First time brisket

[charlie3133]

So,

My wife brought home a small brisket for me to smoke (3LBS). She wasn't being cheap its just very expensive here in Western Canada.

I don't have any butchers paper to wrap it either.

Ive looked around and seen lots of recipes. Anyone want to recommend a method and how long it might take?

I have a MES 30

Thanks in advance

 

[motolife313]

Put it in the smoker at 225-275 till it gets to 202 then rest. U shouldn't have to open the door after putting it in either just let it go

 

[uncle eddie]

If you want to hurry the cook up, you can wrap in foil during the stall. Should have plenty of smoked flavor in it by then.

 

[charlie3133]

Thank you. How long do you think it will take? We have guest coming at 6pm. Having it stalk scares me. Should I just start early in the am and if it cooks on time I can warm it somehow?

 

[gmc2003]

Thank you. How long do you think it will take? We have guest coming at 6pm. Having it stalk scares me. Should I just start early in the am and if it cooks on time I can warm it somehow?

If you cook at 225* it's roughly 1.25hrs/lb. Time should only be used as a guide. The stale will occur somewhere around 160ish. When it does you can either wrap it with some juice or broth and power through the stale or you can let her go. I usually wrap as I don't really care for a hard bark. After the stale when the brisket temps start rising again start probing at 190*. When whatever your using to probe the meat goes in smoothly with little or no resistance the brisket is done. If it's under-cooked then it will be on the tougher side, if over-cooked then it will be crumbly. Each piece of meat is different and will act differently. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

Chris

 

[charlie3133]

thank you

 

[daricksta]

So,

My wife brought home a small brisket for me to smoke (3LBS). She wasn't being cheap its just very expensive here in Western Canada.

I don't have any butchers paper to wrap it either.

Ive looked around and seen lots of recipes. Anyone want to recommend a method and how long it might take?

I have a MES 30

Thanks in advance

How'd the brisket turn out? I saw a couple of responses in this thread that match how I smoke beef briskets. But I usually keep the smoker temp around 240°F and I prefer oak wood pellets for the smoke source. I just like the way oak goes with brisket. I won't go into the dry rub I use because there are many great ones that you can buy or make yourself. I also cook a flat (as opposed to the point) it to an internal temp of round 202°F. There are those who pull it iat 185-190°F IT but I think it's way too low. I've smoked a brisket wrapped and naked, and overall I prefer not to wrap the brisket and let it fight its way through the 160-170°F stall on its own. But I bought a huge roll of butcher paper off Amazon a couple of years ago so I'll probably try wrapping again this year so my investment doesn't go to waste. In my MES 30, a 5-7 lb. brisket takes around 11 hours to finish up. I smoked a a whole packer brisket last year and it took about 18 hours (I think)--but it was worth it.

 

[charlie3133]

Hi thanks for checking in. Well it did stall at 165 after 6 hours so i wrapped it (in foil) and kept cooking. Three hours later it was up to 180 and I had no choice but to pull it.

The meat appeared cooked, actauully a little tough. I have the thermapro and I tested it in boiling water and got the right numbers so I'm a little confused.

Just an excuse to have another go :)

 

[Geebs]

Why did you have to pull it so early? Or was 180 your target? I think with a brisket 180 would still be a little tough.

 

[charlie3133]

I had guests waiting. I thought the longer I cooked it the tougher it would get but I think I was totally wrong right?

 

[Geebs]

Do some searches on here or go to Jeffs actual site to look up some recipes. There is a magic window where the meat turns to a perfect tenderness. The trick is to start checking around 185-195, insert a toothpick or something long and pointy, if it goes in like just like you are sticking that prob into room temp butter then you know its done. Brisket is naturally a tough piece of meat and can stay that way if its undercooked. My most recent brisket didnt hit this until 202.

Also my brisket was small like yours, only 4 1/2 lbs.

 

[gmc2003]

My findings with brisket are:

Under cooked= tough

Overcooked = crumbly

Properly cooked = Heaven


Chris

 

[daricksta]

Hi thanks for checking in. Well it did stall at 165 after 6 hours so i wrapped it (in foil) and kept cooking. Three hours later it was up to 180 and I had no choice but to pull it.

The meat appeared cooked, actauully a little tough. I have the thermapro and I tested it in boiling water and got the right numbers so I'm a little confused.

Just an excuse to have another go :)

You proved my point. 180°F is too soon to pull a brisket. You wrote that you had no choice but to pull it. Did you run up against the same problem I've run up against--dinner time and the meat's not ready?

I've cooked a number of briskets and when you cook enough of them turning out a great brisket becomes pretty easy. A beef brisket is real tough cut of meat. There's connective tissue and collagen and fat which all needs to be rendered down. An internal temp of 180-185°F isn't high enough to do it, in my experience and opinion. 202°F may seem high to some people but it's the sweet spot for me. I even settle for 200° but nothing under that.

If you don't have butcher paper, foil is the next best wrap. Aaron Franklin has a video where he tested the flavor and texture of briskets smoked naked, in butcher paper and in foil. He and his buddy preferred the naked one, followed by butcher paper and then foil. Just try experimenting. Smoke brisket and even pork ribs wrapped and unwrapped, and when wrapped try butcher paper and foil. That's the best way to develop your own methods and styles. I try to learn something new every time I smoke so I'm always trying new things until I hit upon my favorite method for that cut of meat--including the dry rub.

What you'll determine after more experience is your preferred temp for smoking and your preferred internal temp for the doneness of the meat. For pork ribs, I also like to finish them around 200°F but again some people might consider that a little high.

 

[Geebs]

There a cheap place online to get butcher paper?

 

[daricksta]

I had guests waiting. I thought the longer I cooked it the tougher it would get but I think I was totally wrong right?

Right. You were totally wrong. Brisket is not like steak or a regular roast. It must be cooked long and slow to break down all the tough meat fibers and connective tissues--and to render down most of the fat which makes the meat moist, tender, and flavorful.

 

[daricksta]

There a cheap place online to get butcher paper?

I bought mine off Amazon but the one I bought is no longer available. This is the same thing offered by another merchant and I think it's still cheap enough.

I tried posting a link but I guess the new server doesn't allow it. Just go to Amazon and do a search for Pink/Peach Butcher Paper Roll - 24" x 150’ in Durable Carry Tube.

 

[jbellard]

You can also check at your local Sam’s club. I got a 1,000ft roll of white butcher paper at sams for $18.95. Used it to cook 3 briskets last week. Best ones I’ve done yet.