smoke. Smoke and flip about midway. At the stall, I foil wrap the pan and finish in the oven. Once wrapped or covered your not getting any smoke past the barrier.

Cooking to probe tender is the most important step. I've had brisket ready at 200°. My last one had to go to 210° before it was probe tender.
Second most important is a rest. You can do it on the counter or wrapped in towels and in your cooler. The meat needs to cool and firm up to slice it.

Thank you for the post and advice. So, you actually flip the brisket, at the stall. What temp do you call the stall, 160*-170*?

Then cover with foil until 200*-210* ?
Would butcher's paper be a consideration in place of the foil?
Thanks.

 

[mdslammer]

If I were in your shoes, I would season with salt and pepper and have my smoker running at least 250⁰. Let the bark set up or at around 160 internal and then wrap in butcher paper. Don't focus on time. Cook to probe tender, should feel like peanut butter. Be sure to let it rest for a bit. The above post is a great guideline too.
Oh, and post pics, when you nail it. . Also, what are you cooking on?

I forgot to ask. How many hours, ball park, should I need to cook this bad boy? Just so I can plan a serving time accordingly.
Thanks.

 

[JLinza]

I forgot to ask. How many hours, ball park, should I need to cook this bad boy? Just so I can plan a serving time accordingly.
Thanks.

My guess would be anywhere between 5-8 hours?? But my advice would be to start earlier than you think you need to. There are many ways to hold your brisket for several hours before serving. It takes away a lot of stress vs. Trying to pinpoint when you're done. Give a quick search on holding. Lots of good advice has been posted through the years.

 

[sandyut]

If you have a flat (which it sounds like), follow the advice above. Flats can be tricky.

if it will fit in your smoker, I would advise to go with a full packet in the future. they are much easier and have better outcomes, IMO.

 

[Fueling Around]

Thank you for the post and advice. So, you actually flip the brisket, at the stall. What temp do you call the stall, 160*-170*?

Then cover with foil until 200*-210* ?
Would butcher's paper be a consideration in place of the foil?
Thanks.

No I flip the brisket at a guess on time during the smoke so both sides get a decent flavor. I use a riser in the pan so the smoke does circulate some.
With your electric smoker it may be possible to put the meat one a shelf and put a pan below to collect the meat drippings and not have to flip.
Stall is when the meat temps stop rising on a regular basis. If you have a graphing remote thermometer unit you can see the plateau. That's when I foil wrap the meat in the pan and move to the oven until it gets probe tender.
I have never used butcher paper. but as far as I know it stops smoke penetrating the meat.