do you ever cover a brisket? (foil, turkey roasting pan)

[mdgoos]

:?: I have been having trouble with my brisket getting too dry, I have tried using a turkey roasting pan for the whole time and it did not turn out. I think I might be smoking the brisket too long also. Is there a time per pound, and if so what is it? I got my smoker aout a year ago and sometimes things I cook turn out but i have never had a brisket turn out well. Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[chris_harper]

it goes roughly 1.5 hours per lb. what i did when i joined the forum, is i read every brisket thread i saw. have you signed for jeff's 5-day e-course? it is very good, i learned alot from it. also, there is a thread that is a sticky, at the top of this section. it is called "basic brisket smoke". read that, as there is good info in it.

 

[jminion]

What are you smoking on? That will let us give you specific advise.

 

[mdgoos]

i am using a homemade smoker, I bought it from a guy that makes them. It is not any name brand.

 

[jminion]

Offset, vertical, charcoal, wood or gas, what style?

 

[mdgoos]

offset firebox

 

[jminion]

OK
The brisket needs to be in an area of the grate that is running 225 to 240º. The Brisket should have a good fat layer. I would start the brisket fat side down and let it stay there for the first few hours.
Once the internal temp reaches 140 to 150 flip it to fat side up and let it cruise.
Times is not a good guide for cooking brisket, internal temp should be your guide. Once the internal reaches 175º flip it back to fat side down.

When the internal temp reaches 190º remove from the cooker and wrap in H/D foil and place the brisket in a dry cooler for 2 to 4 hours.

The time this will take depends on the quality of the brisket your cooking, a select brisket will take longer than a choice cut and brisket from a prime animal will take less than a choice normally.

If your are cooking flats and not whole packers that will effect cooking times also. Full packers take longer but it is easier to finish with a moist brisket than when cooking just the flat.

Hope this helps to give a plan and you will try again.

 

[mdgoos]

Thanks for the help, i will give it a try.

 

[bigal]

jminion has the answer, but I wanted to throw my .02 in, keep the change.

This is what I do and everyone who has had my brisket really likes it. I buy a 12-14# packer brisket, it has the point and the flat. I pour some worchest sauce and lite soy sauce over it and apply a very generous amount of my rub to it on all sides. P.S. My smoker is a traeger pellet. I heat up the smoker to temp 220-240* and put it on there with the fat cap up. I'll smoke it until internal temp reaches 160-170*. Then I take it out and put in fat cap down in an alum foil pan(turkey roaster pan) and cover tightly with alum foil. I then take it to 205* and then pull it out and let it sit and rest for about an hour.

After it has sat I cut the point from the flat and slice the flat(with an elec knife) about 3/8" thick. I place the sliced flat in a plastic container and pour the juice from the alum pan over the top. When you reheat it, it will be nice and moist and VERY tender.

After I slice the flat I cut up the point into about 1-1.5" chunks and put it in an alum pan to go back on the smoker. I also cut of any excess fat, mainly the big chunks. I like to really hit the chunks of meat with the rub then smoke it for 4-6 more hours. I call it burnt ends, althought it really isn't "burnt". These chunks have more smoke flavor and have a real good kick from the rub.

My favorite rub is all mostly equal parts of: k.salt, chili pwdr, paprika, blk pepper, garlic pwdr, onion pwder, and a store bought cajun spice(usually put a little more of the cajun spice in). Sometimes some brwn sugar, too. And sometimes some celery salt.

Gotta go, this also helped me as I'm getting ready to smoke a brisket for some friends.

Good luck.

 

[xtexan]

I have to say that Big Al knows his stuff! I followed the above info step-by-step and I personally have never tasted better brisket. Maybe I'm partial to "chef" but dang was that good!

Thanks Big Al!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bigal]

Say'n it once is good enough XTexan

I gotta say that jminion knows his stuff. I have a completly different smoker than most.

The real secret is to take all the info that you read and use the points that you like, oh and TRIAL & ERROR! Nothing better than a mistake, that means you have to try again. :D

I can't take credit for my brisket because I read a lot of posts to come up with it and I know jminion was one of them plus many, many others. But that does bring a smile to my face.................I gotta be honest here.

Thanks again XTexan, I appreciate what you said.

 

[icemn62]

I also want to throw in some cents. Thew above informatin is good. The best advice I can give you for briskets. . . . .practice, practice, practice. Jim's advice is very good, I never tried one with Big Als method, but there does not seem to be anything wrong with it.

In answer to the orignial question. Yes, i wrap my briskets, and they are JUICY.