Brisket Noob

[kingofchimps]

Hello

Second time cooking brisket but this time for friends. Plan is below plus a few questions. Any help will be appreciated. I did read the sticky about temp timing, but not exactly sure of thickness, as it's currently frozen.

Equipment: Camp Chef Woodwind pro with smoke box, oak pellets/chunks and chips, smoke tube (not sure about this, but worth a try)

Meat: 15.5lb untrimmed prime brisket. Will trim later of course. Use fat for tallow.

Schedule: Would like to eat about 5pm. Don't mind if done early, as it can until whenever.

Plan:
-Salt, pepper and maybe some garlic powder for rub. 1-2-1/2 ratio
-Start cook night before at XXX time (based on question below) at 190. Start smoke tube.
-Add wood chunks every 30 minutes for 4-5 hours.
-Raise smoker temp to XXX.
-Sleep.
-Pull at 175 or so (depending on bark), and foil boat. Add some beef tallow. Back on smoker. Raise temp to XXX or leave at above temp? (another question below).
-Pull when probe test is good and leave out to rest down to 160.
-Set smoker to 160 (lowest it goes) and no smoke.
-Put brisket back on until time to slice.

Questions:
-Based on size of trimmed brisket (13lbs-ish?), about what time at night before should I put on?
-After 4 or 5 hours of heavier smoke, should I raise smoker temp then? Or after stall?
-Temperature probe just point or add flat also?

Thanks!

 

[912smoker]

Used a pellet grill this weekend for the first time so no help from me . I understand the low temp of 190 is for adding more smoke flavor but I'm a charcoal guy and run 250-275.
I would guess a 15-16 hr cook and definitely bump the heat when you wrap.
I temp the flat and the point just to give an idea of when to start checking for tenderness. Usually, in my past cooks, 190-197 for a prime cut. 203-205 for choice.
Others will be along to offer better tips.
Good luck and remember to post up some pics!

Keith

 

[Torch&Tone]

Brisket cook times are notoriously variable, even for same-size/shape briskets, but it sounds like you're planning on 24ish(?) hours for the whole process (depending on when and how long you plan to sleep?) which is likely more than generous. I don't know how much extra smoke flavor you will notice using the wood chunks for 4-5hrs AND a smoke tube, but only one way to find out! As long as the smoker performs reasonably consistently at 190, I would think you'd only need to hike the temp once, to help it through the stall and on towards the finish line.

On long cooks, I try to just spot-check temps with an instant-read, at least until near the end (the longer a leave-in probe stays put, the more heat gets channeled into the "core" of the meat, eventually giving misleadingly-high readings and also cooking the meat around the probe a little more) but, until you get a bit more experience with your smoker, it might be worth it to see just how the brisket comes along; two leave-ins would likely be overkill, though. However, I definitely would leave in a probe to monitor just the chamber temp, with a low-temp alarm to wake you up if something has gone wrong (out of pellets, power interruption, etc.)

 

[TexasMuskrat]

The most important step is making sure the brisket hits 140 IT in 4 hrs. This is the make sure you get the meat to 140 as fast as possible to not have bacteria start to develop. I smoke my brisket between 225 to 250. I have had a 15 lb brisket finish in 10 hours and a 10 lb brisket take as long as 18 hours. You can always wrap the brisket in foil to speed/crutch the cooking time. I tend to do this once my bark is at the color I like and the IT is 165 to 175. I put a probe in both ends of my brisket but only start testing for probe tender when the point hits 190. I have had some probe tender at 195 and others had to run to 208 IT. Hope this helps!

 

[schlotz]

Highly recommend you run for the first two hours on high smoke ie 190-200° then bump right to 275°. Make sure your grate temp is 275°, don’t rely on the smoker therm. I’m going to guess the trimmed weight will be closer to 12lbs. Weigh the trim and subtract from the sticker. From a timing perspective I would use 65-70 minutes per pound of trimmed weight then add 4 hours. This will cover the variables. If it gets done early, no problem. Once probe tender pull and rest open on the counter until the IT drops 5-8° to ensure the cooking has ceased. Afterwards wrap and place in a cooler with towels. Keep a reporting thermometer in the brisket so you can monitor the IT. You want it to remain at or above 150° for food safety.

Place the temp probe in the thickest part of the flat. Based on the above I would start the smoke at midnight. Over night smokes require a reporting thermometer which can set off an alarm on your phone that will actually wake you if the grate temp drops. Never do an over night smoke without one. Can’t tell you how many reports we’ve read here about someone’s smoker going out only to discover it in the morning.

 

[kingofchimps]

Excellent info. Thanks everyone! Will post results next week

 

[q3131a]

Sounded like a good plan. How did it turn out?

 

[kingofchimps]

Sounded like a good plan. How did it turn out?

Just back from vacation...

Started at 190 for first three hours. Fed Woodwind smoke box 3 times during, and one last one at the 3 hour mark. Bumped temp to 225. Smoke tube ended up not catching - it was 1230am and wasn't able to check after leaving. Have better idea (torch) to start next cook.

Pulled off at 175 and wrapped in butcher paper. I wimped on the foil boat, BUT .... more on that below. Back on smoker.

Tested at 202 and point was perfect, but in hind site, the flat may have either been overdone, or under. Don't like testing through the butcher paper.

Let it come down to about 165, then back on smoker set to 160. I also opened the rear vents a bit, so smoker was running 150-165 during rest. Rested about 8 hours and sliced.

The point was very good, but the flat looked and felt a *little* dry. Wasn't as bad when actually eating. Smoke was there. Overall happy with cook and guests liked a lot.

I just got another stunt brisket to try the foil boat with. Going on tomorrow evening. I'm HOOKED!

THANK YOU all for the tips. I'll play around with some of the others ideas I didn't try.

 

[Chasdev]

A lot of it comes down to your choices at the grocery store.
Only buy the ones with the most flop and the most fat showing in the muscle.
I would rather buy a non or select graded brisket that flops like a properly cooked rack of baby backs than a prime that is stiff.

 

[cliffcarter]

Sounds like you did well. How about a picture or two?

 

[kingofchimps]

Sounds like you did well. How about a picture or two?

Doh! Forgot to take any but will post something from tonight's cook

 

[kingofchimps]

Sounds like you did well. How about a picture or two?

I believe this is going to be very good.

Point poked like butter at 195. Flat was close. Let it go to 200 and seems perfect.
I'll know for sure in 6 or 7 hours. I want it now!

Could've shaved the hump down a bit more to keep from pooling, but no matter.