- Mar 23, 2017
- 33
- 28
I did my first brisket last weekend. I have had my smoker (Traeger pellet) for almost 2 months.
I got a 15 pound choice full packer, trimmed the cap to around 1/4 inches, cut off the hunk of fat hanging off the point, and used a Texas style rub. Fat cap down, using Hickory pellets (which are oak with some hickory) at smoke setting for 3 hours spritzing it every hour with beer and worcester. I then upped the temp to 225 and set a timer for 5 hours (and slept, started the 225 temp at 10 pm). When I checked it after 5 hours, it was at 170, and a nice mahogany color. I had already decided to foil wrap it before I started, so I did that, but I was way ahead of schedule now. I baby sat it with a remote thermometer stuck in the flat under the point, and less than 3 hours it was at 201 degrees. The flat on the other end was 202, so didn't want to go any longer, so took it off. I did the insert a toothpick test and also the twist a fork test and it seemed about where it should be. It was destined for slicing, not shredding/pulling.
I opened the foil to take out the thermometer and noticed the foil had about 2 cups of dark fluid. I left it in place and folded the foil back up and wrapped it in towels and put in a cooler (lunch was 6 hours away, I started way too early figuring on 11.5 hours per pound).
Fast forward 6 hours, and time to eat. Open up the foil, and brisket is still too hot to handle. I still see about 2 cups of dark fluid (call it that because I don't know what it is, until some of the fat coagulates on top later). I poured it off as it was pretty dark and obviously partially rendered fat.
The brisket came out fine, it had a decent bark to it, everyone fought over the ends, it was tender, not dry, tasted great. It was hard to slice it for 1/4 inch slices, had to go a little larger, so maybe was a little overdone.
Did I make a mistake leaving the juices in the foil while the brisket rested and kept warm until it was eaten? should I have drained it off once done cooking? Is there something that can be done with it, like making a gravy or should it be poured on slices?
I think next time I will try not wrapping it foil for that last bit of cooking. I also think I will skip the 3 hours at 160 degrees smoking and just do it all at 225. It did turn out great and hard to argue with that, but if I can get 6 or 7 hours sleep while it just does it thing, I would rather do that than wake up at 3 am then not be able to go back to sleep.
I also might try a smaller flat and or point. I like the flat, my wife like the point, and I don't always cook for 8 people. Slicing the cold brisket the next day very thin was easy, and heated up in a pan and on hamburger buns it was great, maybe better than when off the grill. With left overs split between 3 families not much made it back, but have seen mention of using the meat in chili, and that sounds amazing.
after 3 hours at 160:
after 5 hours at 225, prior to foil wrapping:
I got a 15 pound choice full packer, trimmed the cap to around 1/4 inches, cut off the hunk of fat hanging off the point, and used a Texas style rub. Fat cap down, using Hickory pellets (which are oak with some hickory) at smoke setting for 3 hours spritzing it every hour with beer and worcester. I then upped the temp to 225 and set a timer for 5 hours (and slept, started the 225 temp at 10 pm). When I checked it after 5 hours, it was at 170, and a nice mahogany color. I had already decided to foil wrap it before I started, so I did that, but I was way ahead of schedule now. I baby sat it with a remote thermometer stuck in the flat under the point, and less than 3 hours it was at 201 degrees. The flat on the other end was 202, so didn't want to go any longer, so took it off. I did the insert a toothpick test and also the twist a fork test and it seemed about where it should be. It was destined for slicing, not shredding/pulling.
I opened the foil to take out the thermometer and noticed the foil had about 2 cups of dark fluid. I left it in place and folded the foil back up and wrapped it in towels and put in a cooler (lunch was 6 hours away, I started way too early figuring on 11.5 hours per pound).
Fast forward 6 hours, and time to eat. Open up the foil, and brisket is still too hot to handle. I still see about 2 cups of dark fluid (call it that because I don't know what it is, until some of the fat coagulates on top later). I poured it off as it was pretty dark and obviously partially rendered fat.
The brisket came out fine, it had a decent bark to it, everyone fought over the ends, it was tender, not dry, tasted great. It was hard to slice it for 1/4 inch slices, had to go a little larger, so maybe was a little overdone.
Did I make a mistake leaving the juices in the foil while the brisket rested and kept warm until it was eaten? should I have drained it off once done cooking? Is there something that can be done with it, like making a gravy or should it be poured on slices?
I think next time I will try not wrapping it foil for that last bit of cooking. I also think I will skip the 3 hours at 160 degrees smoking and just do it all at 225. It did turn out great and hard to argue with that, but if I can get 6 or 7 hours sleep while it just does it thing, I would rather do that than wake up at 3 am then not be able to go back to sleep.
I also might try a smaller flat and or point. I like the flat, my wife like the point, and I don't always cook for 8 people. Slicing the cold brisket the next day very thin was easy, and heated up in a pan and on hamburger buns it was great, maybe better than when off the grill. With left overs split between 3 families not much made it back, but have seen mention of using the meat in chili, and that sounds amazing.
after 3 hours at 160:
after 5 hours at 225, prior to foil wrapping:
