BRISKET FLAT, MY WAY

[GaryHibbert]

Great Step-by-Step Al.
POINT
Gary

 

[SmokinAl]

Thanks Al...I have been hit and miss with the flats. Your method really sounds like a winner, will use your method on the next flat. Question...with the onion soup and the onions on top, did the meat taste a bit stronger on the onion flavor?
Thanks again!!

No it didn't give it a strong onion flavor, as a matter of fact if your worried about using the onion soup, then just substitute beef stock. But I just think the onion soup adds to the flavor, but it certainly doesn't overpower the taste of the beef!
Al

i like how you use the foil pan because it's probably a lot easier clean up in addition to capturing the juices. but i'm wondering, doesn't the foil pan affect the heat getting to the meat, basically acting as a heat damper?

i'm new here, so sorry if this has been covered a billion times already. i see your smoker temperature probe is sitting to the right of and below the pan. have you tried putting another probe in the pan (but not touching the meat) to see how the temperatures might be different in/around versus out of the pan?

The only probe that I'm using is the one in the meat. I have 3 pit temp gauges on the smoker & they all are about the same temp. I put the brisket in the pan fat side down so that the smoke & bark form on the other 3 sides. I really never cared whether the temp in the pan was different than just on the grate, but I'm sure that it is pretty close. I would think the bottom of the pan would heat up & be at about the same temp as the rest of the smoker. My smoker is a reverse flow so the heat is coming from the bottom, so the pan & the fat on the bottom of the brisket keep the meat moist by protecting it from the heat. I hope I answered your question.
Al

Great Step-by-Step Al.
POINT
Gary

Thanks Gary!!

 

[banderson7474]

Man why didn't I take the time to read this before last weekend?!!! I tried a flat after about 5 years of staying away from brisket. Even though I did better than last time, it was far from great.

I injected with beef broth and used SPOG rub. My major problem was I had a bad probe. I thought I hit 165 IT and wrapped it with butcher paper and when I put the probe back in, it read 145. Then it stayed there for hours. At first I thought I hit a stall but once it was going up to 148 then dropping I figured something was wrong.

The other thing is it's so hot here in Bama that when I put on a split, my temp was spiking pretty high. I like to keep my Joe between 230-280 but I went over 300 a few times. I was spritzing it every hour before I wrapped it but that turned out not enough.

When I thought it was done, it did probe really well so I thought I was doing okay. I put it in a cooler and let it rest for an hour and when I went to slice it had already tightened up. The edges were pretty burnt too. I saved it mostly by putting it in a slow cooker with more beef broth for an hour but still I was disappointed in my results.

Next time, I'm def going to put it in a pan with liquid like Al's recipe. I think for the first time, I'm going to put a pan of water in there too. I think my heat just flares too much when it's this hot in the summer.

I'm going to try again real soon. I ordered new probes and just got them so I need to test them. Oh yea, after everything was done, I did the boil test on my probes and my meat probe was 30-40 degrees off. That sure didn't help things. I can't blame it totally on that b/c I used my insta read therm and was right around 200 when I started probing but it was frustrating.

 

[banderson7474]

oh btw, I still have some leftover and I used it on nachos last night and it was delish. I just don't want to have to save it next time.

 

[SmokinAl]

Hey Brad,
I think you will be happy with the results if you follow this method.
It has worked every time for me.
And IMHO a water pan by the firebox is a must!!
Al

 

[hoity toit]

Great job AL., I always use a foil water pan in my offset smoker too. keeps things moist and helps to develop the smoke ring everyone likes to see. I just use plain water and do not baste or turn the brisket. I put the water pan closest to the fire box and the meat direct on the grate beside the pan.

HT

 

[SmokinAl]

Great job AL., I always use a foil water pan in my offset smoker too. keeps things moist and helps to develop the smoke ring everyone likes to see. I just use plain water and do not baste or turn the brisket. I put the water pan closest to the fire box and the meat direct on the grate beside the pan.

HT

I do the same my friend!
It makes a huge difference with the side to side temps.
My side to side is within 2-3 degrees, and sometimes exactly the same!
Before the water pan it would vary about 20 degrees.

Al

 

[undy]

Al I started another thread that I sent to you but this is exactly what I was looking for as I am attempting my first. THANKS!

Bob

 

[SmokinAl]

Al I started another thread that I sent to you but this is exactly what I was looking for as I am attempting my first. THANKS!

Bob

Good luck Bob!
I'm sure it will turn out good!!
Al

 

[undy]

I have a traeger pellet grill, do you think I need to add a water bin? Also I see in the picture you had montreal steak seasoning do you use that at all in this process?

 

[SmokinAl]

I have a traeger pellet grill, do you think I need to add a water bin? Also I see in the picture you had montreal steak seasoning do you use that at all in this process?

I use a water pan in all my smokers, I think it helps get more smoke on the meat & keep it moist. And in my case it evens out the side to side temps in the Lang. And yes the rub on the brisket that I used was Montreal steak seasoning.
Al

 

[undy]

I use a water pan in all my smokers, I think it helps get more smoke on the meat & keep it moist. And in my case it evens out the side to side temps in the Lang. And yes the rub on the brisket that I used was Montreal steak seasoning.
Al

Brisket was nice and tender, I put way too much rub on it as it was too salty for me. Still thanks for your help, still made some great hero's. Can't wait to try my next one

 

[SmokinAl]

Brisket was nice and tender, I put way too much rub on it as it was too salty for me. Still thanks for your help, still made some great hero's. Can't wait to try my next one

Thanks!
It gets easier each time!
We don't use much salt here either, & MSS does have a lot of salt in it.
Next time just try cracked black pepper, garlic, & onion powder.
Skip the salt.
Al

 

[undy]

Will do. I wanted to smoke another right away as meat came out great besides the salt. I threw some apricot bbq sauce on it and it dulled most of the salt. Maybe this weekend

 

[HHYak]

Thanks for the tutorial Al! I found this thread after I picked up this little guy at the store. Never done brisket before. Is this the right cut for this tutorial? It has a thick layer of fat on the bottom. Any criticism of meat selection is welcomed.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for the tutorial Al! I found this thread after I picked up this little guy at the store. Never done brisket before. Is this the right cut for this tutorial? It has a thick layer of fat on the bottom. Any criticism of meat selection is welcomed. View attachment 402580

If you're looking to get about a 2 pound Brisket Flat, it appears as though you got one.

Bear

 

[HHYak]

Thanks for the confirmation on the cut Bear. I can’t get anyone around here who knows what they are talking about. The guy I asked kept insisting that it was indeed a whole brisket since “that’s what it says on the package” and he had no idea what a flat is.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for the confirmation on the cut Bear. I can’t get anyone around here who knows what they are talking about. The guy I asked kept insisting that it was indeed a whole brisket since “that’s what it says on the package” and he had no idea what a flat is.

Well You could say it is a "Whole" Brisket Flat, but it's not a "Whole Brisket".

Kinda strange it doesn't say "Brisket Flat" on your package.

Bear

 

[SmokinAl]

Thanks for the tutorial Al! I found this thread after I picked up this little guy at the store. Never done brisket before. Is this the right cut for this tutorial? It has a thick layer of fat on the bottom. Any criticism of meat selection is welcomed. View attachment 402580

It sure looks like a flat to me & it's the perfect size to give my method a shot. If it has a fat cap on it, then I would keep it on & score it in a cross hatch pattern & cook it fat side down. The fat will render & add to the pan juices.
Al

 

[bpinmi]

Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing!