I want to take on a brisket...

[DKO]

Hello! What a great forum this is! It has been very helpful and I know it will continue to be as I try new things. I’m three smokes in and planning on trying a brisket on Memorial Day weekend. Here’s my brief history.

A stock OK Joe Highlander fell my way so I decided to start using it. I looked at forum threads and everyone was pretty adamant about needing to modify that smoker, but I decided to try it without any modifications. My thought process? Well, it came the way it did for a reason (I thought) and if I went to a truck forum, I’d probably come away knowing that I need a roll bar and lift kit when I really don’t. So…I tried a tri-tip as my first smoke and it was a disaster. Everything anyone said on the forum was correct. I didn’t have a probe in the meat or at the grill surface; I was just going off of the stock thermometer at the top of the barrel. I have no idea what temperature I was actually smoking the meat at (185? when targeting 225) but when I opened up the barrel, the tri-tip jumped off and ran away. Eventually I cornered it and was able to convert it to stir-fry so it was a good lesson with no lost meat.

Okay, so I fabricated a baffle of sorts, got two temperature probes so I know what the meat and smoker temps are have since successfully smoked a tri-tip and a bone in turkey breast. The family now trusts that I’m not going to serve them something still alive. I’ll still work on modifying the smoker but basically I can control the temperature at the meat which is obviously pretty important.

For this brisket, I want to keep it as simple as possible. Here’s my plan and if anyone wants to comment, I’d surely appreciate it! And if anyone thinks I should avoid going after a brisket this early and take on something else first, I’m all ears.

• Costco packer if I can get one; probably 12 lbs from what I have seen there, when they have them.
  
  
• Trim fat to a little less than ¼”.
  
  
• Kosher salt and cracked pepper a couple hours before it goes into smoker
  
  
• Fat side up and thickest part closest to the firebox
  
  
• Target 225 smoking temp and won’t even look at it until it hits 190
  
  
• Hickory and oak combo
  
  
• Will probe it when it hits 190 to check for doneness; I’ve read on the forum that you can’t just go by temp
  
  
• Not planning on wrapping it with foil or butchers paper at any time during the smoke; I’m hoping that I can do a first brisket just by controlling the firebox and monitoring the temperatures and not have to try anything else.
  
  
• Rest it for 20 or 30 minutes once I think it’s done.
  
  
• Ambient temperature here should be about 50 and I can keep rain off the smoker. AK weather shouldn’t be a factor this time of year.

Any thoughts or advice would be great!

Thanks... DKO

 

[jbellard]

Pork butt I did last week

Brisket I did awhile back

Hey DKO!

Glad it’s warming up in Alaska. Been in the 90’s here this week.

I would say you’re on the right track with most of your plan.

I would tell you that holding 225 on an Oklahoma joe with few mods will most likely be difficult. Know that you can definitely be in a pretty wide temp range and the meat will be fine. Obviously you want to keep it as steady as possible but just keep that info in your back pocket.

Fat side up and point closest to fire is good but I would add getting the brisket as far over from the firebox as you can. Just for when your temps flare up it won’t dry it out as bad.

I would tell you to try cooking it a bit hotter so you aren’t out there all day. Like closer to 275-300. Will still take 8-12 hrs at this temp.

Finally, unless you are just dead set on doing a brisket I would advise you to do a pork butt. They are real hard to mess up but oh so good.
I cook mine at 275-315 and they go for about 8-10 hrs. Lots of fat so it doesn’t dry out.
Wrap it in double layer of foil once it hits 170 and it will keep a good bark but save lots of juice that you can add back into the meat once you’ve pulled it.
Take the IT up to 200, start probing and I bet it’s done at 205.
Let it rest a bit but the bone will just about fall out and you know it’s done.
Briskets are just real finicky especially when you are still trying to get that fire management done.
Good luck and hope it comes out well.

 

[DKO]

J - Thank you very much for your input. I don't have to think twice about it; I'm switching plans and going with a pork butt. I'll follow your lead on that and will let you know how it turns out.

Thanks so much!

 

[jbellard]

Good call. I think you’ll have a great success to build on by cooking a pork butt as your first long cook!
Keep me updated for sure.
And don’t think you’re that for away from a brisket. Just get a few long cooks with the pork butt under your belt first and then switch over.
Do you have an instant read or leave in thermometer?
Let me know if you want to try out my rub and I can send it to you. Most people that have it love it!

