Brisket Practice Again

[firemanjon]

Hey guys, it's a cold morning here in arkansas, 28 degrees and fairly high humidity. Got the wsm fired up again this morning with a prime brisket from sams. Last weekend I tried a unwrapped brisket the first time, it didn't have a whole lot of marbling and came out dry and tougher than I wanted. I pulled it at 195 IT and it was probe tender when I checked the first time...I got preoccupied with other things and I'm assuming it had probably been ready to pull for some time before I got back to it [emoji]128561[/emoji]. I'm trying unwrapped again today. Placed an aluminum pan under to catch drippings, water pan filled with sand, using black ops brisket rub today with a little added salt instead of my usual salt pepper garlic cayenne rub. Been wanting to try this stuff for a while. Cooking fat side up instead of down this time and this brisket has lots of fat in it...beautiful piece of meat. It was 9.8lbs before I started trimming, prob trimmed 2lbs of fat off...had a very thick cap. Here's my setup so far...brisket went in smoker about 9:15 using pecan and kingsford blue bag minion method.

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[firemanjon]

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[firemanjon]

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[firemanjon]

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[firemanjon]

Sry bout the picture bomb guys still trying to figure this out on my phone...didn't mean to post duplicates

 

[SmokinAl]

Looks like a great start!

Al

 

[firemanjon]

Thanks!! IT is 171 right now...been there for a while now...have the vents on bottom completely closed...crazy high wind today...temps staying fairly steady though. I'll get another pic as soon as I open it up to check tenderness. Usually start that about 180.

 

[firemanjon]

IT now at 190. Still not probe tender all the way through yet...she's still smoking away but has a really nice bark going on.

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[b-one]

That's looking great, I'll be interested on your thoughts about that rub I have some but I'm not a coffee person wondering if it comes thru in the end.

 

[firemanjon]

Thanks!! I'll definitely report back. Just pulled it at 5:45 so cook time was 8.5 hrs. IT was 201 on maverick and 198 on my Taylor thermometers when I pulled it...waited until it was probing tender. Let it set open a few minutes and double wrapped in foil and then a towel for the rest time. Plan on giving it 2 hrs rest and I'll be back with some pics when I start slicing in. I did heavily trim it before cook taking all the fat off the top side of point and getting fairly deep in fat vein between point and flat to get seasoning way in there. Did not inject this one so we will see about moisture when it's time to slice. With it trimmed this way when my flat was about 190ish my point was probing tender. The rest time is already killing me!!

 

[firemanjon]

Well...it's been a long day, lol. Here's the payoff at the end...it was worth it. Brisket quality was good, bend test was good, could've prob pulled just a few degrees sooner actually but it held together and pulled right apart with Very little resistance, hardly noticeable resistance. Was moist when slicing and the point end was amazing. Still up in the air about the rub...tasted ok on the meat but had just a slight taste of sweetness to it. Did not put a whole lot of flavor in the meat...very subtle...I knew it was lacking salt for my taste so I did sprinkle some kosher salt on when I rubbed but it wasn't enough. I don't think I will use the rub again, everyone's opinion is going to be different but I like more of a Texas salt and pepper style rub much better. I do love some of oak ridges other rubs very much though. Overall I think it was a good test run today...know where I need to make flavor adjustments now and had some good dinner in the process [emoji]128513[/emoji]

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[firemanjon]

Some au jus caught from the foil pan underneath with added rub and butter.

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[firemanjon]

The bend test.

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[firemanjon]

Moisture in the meat while slicing.

 

[firemanjon]

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[firemanjon]

Plate of meat not dipped in au jus.

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[firemanjon]

Last pic here lol. Some of the meat after dipped...tell me what you guys think.

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• firemanjon
• Jan 27, 2017

 

[pc farmer]

Looks pretty dang good to me.

Good job.

 

[firemanjon]

Thank you so much!!

 

[sirvesa]

Looks great man. So if I call about a fire right now there is a chance you might bring some with you...