This time of year, there are always briskets at the supermarket. Not as cheap as they will be after St. Patrick's day, but plentiful. There were no large briskets. Most in the 2.5 to 3.5 lb range because, you know, time for corned beef. Anyhow, it has been a while since I have smoked anything myself, so picked out a 2.85 lb brisket flat that was fairly thick and set up the mini for a small me and the wife smoke.
Seasoned the brisket this a.m. by coating it with a layer of Gulden's mustard and applying my variation of the Wild Willy One-Der-Full rub from the smoke and spice cookbook. (I basically add some hot paprika and modify some of the spice blend).
Started the mini at 7:30 a.m when it was still 33* outside, with a mix of Kingsford Comp and Royal Oak, used a Pecan and Cherry chunk for the smoke. Took out the clay saucer and put in the tamale insert, which I figured would allow some more heat. By 7:50 the mini was settling in at 214* and I put the brisket on. For most of the morning the mini stayed in the 225*-250* range. Needed to move the bottom vent a few times to keep it in the sweet spot but most of the day the vents were 1/4 to 1/2 open. By 8:45 pit was at 226*, brisket was at 118* and outside was at 41*, 9:45 pit 214*, brisket at 154 outside at 47*, 10:45 pit 240*, brisket 156*, outside 49*; 11:30 pit 244*, brisket 162*, outside 52*; 1:00pm pit 266*, brisket 178*, outside 56*; 1:30 (did a little maintenance to clear out some ash bc temp was falling) pit got back to 225*, brisket 181* outside 56*; 2:35 pm pit 244*, brisket 195* outside 57* and off the mini it came for a little rest.
Overall it took about 6.5 hours for the brisket to reach 195* and it ended up losing a little under a pound. It stayed pretty juicy (although it probably would have been a little juicer with a little more fat cap on it). Didn't wrap. Had a nice bark, tender, good heat and sliced well, decent "pull" if you tugged at a sliced piece. Here's the Q-view.
Mini-Brisket from the Mini-WSM.
First Slice.. Nice Smoke ring. Notice the juices flowing. MMM
And on the plate with yes...Kraft mac and cheese. (too lazy to cook a side).
Thanks for looking.
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