LET'S TALK BRISKET!!

[mobiledawg]

I did wrap this time. got none of the color that you got. I've been readying in other areas of the forum about AMNPS...thinking of trying that.

Yours looks awesome

 

[demosthenes9]

Mobiledawg,

Can you give some more details about your cooks ?  Reason I ask is that there are a number of variables at play.   Let's look at not enough smoke flavor for example.  Are you putting smoke to it the whole time ?   Are you wrapping early in the smoke ?  Are you using a mild wood like Apple ?   As for bark, again, are you foiling early and for a large part of the cook ?   What's the chamber temp ?  Are you sure that temp is accurate ?

It could be one little thing messing you up, or some combination of things.  If you give a very detailed description of your process, it would help us to narrow the problem down. 

 

[mobiledawg]

The temp is 225. I'm using hickory wood chips and apparently not adding enough wood,put brisket in at midnight. Added wood several times before going to bed, at 5:00 am I added wood. Checked again at 8:00 am and the wood for some reason had not burned at all so I emptied the entire smoke box of ashes and started over. I'm using water in the pan and go back and forth with the damper, if I feel like it's really steamy inside I open, but I also close It if I think I need more smoke. Not sure which is correct. I wrap after about 6-7 hours, at around 155-160 degrees and leave it wrapped until 190. I then out the entire wrapped pan in a cooler with towels for two hours. Apparently from what I'm reading, not near enough smoke.

 

[jcbigler]

The temp is 225. I'm using hickory wood chips and apparently not adding enough wood,put brisket in at midnight. Added wood several times before going to bed, at 5:00 am I added wood. Checked again at 8:00 am and the wood for some reason had not burned at all so I emptied the entire smoke box of ashes and started over. I'm using water in the pan and go back and forth with the damper, if I feel like it's really steamy inside I open, but I also close It if I think I need more smoke. Not sure which is correct. I wrap after about 6-7 hours, at around 155-160 degrees and leave it wrapped until 190. I then out the entire wrapped pan in a cooler with towels for two hours. Apparently from what I'm reading, not near enough smoke.

Are you talking about the damper in the smoke stack? or on the inlet to the firebox?

I always leave the stack damper fully open and open or close the damper to the firebox depending on if I need more or less heat (i.e. more oxygen to the fire make it hotter and less oxygen makes it cooler). 

I use hardwood lump charcoal for the heat and chunks, not chips, of hickory for the smoke and flavor. 

I think maybe you're just not getting enough smoke from the lack of wood. Try using larger chunks of wood and more of them. 

Edit: never mind, I see you are using one of the MES smokers. disregard my smoke stack and firebox comments. I still think you are not using enough wood though. 

 

[bmaddox]

The temp is 225. I'm using hickory wood chips and apparently not adding enough wood,put brisket in at midnight. Added wood several times before going to bed, at 5:00 am I added wood. Checked again at 8:00 am and the wood for some reason had not burned at all so I emptied the entire smoke box of ashes and started over. I'm using water in the pan and go back and forth with the damper, if I feel like it's really steamy inside I open, but I also close It if I think I need more smoke. Not sure which is correct. I wrap after about 6-7 hours, at around 155-160 degrees and leave it wrapped until 190. I then out the entire wrapped pan in a cooler with towels for two hours. Apparently from what I'm reading, not near enough smoke.

No need for a water pan in an MES. Since the unit is sealed so well it turns into a steam room like you are experiencing. Try one without the water and add chips every hour to see how that goes. The stock chip tray is capable of smoking well it just takes more effort and monitoring. Also, you could try wrapping in butcher paper instead of foil. It will breath a little so you don't steam the brisket. 

 

[smocan]

Yeah I have a Napoleon Apollo 300 (Canadian company) which is basically a WSM with a bunch of mods too it. I never put water in the pan. I just cover it with foil so no fat drips into it and catches Fire. Water in these cheap little single chamber numbers is an extra variable that I choose to negate.

I put the brisket in un trimmed fat down and cook around 285-290 till I get an IT of 165 then wrap in butcher paper and go till I hit 190-195 then either pull it off seperate the point, cube it, dip in au jus, roll in salt/pepper/cracked coriander rub and pop it back in till it gets to 201-203 IT or a probe passes through it like it isn't there. Perfect every time.

 

[aggie94]

Smocan it sounds like you got it down.  Any problem finding briskets in Ontario?

 

[smocan]

I have a guy for brisket. It ain't cheap though. So jealous of the guys on here talking $5,$3, $0.99/lb. I'd cook brisket for the fun of it at $0.99/lb!

 

[jcbigler]

My dad just bought me a 12.75lb brisket for $2.96/lb. 

I had to throw a bunch of stuff out of the freezer to find a place for it. 

 

[smocan]

This is happening:

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• smocan
• Jun 12, 2015

 

[jonnyg]

I know right? Briskets around here are 8.99/lbs.  Haha

 

[aggie94]

Jonny I hope you are kidding about briskets in Spokane being $9 lb.  They've been around $3 for select and $6 for what they say is prime, I've been unhappy with that because briskets use to be dirt cheap.  Decided to put my latest experience in here and it has to do with doneness.  Last couple of briskets I've cooked to IT of 205 and they have been very tender, so decided that is the number to shoot for.  Had to cook one yesterday for a company gathering, it was a 13lb brisket and cut it in half to make it a little easier to handle.  Brisket was on the smoker for 8hrs, wrapped after 5, but still wasn't up to temp.  Storms were moving in so took Gary's suggestion and put it in the oven.  Took another 2 1/2 hrs for the end with the point and 4 hrs for the flat to hit 205, pulled it and stuck in a cooler for 2 hrs (3am) to rest it and then into the fridge.  Got up this morning and brisket looks dry and burnt, guess need to go for an IT of 200 next time.  I've heard every brisket is different but I'm really starting to believe it!

