New to smoking from Southern California

[SolHero]

Hi,
I love a good brisket, however, I must say getting a good brisket in this area has been a hit and miss but more often than not, a miss. So I decided I would learn how to smoke my own brisket. I don't have a lot of money to invest in this but I did have a Weber 22 inch grill that was not getting much use and to my surprise I learned that I could smoke meat using my charcoal grill. I thought I had to have some fancy equipment to do it so after watching a few tutorials on the internet I decided to try it.

My first brisket was absolutely awesome! I was blown away, I mean, that was my very first one and all I used was salt and pepper so obviously I got lucky it came out that way. Then tried again, and again, and again and I have not been able to get the same results but I am not discouraged, I've been perfecting it and seeing on my own the effects of minor changes based on different charcoal, different wood and different ingredients for the rub.

In case anyone is familiar with the area I'm close to county line between North Orange county and Los Angeles county.

 

[JLeonard]

Welcome to the forums. The Weber Kettle is the most versatile thing in the BBQ world. I love mine. Look forward to your post and pics (we are visually oriented here).
Jim

 

[MCQSmoker]

Hi,
I love a good brisket, however, I must say getting a good brisket in this area has been a hit and miss but more often than not, a miss. So I decided I would learn how to smoke my own brisket. I don't have a lot of money to invest in this but I did have a Weber 22 inch grill that was not getting much use and to my surprise I learned that I could smoke meat using my charcoal grill. I thought I had to have some fancy equipment to do it so after watching a few tutorials on the internet I decided to try it.

My first brisket was absolutely awesome! I was blown away, I mean, that was my very first one and all I used was salt and pepper so obviously I got lucky it came out that way. Then tried again, and again, and again and I have not been able to get the same results but I am not discouraged, I've been perfecting it and seeing on my own the effects of minor changes based on different charcoal, different wood and different ingredients for the rub.

In case anyone is familiar with the area I'm close to county line between North Orange county and Los Angeles county.

Best of luck, you’ve found a fun hobby.

One idea might be writing down in a note book what worked and what didn’t. How much charcoal you used, did you use wood or not, what you did with the vents, the rub etc. you’ll eventually find out what worked best

 

[kruizer]

Welcome to SMF from Minnesota.

 

[sandyut]

Welcome from Utah. Briskets are fun and an ongoing challenge. Good luck.

 

[pushok2018]

Welcome to the forum from North California! I wondering if you wrote down the recipe and the process you used for your first cook? That way you can (usually, but not necessary exactly the same way) duplicate your first cook.

 

[SolHero]

One idea might be writing down in a note book what worked and what didn’t.

Thank you for the tip, I will start doing that because I thought I could repeat it but a few briskets later I still have not been able to.

I wondering if you wrote down the recipe and the process you used for your first cook?

Unfortunately I didn't.

The last brisket I smoked was about 3 weeks ago and weather was okay, I'm in southern California so it does not get that cold, the coldest I would expect is about mid 40s F but I dont know if I should wait until it warms up again. I think I can still smoke during this time but I'm sure it can take much longer.

 

[bauchjw]

Welcome from Virginia! Salt and cracked pepper is my favorite rub for brisket. Do you use a meat thermometer or are you attempting cooking based on time? “Probe Tender” is the best way, most people here do internal temp as a guide and start poking with tooth pick at around 200 IT and keep going until there is almost no resistance to a poke.

 

[SolHero]

Do you use a meat thermometer or are you attempting cooking based on time? “Probe Tender” is the best way, most people here do internal temp as a guide and start poking with tooth pick at around 200 IT and keep going until there is almost no resistance to a poke.

I have a temperature with a wired probe so I can leave it in the meat without having to open often. The first time though, I used a basic meat thermometer and I focused on keeping the grill close to 225 (that took a lot of babysitting) and I read a "rule" somewhere that I should do 1.5 hours per pound so I smoked it for 9 hours (it was a 6lb piece of flat) but ow I go for "probe tender" and I only check temps a few times during the cook. Oh by the way, I did not wrap my first brisket. I have tried foil and also butcher paper and I can't tell if that helps. I might go back to no wrap.

 

[noboundaries]

Welcome ro SMF from SacTown.

So the first was great. What were the issues with the others? And before you answer, believe me when I say dry and/or tough is undersmoked/undercooked.

 

[SolHero]

So the first was great. What were the issues with the others?

The others had issues where the point section was great but the flat was not but I could not tell if that was considered undersmoked/undercooked. I don't think it was dry but it was not flexible as I've seen on tutorials where the slice of flat bends over the edge of the knife. Judging it myself, the flat was not there yet.

Another issue I had was that the cook was taking much longer than anticipated and my guests were impatient and I did not rest the meat as long as I would like. They seemed to be happy with it and got some compliments but I think they were just being kind because they know how much effort I put into it.

I don't measure how much of the rub I apply to the meat and under seasoned at least once.

Now that I think about it, my best briskets were just flats. The packer briskets were the more challenging to get the entire piece of meat to reach the same tenderness.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Hi, and welcome from Iowa! One thing to keep in mind...every piece of meat is gonna cook differently. So you could buy 2 briskets at the same place, same time... cook them at the same time using 2 exact smokers, using the same method on both and good chance they will finish at different times. Remember to start early, brisket does great wrapped in foil and old towels resting in a cooler for a few hours. Just let it cool a bit first before doing so or it will continue to cook.

Ryan

 

[912smoker]

Welcome to SMF from SE Ga

 

[bauchjw]

Our good friend Foamy reminded me a month ago that a technique is to cut that flat end off because its always over cooked if the flat/point end is cooked perfectly. Then save them and grind 'em for my chili.
Always good to shoot for getting the brisket done well ahead of guests, hours, then wrap in foil/butcher paper and old towels then stick in cooler.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Just as well add to your never-ending list of things you want to try... cuz my list is way out of control! But cut the flat off, cure it, and smoke it for beef bacon! Then smoke the point by itself.

Ryan

 

[uncle eddie]

Welcome to SMF and howdy from central Missouri

 

[SolHero]

cut the flat off, cure it, and smoke it for beef bacon! Then smoke the point by itself.

cut that flat end off because its always over cooked if the flat/point end is cooked perfectly. Then save them and grind 'em for my chili.
Always good to shoot for getting the brisket done well ahead of guests, hours, then wrap in foil/butcher paper and old towels then stick in cooler.

Thank you for those great suggestions!

 

[noboundaries]

SolHero, thanks for the detailed explanation. Here are a few recommendations and explanations about packer performance.

1. The fattier point will ALWAYS feel ready before the flat. The temp will register higher, too. I only probe the flat for tenderness. If using a meat probe for temp as a guide (not a destination), only measure the flat. The fattier point will always taste succulent and delicious.
2. With packers, never cook to a clock. ALWAYS finish 3-5 hours early. I rest my packers in foil in a pan in a 170F oven. They turnout tender, juicy, and melt in your mouth without crumbling. Some of the restaurants with lines around the block rest theirs for up to 12 hours in 140F hot boxes.
3. I too learned on Kettle. Don't be afraid to use a combination of the Kettle and the oven. Kettle for smoke until the stall (or a little later), oven to finish then rest. Once wrapped, if you wrap, heat is heat if using foil. Poke right thru the foil to test for tenderness.
4. Finally, and you may find this hard to believe, but tri tips can be smoked the same way as briskets. Being a Westie, I always Kettled them to medium rare. A tri tip smoked like a brisket is done in half the time and gives a texture and flavor result like a fattier flat. I learned how to do it here on SMF. Search and learn, Grasshopper

Ray