First Brisket (Help)

[ycastane]

Ive been reading on these forums for a couple days now about pork and brisket but im already trying the pork out tomorrow and now i need to be sure what i need to do on the brisket side since im a beef guy!!! Ive read mixed ways of doing it based on preference but most if not all agree you have to throw it in a cooler after is cooked wrapped with towels.

So thats what i need, cooking for a certain amount of time before wrapping in foil and some liquid to IT of 190? Something like that and then cooler time? It will be the first time i do a brisket so i need major help LOL. Thanks in advnace!

 

[dougmays]

Welcome to the forum and to your first brisket. You can cook a brisket very similar to a pork shoulder...low and slow till it reaches a tender state and pull it off and let it rest.

Now more details...I would smoke it between 225-250. Some people wrap at 160-165 and some dont. I do not unless i'm pressed for time. 

You want to finish the brisket when its tender just like pork, usually between 195-205 IT. Since your most likely going to slice the beef instead of pull like you do with pork, you might want to take it off sooner then you would a pork shoulder. i would remove it around 190-195 as long as you can slide a probe or toothpick in and out easily. Remember with any meats, your meat will continue to cook when you rest it...usually 5-10 degrees.

For Resting....I would double wrap in foil and then wrap in a old towel for insulation. then put the brisket in a cooler and rest for atleast an hour. 

then pull, slice and take pictures to share with the rest of us! :)

Hope this helps.

 

[shtrdave]

I did my first one over the weekend, not sure what type of cooker you have, I used a pellet grill and a Amazin smoke tube.

Did a 6.5# flat, cooked at 250 for 4.5 hours temp was 170 then foiled with some wine until 205 cooking temp was upped to 300 total time to cook was 6 hours in a preheated smoker.

Used Solaryellow's rub

1/3 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS granulated garlic

1 TBS paprika

1 1/2 TSP chipotle powder

With that said it was a bit to salty for me and I like salt.

It turned out moist and tender.

Good luck

 

[superdave]

I have watched a lot of the BBQ Pitmasters shows and starting immulating their methods.  I now inject my briskets with garlic infused beef broth.  Rub with mustard and dry rub of choice and smoke.  I use the oven finish method and wrap in a foil pan with some of my injection liquid added for moisture.

Briskets in the foil pan for finishing.

rn7c.jpg

• superdave
• Dec 18, 2013

 

[ycastane]

Good to know! Thanks fellas! Cant wait to try it out! Definitely will be posting some pictures!

 

[dougmays]

I like the idea of Garlic Beef Broth! I'm going to have to try that

 

[little smokey]

Did my first full packer earlier this year and here is what happened.

Got a 12lber and based on past experiences with just doing flats, I know longer use a regular rub Just salt and pepper 50/50.  That bark becomes this nice salty bit of awesomeness, by itself it is salty but when that flat is sliced it is just awesome.

Based on lots of questions asked I smoked it until about 165 and separated the point and the flat which was really easy at that point.  I put the flat back in the smoker after adding some more S&P in the area the point was connected and took her to 195.  I rested it in a cooler for two hours then sliced her into the best sandwiches I ever had and my father in-law ruined by putting ketchup on it.   

When the point was removed from the flat I chopped into one inch cubes, sauced it, sprinkled with rub and put it back in the smoker for another almost two hours with occasional stirring and adding of rub.  

I will always do it the same  way from now on because I can't ask for anything better in my opinion.  My guests were WOWed by the burnt ends and loved the brisket sammies also.

Total smoke time was about 21 hours at 235-245 in my MES using the AMZNPS with a fully tray of Pitmasters choice.

 

[superdave]

little smokey, what is your signal that the burnt ends are done?

 

[ribbib]

I don't know if it was mentioned but make sure when you get the brisket that you get it with the fat cap and cook it cap up all the way

image.jpg

• ribbib
• Dec 18, 2013

 

[little smokey]

Tenderness and carmelization of the BBQ sauce and rub.  At hour two I tasted the largest piece in the aluminium pan and it was tender all the rest just about melted in your mouth.  I honestly don't know how I waited the second hour because I tasted one at hour one and it was so good but I wanted more carmelization so I went one more hour.

 

[bwarbiany]

I've done three so far, so I'm clearly not an expert. The issues I've had has been maintaining a moist brisket. 

My next one, I'm going to do minimal trimming (mainly just some of the hard fat), cook it fat cap down to protect the meat from the direct heat (I have a vertical water smoker, Masterbuilt XL propane), and will probably foil at 160 as well. Then take it up to 190+ and pull it off when it passes the "toothpick test", i.e. sliding something into the meat---I use my instant-read thermometer---and it's done when it goes in with basically no resistance whatsoever.

Follow the advice here, and you'll have a good brisket. But I'm gathering that only time, practice, and learning how to work it on *your* smoker will get you to great brisket.

 

[superdave]

 
 But I'm gathering that only time, practice, and learning how to work it on *your* smoker will get you to great brisket.

Unless one can afford to buy the best cuts of meat out there, we are also stuck with the hand that is dealt us in regards to each piece of meat we buy since they all have different characteristics.  One can do everything exactly the same with 2 briskets and have a great one and a good one.

 

[ycastane]

Unless one can afford to buy the best cuts of meat out there, we are also stuck with the hand that is dealt us in regards to each piece of meat we buy since they all have different characteristics.  One can do everything exactly the same with 2 briskets and have a great one and a good one.

Yeah thats also true! I read a thread of leaving all the fat on it no trimming whatsoever and stuff. Im just trying to gather all the info and then start trying until i get it up to my linking!! Went to a BBQ joint a few weeks ago and you couldnt use a fork to pick up the sliced brisket because it would fall apart, taste was fantastic!!! So my goal is to make it until it comes close to that LOL.

Im doing 2 boston butts tomorrow for a potluck at work on friday but i also bought 2 pieces of tri tip which will be done saturday! Next week is brisket time so stay tuned ;)