LET'S TALK BRISKET!!

[alamojoe]

 
Hello.  As most know I am not a big rub fan but if that is your thing that Head Country Rub is some good stuff.  Until you come up with something of your own I would stay with it.  I can eat that stuff straight out of the bottle!  WELL; in moderation.  

  Keep Smokin!

Danny

Heck yeah!  I decided this year was the year I was *really* going to learn how to BBQ so I needed to eliminate some variables.  I used to make a rub from scratch but it was different every time.  I researched on some bbq sites what people thought was the best commercial rub and came up with Head Country.  Until I master just about every other aspect of BBQ, I am not going to mess with the rub - going to use Head Country.  It tastes awesome on everything.

 

[kc5tpy]

Hi Joe.  Mom still lives out near Elmendorf.  Off 281; 4-5 miles from 1604.  Dad is in Corpus.  LOVE to come home to some good Tx-Mex.  I REALLY miss that.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[jw smoke]

So you want to talk brisket. I had never cooked a brisket in my life and when I purchased my first smoker (which was about a month ago) the first thing I made was brisket. So got my smoker going with no modes didn't have the temp where I needed it and the there is more smoke rolling out of it then a 3 story house fire. But to my amazement it turned out perfect my wife even compared it to the high end restaurants. Then with the leftover (yes I said leftover) I made jerky which I only got a couple of pieces. So I don't understand why so many people are having issues making a brisket unless Iowa's pure luck. I will find out this weekend when I make my next one.

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello JW.  I hope they all turn out as good.  Curious?  Whole packer brisket?  Temps where you need it? ( So what temps are we talking? )  I am also interested in your process of making jerky from brisket.  It would not be my first choice for jerky.   Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[tredd4life]

Thanks to all the posts here and talking right and wrong our very first of 17 lbs to start turned out amazing. Followed advice on here from buying the meat to cutting it. It was amazing!!! Thanks all!!

image.jpeg

• tredd4life
• Dec 9, 2015

 

[john weeks]

While there is no cut and dry answer how much time should be anticipated to properly smoke a brisket?

 

[brimcconnell]

John, I just finished reading this entire thread.  Having done that, it took two days, I would say that there is no way to tell.  Too many variables.  According to the wisdom gleaned from reading, experiment and have patience.  If you don't have the time, save the Brisky for another day.  If you haven't read the whole thing, it is definitely worth the read.  Too many factors to just say how much time.

 

[jw smoke]

Hello JW.  I hope they all turn out as good.  Curious?  Whole packer brisket?  Temps where you need it? ( So what temps are we talking? )  I am also interested in your process of making jerky from brisket.  It would not be my first choice for jerky.   Keep Smokin!
Danny

 

[jw smoke]

The first was a half packer the next is a whole packer. As far as the jerky made with smoked brisket sliced against the grain in 1/4 thick slices. But this was also done in a dehydrator for 1 hour per side medium heat setting. Still turned out tender and slight chew. The temperature I was looking for on cooking brisket around 225°. But now temps should be a lot better I have the smoker all sealed up.

 

[kc5tpy]

Hi JW.  OK buddy.  Thanks for the info.  Hope the next one is even better.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[jcbigler]

Thanks to all the posts here and talking right and wrong our very first of 17 lbs to start turned out amazing. Followed advice on here from buying the meat to cutting it. It was amazing!!! Thanks all!!

image.jpeg

• tredd4life
• Dec 9, 2015

That looks great, congrats! 

 

[jcbigler]

While there is no cut and dry answer how much time should be anticipated to properly smoke a brisket?

Like Brian said above, there is no one answer. It all depends on the quality of meat, the size of the brisket, the type of cooker, and the temperatures you are using. 

Set aside a whole day where you can tend the fire and check your temps. I did two 12 1/2 pound briskets over Thanksgiving week and after trimming the probably ended up about 10 1/2 to 11 lbs. They both took right at 10 1/2 hours to finish up, but I was running my cooker at a little higher temp, in the 260-275 range. 

You just have to sort of learn how your specific equipment works and learn by trying different sizes and types of meat. 

 

[jw smoke]

I think meat selection is my problem. Due to my inherent cheap nature I always go with the lesser quality brisket because I don't want to pay $8-$10 per pound for the good stuff.

I picked my last brisket less than $2 per pound at Costco

 

[alamojoe]

I picked my last brisket less than $2 per pound at Costco

I've bought prime briskets last 2 times - one from the grocery store, one from a butcher shop.  The one from the grocery store was $3 per lb and the one from the butcher shop was $3.50 per lb.  They were both on sale but $8-$10 is insane!  This is for whole, untrimmed packers, though.  My grocery store sells "super trimmed" flats for a lot more - I think $6-$8 per lb.  Honestly, if I couldn't get brisket cheap I'd probably never cook it. 

 

[jw smoke]

I've bought prime briskets last 2 times - one from the grocery store, one from a butcher shop.  The one from the grocery store was $3 per lb and the one from the butcher shop was $3.50 per lb.  They were both on sale but $8-$10 is insane!  This is for whole, untrimmed packers, though.  My grocery store sells "super trimmed" flats for a lot more - I think $6-$8 per lb.  Honestly, if I couldn't get brisket cheap I'd probably never cook it. 

1449959378490553109590.jpg

• jw smoke
• Dec 12, 2015

15 lbs of brisket 8 hrs 160°

 

[jw smoke]

1449959597237209956847.jpg

• jw smoke
• Dec 12, 2015

sorry was meaning to put it here.

 

[jw smoke]

So I'm guessing that it didn't cook long enough because it doesn't have any stretch it's juicy not tender. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[demosthenes9]

So I'm guessing that it didn't cook long enough because it doesn't have any stretch it's juicy not tender. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I think you are right on the money with your thoughts.   Brisket was undercooked. 

 

[alamojoe]

So I'm guessing that it didn't cook long enough because it doesn't have any stretch it's juicy not tender. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Agree with Demosthenes9 - 160 is under for BBQ brisket.  I am sort of honing in on my preferred done temps.  My last 2 briskets came out of the smoker at internal temps of 200 (12lbs, 16hrs) and 185 (15lbs, 19hrs), respectively.  I thought they were both great but give the slight edge to the 185 brisket - the slices held together just a little better and it was still moist and tender.  Interestingly, they both probed tender - I definitely remember the first brisket *not* feeling tender at 190.  Just goes to show you a brisket is like a snowflake - no 2 are the same, lol.  But 160 is not even close to done, imo.     

 

[mummel]

I'm really glad to finally be able to join this thread.  I went to Costco yesterday and BAM, they are finally stocking beef briskets!!!  Recall I mentioned once before they had something called a beef brisket flat cut, which was ~$7 / lb.  I never wanted to pay this much so never got the chance to try it. 

But yesterday I found something called beef brisket flats, and they cost around $4 / lb.  I'm in for my first brisket!  They had some that were ~10.5lbs, and others that were around 4.5lbs.  Im going to try the 4.5lbs ones.

So where do I start?  Whats the jist of it?  I've read that you have to foil briskets.  So cook at 225F and foil at what temp?  Then then cook to what internal temp (I like beef rare to medium rare, the family would probably prefer medium). /excited.