Brisket

[tuckola]

Just bought a 10# packer which I am not going to make until next Saturday. Should I freeze it or just put in fridge

 

[SmokyMose]

If you're talking about the Saturday 3 days from now, the fridge is fine. If it's the next weekend you may want to freeze it, but remember you'll have to start thawing (in the fridge) about Wednesday....

 

[tuckola]

Sorry, not this Saturday. So if I want to add rub and let it sit for a day I should pull it out sooner. Makes sense. Just nervous my first brisket. I would highly appreciate any advice. Saturday 19th

 

[SmokyMose]

I hate to make the call, Tuck. Hopefully someone will chime in. I only get them a couple days before I plan to cook and don't do a rub, just salt & pepper (though I injected my last one with beef broth and really liked the results). If the brisket is cryo-packed it can sit on the counter for a while to thaw, not like pork or chicken...
If no one says anything, I think I would freeze and start thawing Wednesday or Thursday just to be safe.
Dan

 

[tuckola]

That's what I was thinking, salt and pepper and it is cryo- packed. I read if you use s+p it should still sit for a day. I don't know. This is what I have in mind. I have a 30" Masterbuilt vertical propane smoker. A day before making put on salt and pepper wrap in plastic put in fridge I'm using post oak I just ordered in for this smok. Temp at 225 deg using water pan until internal temp of 165 deg pulling and wrapping in butcher paper and putting back in smoker until about 200 deg and then putting in cooler for a hour or so to rest . Does this sound about right

 

[idahobangbang]

Having just done my first brisket, here's what I learned...

Do your homework (here) and learn how to trim the fat and separate the point and the flat.... it's easy, but learn how first.

Second, unless you like really fatty meat, consider making burnt ends with the point . Again, easy, but read up on how.

Third, this ain't chicken. It can handle plenty of smoke (4 hours). And a basic rub is awesome.... black pepper, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Granulated onion and/or garlic is fine too.

Have fun, start early, WAIT for 205 internal temp!

Brian

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[tuckola]

Is it better to separate the point from flat our smoke in one piece.

 

[tbrtt1]

I smoked 3 briskets just last last month. Since I can get them for $1.47-$1.99/lb I cook em a lot. Hell, cheaper than ground meat. I think we have brisket tree farms here in Texas. I'd smoke one EVERY weekend except my wife makes me do some chicken once a month.

Cryovac sealed meat lasts for weeks. Just leave it in the package in the fridge until you are ready to rub. Many brisket aficionados prefer aged brisket. They will ask the butcher what the cryovac date is just to be sure, then age them for several more weeks in the fridge.

That's what I was thinking, salt and pepper and it is cryo- packed. I read if you use s+p it should still sit for a day. I don't know. This is what I have in mind. I have a 30" Masterbuilt vertical propane smoker. A day before making put on salt and pepper wrap in plastic put in fridge I'm using post oak I just ordered in for this smok. Temp at 225 deg using water pan until internal temp of 165 deg pulling and wrapping in butcher paper and putting back in smoker until about 200 deg and then putting in cooler for a hour or so to rest . Does this sound about right

You can rub the day before. I usually rub and inject a few hours before. But since I smoke my briskets overnight while I get my beauty rest it is easy for me to rub, and sometimes inject, in the afternoon and them pop that puppy in the smoker around 10 or 11 with the smoker at 215-230* depending on the size. I try to time them so they won't cook too long while I get a good nights rest before I wrap that puppy. I set my Maverick to alert me when it gets to 170* and usually I can time it just right to where it has a good bark and color and will still have plenty of time to cook in the wrap after I get up in the morning.

Your method is fine. Except, I would start checking for doneness at around 190* or so. Probe it with a toothpick or slender probe and it should go in with little resistance, not counting having to poke through the bark. Mine seem to be good at around 203* most of the time.

 

[SmokyMose]

That's what I was thinking, salt and pepper and it is cryo- packed. I read if you use s+p it should still sit for a day. I don't know. This is what I have in mind. I have a 30" Masterbuilt vertical propane smoker. A day before making put on salt and pepper wrap in plastic put in fridge I'm using post oak I just ordered in for this smok. Temp at 225 deg using water pan until internal temp of 165 deg pulling and wrapping in butcher paper and putting back in smoker until about 200 deg and then putting in cooler for a hour or so to rest . Does this sound about right

I just salt and pepper right before I put it on. 225 is fine, but you can cook a brisky higher. My offset usually runs at 250 to 270 and that works fine. By the way, I have the same MB gasser, but all I use it for now is sausage & cheese with a mailbox. It's a nice smoker. You'll have to cut it in half to fit. Right where the flat ends is good. The flat will get done before the point. 165 or so is good to wrap, but don't get impatient. Take it all the way to 205 and that last 4 or 5 degrees seems to take forever LOL. You don't need to cooler it, just let it rest for a half hour or so in the wrap before slicing

I highly recommend you look for one of Aaron Franklin's videos for a step by step.

I've only made 3, with another planned for Saturday myself, but I'm hopelessly hooked :-)

Dan

 

[SmokyMose]

tb is right, do a probe test to be sure, and probe in several places.

 

[tuckola]

Actually this will fit in the smoker in one piece. I have been watching Aaron Franklins vids and reading and reading on briskets.So as far as freezing all I see is the stores label that says packed on 9/6/16. This is a Black Canyon choice whole brisket.

 

[tbrtt1]

Actually this will fit in the smoker in one piece. I have been watching Aaron Franklins vids and reading and reading on briskets.So as far as freezing all I see is the stores label that says packed on 9/6/16. This is a Black Canyon choice whole brisket.

Is it Cryovac packed? Can you post a picture of it? It is important to know because if it was cryovac packed recently you can leave it in the fridge and it would likely make it a tad better. However, if it is been repackaged in the meat market and shrink wrapped then you need to freeze that soon and thaw it out in the fridge about 2-3 days before you need to rub it. 

Of course, you could freeze anyway just to be sure.

 

[cksteele]

having done my first brisket  this summer as well  what i did. i bought it the week before froze  it then began to thaw it Wednesday.  it was good to go  by sat morning when i started it trimmed it up and   i rubbed it with 50/50  kosher salt  and coarse pepper  rub.  let it warm up to room temp then threw  it on the smoker 275  for 5 hours then checked it started spritzing it every hour after that  7 1/2 hours in  it was through the stall.

so i wrapped it with butcher paper  and cooked it  till it felt  tender when i picked it up soft at about the 11 hour mark  then i took it off let it rest for and hour on the counter  till the internal temp started to go down then i put it in a  cooler for another 3 hours  till i served it  came out really great moist and very tender