 

[mummel]

Subbing to this thread :)

 

[noboundaries]

 
Jonny I hope you are kidding about briskets in Spokane being $9 lb.  They've been around $3 for select and $6 for what they say is prime, I've been unhappy with that because briskets use to be dirt cheap.  Decided to put my latest experience in here and it has to do with doneness.  Last couple of briskets I've cooked to IT of 205 and they have been very tender, so decided that is the number to shoot for.  Had to cook one yesterday for a company gathering, it was a 13lb brisket and cut it in half to make it a little easier to handle.  Brisket was on the smoker for 8hrs, wrapped after 5, but still wasn't up to temp.  Storms were moving in so took Gary's suggestion and put it in the oven.  Took another 2 1/2 hrs with the end with the point and 4 hrs for the flat to hit 205, pulled it and stuck in a cooler for 2 hrs (3am) to rest it and then into the fridge.  Got up this morning and brisket looks dry and burnt, guess need to go for an IT of 200 next time.  I've heard every brisket is different but I'm really starting to believe it!

Don't forget the probe test along with IT. 

Beef prices are just starting to come down here in Sacramento.  Over the winter brisket was $9/lb at the local grocer (Choice grade) and not much cheaper at Costco ($7-8/lb Choice).  Then boom!  Overnight prices started dropping.  Grocer had Choice brisket for $6/lb and Wally World had Select grade for $3.28/lb when I was there just over a week ago before a weeklong trip.  After eating marginal restaurant food all week I need to smoke something and brisket is at the top of my list. 

 

[smocan]

Just a bit of Q-View from this weekends cook. Sorry there isn't a better photo of finished product. First cook in my Stumbs XL-Baby. "Stumps don't make no junk."

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• smocan
• Jun 15, 2015

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• smocan
• Jun 15, 2015

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• smocan
• Jun 15, 2015

 

[fredfrankbob]

 
O.K. , I've read all the post and totally agree with Danny , Scott , Maddox and the others comments .

We each have minor differences in our style and procedure , but we get the same results . That tells me these guys have one more secret they don't usually

think about , but do without thinking . . .   "Patience" .

Rushing a cook turns out screwed-up and you get Jaded and no longer want to try Brisket again .

There are two things precious to a Cook ; Time an Patience .  Know how long a piece of meat will "Generaly" takes to cook and

work around that time rame. Adding a coupleof hours will almost guarantee you'll have it done and waiting . Remember , you

can hold your Brisky in a cooler for up to 6hrs.   , giving you plenty of room to play . . .

Patients comes in when you hit that "Stall" . You  get worried about  how it's doing , it's doing fine , just (IMHO) do not open

the lid , this (IMHO) lets out all the(constant) heat and , even though you  recover quickly , there is an effect on your

Smoke .   I preach , "No peeking" and refrain from spritzing or doing anything to the meat and just tend the smoke production.

Once you reach you cooking temp. , just work at holding it there (yes, a lot of babysitting) ,  The Thin Blue Smoke is your

offering to the "Smoke gods" , and they return the Love you worked to achieve .

Not there are some that swear by Spritzing or Basting , fine , that's your choice , but the hints and tricks outlined here will

help you much .

 Have fun and . . .

I agree, I am reading and I see the patience factor here, I read on here somewhere multiple times....it will be done when it's done, don't crank up the heat.  Plan it out so you finish early and have a plan if it finishes too early.  I just did my first brisket and I planned for it to be done about 4 hours early in case it took longer I would be ok.  It finished 7.5 hours early, I had a plan for that too.  I believe that smoking requires great attention to detail, if you don't care for that, your dinner will reflect that.

I use an MES 30, heavy smoke for 6-8 hours with apple juice and water in the drip pan @ 225, once the meat hits 170 wrap in foil and let it go to your desired tem, for me it was 200 degrees.  I watched my smoker and everytime the smoke slowed down, I got up and loaded with more chips.  I also believe that resting makes a difference.

I am by no means an expert but I treat everything I cook on the smoker the same, I pay attention and do what it needs when it needs it.  I have never had anything come off the smoker that I was not pleased with, though there may be room for improvement!

 

[aggie94]

Noboundaries I did stick it a few times with a toothpick but need more experience, haven't done it enough to know how hard it should be to push it in.  Have read that over 200 degrees a toothpick should go into a brisket like it is butter, mine wasn't, I had to push a little to get a toothpick to go in.  Smocan are you cooking 3 at once?  Well my brisket turned out editable, which I am grateful for, I poured some beef broth over it and warmed it in the toaster oven.  Hungry office people ate it up but I still think it was over cooked.

 

[cancop]

So I took a run at my very first brisket today in my master built electric 30 smoker.. used oak .. had a 9lb brisket rubbed with salt and pepper... threw it on at 250 and heat dropped way down to 125 and climbed back up to 250 after about 30 minutes.. since it was my first time and didn't know what to watch for i used a digital thermometer and set it for alert at 203 internal temp.. after 8 hours I get the alert..didn't even wrap yet.. I pulled it off and tried 2 other thermometer and sure enough they were all 203 and I tried different areas in the brisket .. ranged from 198 in thicker areas to 203 on thinner areas... 8 hours seems really fast right ?? I'm letting it set right now in paper.. here is what it looked like when I pulled it off

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• cancop
• Jun 15, 2015

 

[aggie94]

It looks delicious, 8 hrs seems about right.  Mine took 12 hrs and that made me nervous, never had one go that long.  You said paper, is that butcher paper and did you have to order it online?

 

[cancop]

I just wrapped it in parchment paper ( non waxed ) gonna let it cool to about 180 then slice er up with