First Brisket Q-view

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beef_chief

Fire Starter
Original poster
May 18, 2018
36
16
Had a separate thread where I got some great advice about smoking my first brisket. Got it trimmed and rubbed this morning and on the smoker around 8:10 where the smoker was 279 and brisket was 44. I’m using the snake method with cherry wood in my Weber kettle, hoping a 2x2 + 1 on top will keep me going the whole smoke.
Snake:
upload_2018-6-16_9-1-24.jpeg

Before trimming (14 lb):
upload_2018-6-16_9-1-51.jpeg

After trimming plus rub (salt and pepper):
upload_2018-6-16_9-2-13.jpeg

Will keep this thread updated! I’m nervous about how close the brisket is to the heat from the snake. I guess we’ll see how it turns out
 
I think a lot of folks put a foil pan under it and build the snake around it,I bet it turns out great and you can always move the brisket over to the unlit side then start moving it around to the burned down side as it progresses
 
Looks great. A friend of mine uses this method for shoulder al.ost every weekend. You should be ok and not burn the brisket if your temp stays down. Like Mike said you can easily move the brisket away from the heat if needed. Maybe put the brisket on the grate away from the heat and spin the grate as needed.
Let us know how you make out.
 
I think a lot of folks put a foil pan under it and build the snake around it,I bet it turns out great and you can always move the brisket over to the unlit side then start moving it around to the burned down side as it progresses
Yep I’ve got the pan!
48E751FB-EB3D-4DF1-9942-96F38751F467.jpeg
 
Andrew,you more than likely will have to add on to the end of your snake and make it the same size as you started with to be safe as you can always snuff her out when the brisket is done.
 
Andrew,you more than likely will have to add on to the end of your snake and make it the same size as you started with to be safe as you can always snuff her out when the brisket is done.
That’s what I’m starting to see. I’m 3.5 hours in and my snake is about 65% gone. Maybe when this snake gets to the end, it will be time to wrap (I’m using butcher paper) and I can use that as an opportunity to take the grate up and build a new snake. Will post pics soon
 
If your snake runs out then just foil it & put it in the oven to finish it.
Your not going to get any more smoke flavor with it in the foil, so finishing it in the oven is OK.
I promise you won't get banned from the site for using the oven to finish your brisket!
Good luck!
Al
 
If your snake runs out then just foil it & put it in the oven to finish it.
Your not going to get any more smoke flavor with it in the foil, so finishing it in the oven is OK.
I promise you won't get banned from the site for using the oven to finish your brisket!
Good luck!
Al
I guess that’s true Al... hurts my pride but I may end up doing that
 
249949F8-2095-42B9-A421-6DCF6A1A1F7D.jpeg
Here we are 4 hours in. I’m very impressed with how my kettle is holding a relatively consistent 275-300. Id like more of a bark though, hoping it will form before the snake runs out. Still have about 1.5 hours on the snake based on the smoke so far. The brisket is at 172, been slowly climbing for a while. Here are the recordings I’ve done:
(Time, grate temp, brisket temp)
8:10, 275, 44
8:30, 289, 71
9:00, 303, 114
9:30, 280, 131
10:30, 276, 154
11:30, 312, 164
12:00, 298, 170
 
7C9386CE-1F7D-4B60-A963-8734AF9EE5F0.jpeg
About 5.5 hours in, took it off to wrap and into the oven at 225. The internal temp is 195 already, so it cooked a lot faster than I expected. I hope that doesn’t mean it dried out. The bark was pretty hard in most places, worried that I cooked at too high of a temp. Hopefully the 225 oven will bring it up to the finished product more slowly.
 
I guess because of the way I trimmed it, the point and flat are really defined and could easily come apart. I’m thinking that might not make for the best slices, so I’m reverting back to my quest for burnt ends. Question though, should I rest the whole brisket before separating and cubing the point? Or should I separate and then rest the flat while I make burnt ends?
 
Brisket!!!
You can separate the point right off the smoker. I like to let sit tented for a bit to stop the cooking. Then separate the point and cube it up for the burnt ends. Then the flat gets wrapped and in the cooler to rest.
I should also mention I don't wrap my brisket while cooking.
We need pics of the burnt ends.
 
27545173-388E-4619-A27F-BAF90909D846.jpeg
C4812D70-92F8-41F5-B2C1-875A1BAE23E0.jpeg
Well here it is. Brisket and burnt ends. The bark is tougher than I wanted, and parts of the flat are dried out so it’s a little chewy. Overall, it turned out pretty well but there’s definitely a lot I’d do differently next time. Thanks for all the advice everyone!
 
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That one cooked pretty quick. Burnt ends look good. Put some liquid of your choice in the pan next time,it'll help keep it moist.
 
If I remember correctly this was your first larger hunk of meat cooked in your kettle. I think you did a fine job. Briskets aren't easy to do in a smoker let alone a kettle. Now that you have one under your belt - Im'ma betting that the next one will turn out even better. With a few minor tweaks here and there.

Point for sure.

Chris
 
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