 

[oddegan]

If you don't wrap (either brisket or butt) remember the stall. It can bring the toughest man to tears. I also like to let my butts rest 30 minutes minimum and brisket for an hour. Just my 2 cents

Jared

 

[myownidaho]

Start checking your pork butt at around 195. When the bone is loose(if you’re using bone in), you’re there. I find that 200 for pork is usually perfect. I do wrap and rest for an hour. Smoking temp is usually 250.

Pork is much more forgiving than brisket. Make sure you use enough rub and add a good finishing sauce when you pull it, and you’re golden.

 

[SmokinAl]

Good call on switching to a butt!
Everybody loves pulled pork, and it's very hard to screw one up.
They will be fine if you can keep the temp between 225-300.
I smoke mine at 270-280.
Good luck!
Al

 

[DKO]

Good call. I think you’ll have a great success to build on by cooking a pork butt as your first long cook!
Keep me updated for sure.
And don’t think you’re that for away from a brisket. Just get a few long cooks with the pork butt under your belt first and then switch over.
Do you have an instant read or leave in thermometer?
Let me know if you want to try out my rub and I can send it to you. Most people that have it love it!

I'm pretty sure you gave me good advice based on other replies; thanks much for that. I have a leave in thermometer at this point. We have a lot of spices so I was going to find a rub recipe on the forum and mix one up. If you have a good one you can point me to, I'd surely use it. Thanks!

 

[DKO]

Start checking your pork butt at around 195. When the bone is loose(if you’re using bone in), you’re there. I find that 200 for pork is usually perfect. I do wrap and rest for an hour. Smoking temp is usually 250.

Pork is much more forgiving than brisket. Make sure you use enough rub and add a good finishing sauce when you pull it, and you’re golden.

Thanks for reminding me about the bone being loose. I'll definitely use bone-in and will remember that test. Thanks!

 

[jbellard]

Hey DVO,

Here’s my “secret” rub. Pretty sure you’ll love it on the pork butt.
Put in on there really thick. You only need to put rub on meat like right before you put it on the smoker.
Here’s a pic of how my rub looks once it’s on there

 

[Geebs]

I agree with SmokinAl, before I saw one of his posts I did the low and slow. Last butt I did was at the 270-280 mark and never had a stall or a need to foil. I will do my butts like that everytime now. Also good choice on going with a butt to dial in your smoker over a brisket.

 

[DKO]

View attachment 363938 View attachment 363939 Hey DVO,

Here’s my “secret” rub. Pretty sure you’ll love it on the pork butt.
Put in on there really thick. You only need to put rub on meat like right before you put it on the smoker.
Here’s a pic of how my rub looks once it’s on there

Thank you so much for that! I really appreciate the picture so that I have a good idea on how it should look.

 

[DKO]

I agree with SmokinAl, before I saw one of his posts I did the low and slow. Last butt I did was at the 270-280 mark and never had a stall or a need to foil. I will do my butts like that everytime now. Also good choice on going with a butt to dial in your smoker over a brisket.

Thanks, I like easier over harder. This forum will definitely keep someone out of the ditch!

 

[jbellard]

No problem DVO!

When are you planning to do this cook?

 

[oddegan]

I have also become a convert to the hot and fast method. No more stalls. Works like a champ.

 

[DKO]

No problem DVO!

When are you planning to do this cook?

I believe it will be the Sunday before Memorial Day. We have to go out of town this coming weekend or I'd do it then. Hate waiting...

 

[gmc2003]

I like to keep the rub simple just SPOG. I usually smoke it between 250 - 260*. That is the easiest temp to maintain on a long smoke with my WSM. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Chris

 

[joseph gulino]

Good call. I think you’ll have a great success to build on by cooking a pork butt as your first long cook!
Keep me updated for sure.
And don’t think you’re that for away from a brisket. Just get a few long cooks with the pork butt under your belt first and then switch over.
Do you have an instant read or leave in thermometer?
Let me know if you want to try out my rub and I can send it to you. Most people that have it love it!

id like to try your rub!!

 

[DKO]

The pork shoulder turned out great! A big thank you to everyone for their advice and encouragement, especially Jay B.

I think a lot of other people were smoking here in Anchorage; paprika was pretty much sold out. I needed to mix up more of Jay's rub and all the bulk paprika was gone and most of the small bottles too. Anyway, the family liked the pork and the Carolina style sauce that I mixed up. Not sure what I'm going to try next but it will surely be inspired by a post on this site.

Thanks....

DKO