Brisket on a MES 30"

[nicholbr]

Looking for a little advice on smoking my first brisket on my smoker.

Looking in the butcher area I could already tell that the brisket would be wider than my smoker could handle and was going to ask how would you handle that.

Thought about trying to cut the brisket in half and then put it on two different shelves. That even gave me more questions like: Should I have them vertical on each rack or offset them? Would I need to check meat probe on both or would probing one give me a good idea of the other.

Just looking to not mess up too much on my first brisket. Any tips would be helpful.

Thanks.

 

[ycastane]

I'm curious as well since I have the same smoker and I wonder the same thing for my first brisket.

 

[little smokey]

I have had a 15lber in my MES 30 and had to bend it a bit and put it in diagonally but I got the whole thing in there and was my best brisket yet.  I refused to cut it and made it work, after a while in the heat/smoke it fit.  I 

 

[meat hound]

I have this issue in my smoker all the time. I arrange the brisket like an upside down hard taco... point side up of course. It doesn't take too much if a 'bend' to get it to shorten enough to fit. I hope that shape suggestion is clear... if not I can see if I have a pic. As the brisket cooks it will shorten and then you can flatten it out if you arrange it diagonally in the smoker.

I agree that cutting the brisket would be a very unfortunate solution to this problem.

 

[dj mishima]

I've tried different methods with success both ways.  I've tried just cramming it in to make it fit as in this post:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/137695/first-brisket-on-mes-30-with-ampns

I've also tried slicing it in half and putting it on two racks like this:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/138859/2nd-brisket-in-mes-30-with-ampns

That last post wasn't all that great, but I've done it that way afterwards with an in oven style probe with much better results.

 

[foamheart]

I too suffer the small area of the MES30 affliction. BUT I have found by trimming a little off the flat end, cutting with the grain on the small corner I can then usually get the brisket in the smoker when I put it in on the diagonal from back corner right to front corner left. The little piece I remove is great for chili or corned beef (although I am still working on the corned beef thingie LOL). I do make great chili though and only use brisket! The corner trim, diagonal placement is the easiest, fastest. and  requires the lest trim so far.

Another advantage to trimming the corner. If you always do it, it will ensure you never cut with the grain when slicing your brisket.

And lastly, if I want to use the MES30 now, I just get a smaller packer. IF big brisket is required I use a pipe pit, oven, or even 2 smaller briskets if I would rather the MES30. <shrugs>

Just my 2 cents.