new to smokin... gonna try brisket

[scaredcat]

So I am gonna try to smoke a brisket. Never done it before. Any helpful hints?

 

[fullbreed06]

What size are you going for, and what's your equipment?

 

[scaredcat]

I got a dual smoker... charcoal and propane

 

[fullbreed06]

I usually dry rub my brisket wrap it in plastic wrap for 24 hours ahead of time. Then take it out of the fridge 3 hours before i get ready to smoke it. This allows the meat to get back to room temp. If you go straight from fridge to smoker it will take that much more time to get the briskets internal temp up. Once I put the brisket on the smoker I let it sit at between 230-245F. 1.25 hours per pound. I then flip the brisket every 3 hours. Now what I have found that works great is when you flip the brisket spray it with apple juice, this helps build the bark on the outside of the brisket. One more thing to give you the best chance of it being moist, get the internal temp to 180F, once there hold it there for an hour. This will liquefies all the connective tissue in the meat and make it really moist. Once I figured this worked I use it all the time. I hope this works for you.

 

[scaredcat]

thanks for the tips.... I had also heard to put the brisket in an alum pan to keep the juices in the meat.  Hate to ruin a $25 piece of meat!!

 

[chef jimmyj]

Fullbreed gave some good advice. The only addition I will make is...If you inject anything, the whole Warm to Room Temp is out. You up the risk of pushing bacteria into the interior of the meat and the goal is to get the Internal Temp (IT) up, over 140*F, asap or within 4 hours. 

Next you may wish to try this recipe for Smokey Au Jus. It's pretty good stuff. Good Luck...JJ

Smokey Au Jus

1- Lg Onion,

4-5 Carrots,

3-4 Ribs Celery

3-4 Peeled Cloves of Garlic

Toss them in a pan under the Beef, and let the whole deal Smoke for one hour,

THEN add 4-6 Cups Beef Broth,

2 Tbs Tomato Paste,

1/2tsp Dry Thyme (4-5 sprigs Fresh)

1-2 ea Bayleaf

Finish the Smoking process to the IT you want. 

While the Roast is resting, dump the pan juices veggies and all into a 2-3Qt Sauce pot and add 1Cup Red Wine, something you like to drink, and bring the Jus to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Strain out the veggies and let the Jus rest a minute or so for the Fat to rise. Skim off the bulk of the fat then using strips of paper towel laid on top of the Jus then quickly removed, take off the last little bit of fat.

The purpose of Smoking the Vegetable for 1 hour before adding the Broth and Herbs is...The Smoked vegetables Roast in the Dry heat concentrating their Flavors and Sweetness giving the finished Jus a Richer, Deeper, Full Flavor.

Serve the sliced Beef Au Jus or thicken the Jus to make Gravy.

NOTE: If you are using this recipe with Brisket, additional Water will have to be added periodically to maintain the proper volume. Do not add more Broth as repeated addition and reduction will make the Au Jus too salty..

 

[scaredcat]

great helpful hints.. thanks

 

[pgsmoker64]

I would also add that it's really not necessary to flip the brisket.  That is a personal preference thing, plus the more you open the smoker the longer the brisket is going to take to cook.  You know the ol' sayin...if you're lookin' you ain't cookin'!

Good luck,

Bill

 

[buggman]

Fat side up all the way

 

[elsos]

Fullbreed gave some good advice. The only addition I will make is...If you inject anything, the whole Warm to Room Temp is out. You up the risk of pushing bacteria into the interior of the meat and the goal is to get the Internal Temp (IT) up, over 140*F, asap or within 4 hours. 

Next you may wish to try this recipe for Smokey Au Jus. It's pretty good stuff. Good Luck...JJ

Smokey Au Jus

1- Lg Onion,

4-5 Carrots,

3-4 Ribs Celery

3-4 Peeled Cloves of Garlic

Toss them in a pan under the Beef, and let the whole deal Smoke for one hour,

THEN add 4-6 Cups Beef Broth,

2 Tbs Tomato Paste,

1/2tsp Dry Thyme (4-5 sprigs Fresh)

1-2 ea Bayleaf

Finish the Smoking process to the IT you want. 

While the Roast is resting, dump the pan juices veggies and all into a 2-3Qt Sauce pot and add 1Cup Red Wine, something you like to drink, and bring the Jus to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Strain out the veggies and let the Jus rest a minute or so for the Fat to rise. Skim off the bulk of the fat then using strips of paper towel laid on top of the Jus then quickly removed, take off the last little bit of fat.

The purpose of Smoking the Vegetable for 1 hour before adding the Broth and Herbs is...The Smoked vegetables Roast in the Dry heat concentrating their Flavors and Sweetness giving the finished Jus a Richer, Deeper, Full Flavor.

Serve the sliced Beef Au Jus or thicken the Jus to make Gravy.

NOTE: If you are using this recipe with Brisket, additional Water will have to be added periodically to maintain the proper volume. Do not add more Broth as repeated addition and reduction will make the Au Jus too salty..

Holy Cow, JJ!  I'm hungry now; thanks for sharing this!

 

[av8tor]

I usually dry rub my brisket wrap it in plastic wrap for 24 hours ahead of time. Then take it out of the fridge 3 hours before i get ready to smoke it. This allows the meat to get back to room temp. If you go straight from fridge to smoker it will take that much more time to get the briskets internal temp up. Once I put the brisket on the smoker I let it sit at between 230-245F. 1.25 hours per pound. I then flip the brisket every 3 hours. Now what I have found that works great is when you flip the brisket spray it with apple juice, this helps build the bark on the outside of the brisket. One more thing to give you the best chance of it being moist, get the internal temp to 180F, once there hold it there for an hour. This will liquefies all the connective tissue in the meat and make it really moist. Once I figured this worked I use it all the time. I hope this works for you.

What is your method for holding it at 180F, foil wrapped in towels in a cooler?

 

[fwismoker]

What kind of smoker are you going to be using?...it matters as to if you might want to go fat up or fat down. 

 

[av8tor]

What kind of smoker are you going to be using?...it matters as to if you might want to go fat up or fat down. 

If you were asking me I am using a WSM.  

 

[jguzman]

When I went to do my second brisket I found this video to be VERY helpful. 



Kinda long but FULL of information.