planning first brisket

[beerwagon]

I'm planning my first attempt at brisket for this weekend. Are there any tips for selecting a good brisket? What to look for what not to look for... etch.

Heres my game plan

10lb brisket

Wet rub of beer beef broth and vinegar

Then add the dry rub, which I have two options a more salt and pepper approach or a sweet one with sugars

Cook at 250 for 6 hours with fat side up, does this matter?

Take out out and put in a pan of apple juice and water. Mop with vinegar twice for two hours

Cover in pan and let steam for two hours

Target temp of 190

Thanks for any advice or tips

 

[flash]

Brisket can be the most difficult piece of meat to smoke because it is the toughest meat to make tender. First, we should understand what the brisket is, the types available, and how to pick one from the store.
What you want to buy at the store is an untrimmed brisket. If you see “market cuts” this is an untrimmed brisket with most fat removed and cut into two pieces –the Point and the Flat. When you look at an untrimmed brisket, the point is the flat pointed end (better for pulling) and the Flat is the thicker fatter part (better for slicing).
Now for picking out a good cut. You want to look at the side of the brisket and look for a consistent fat cap from the point to the deckle end. Marbling is good and you will sometimes notice the fat caps look yellow and some times they are white. The yellow comes from farms grain feeding or can be signs of growth hormones. Either way, I can never tell the difference once cooked, so don’t get freaky on the yellow fat. The most important part in picking one out is to find one that will bend easily. Hold the deckle end and find one that the flat easily bends downward when holding the deckle. A lot of times a store will have all the same consistency of tenderness, so you might not see much difference in product at one store. After you buy a few at different places you will see the difference between the stiff ones and the not so stiff ones.

 

[beerwagon]

Thanks a ton!! 

I was trying to Google it but ended up going in circles.

Would anyone know a good reason to smoke the brisket fat side up?

 

[va_connoisseur]

If this is your first brisket may I make a suggestions...keep it simple. Salt, pepper, (maybe a little onion and garlic powder). Why? That way it's easier to tell what you like and don't like. And once you get a handle on those variables, you can build from there. Just my $.02.

Also, Flash was spot on about selecting a brisket.

And I do fat side up on my WSM and reverse flow

 

[little smokey]

I agree with VA here is a copied post about my first packer smoke and I will never go another way but salt and pepper only.

Did my first full packer recently and here is what happened.

Got a 12lber and based on past experiences with just doing flats, I know longer use a regular rub Just salt and pepper 50/50.  That bark becomes this nice salty bit of awesomeness, by itself it is salty but when that flat is sliced it is just awesome.

Based on lots of questions asked I smoked it until about 165 and separated the point and the flat which was really easy at that point.  I put the flat back in the smoker after adding some more S&P in the area the point was connected and took her to 195.  I rested it in a cooler for two hours then sliced her into the best sandwiches I ever had and my father in-law ruined by putting ketchup on it.   

When the point was removed from the flat I chopped into one inch cubes, sauced it, sprinkled with rub and put it back in the smoker for another almost two hours with occasional stirring and adding of rub.  

I will always do it the same  way from now on because I can't ask for anything better in my opinion.  My guests were WOWed by the burnt ends and loved the brisket sammies also.

Total smoke time was about 21 hours at 235-245 in my MES using the AMZNPS with a fully tray of Pitmasters choice.

 

[beerwagon]

Awesome info thanks for info and hopefully mine come out tastey

 

[bhelton]

Little Smokey, how did you fit a 12 lb in a MES? What shelf did you cook on?

 

[little smokey]

second shelf on a MES 30 I angled it corner to corner and had to prop up the thin end of the flat in the corner but I made it work.  Quite a few hours later it fit fine due to shrinkage.  DOing a 6lb flat this weekend but would love to do another packer here soon.  

 

[bhelton]

I was thinking of trying a flat first. all that means is no burnt ends right?