Quick Question on Brisket

[vt dukhntr]

Pretty new to smoking so I'm still not sure of a few things.  I'm smoking in and MES30.  Looking at smoking a brisket flat, maybe 5#ish. 

My MIL is notorious for cooking brisket when we go to her house.  Always in the oven, always dry and taske like white I imagine a farmers boot might taste likeif it was roasted.   She is a step-MIL, so I want to show her up a bit.

From what I've read, smoke at 225 until temp reached 160.  Foil and bring up to 190, cooler from there.  Suggestinons are saying 1.5 hours/pound.  I was figuring that if I get up Friday morning and have it in my smoker by 7:30ish that I can smoke it all day.  Figure that if I'm short on time for dinner I can finish in oven.  If I'm long on time I can cooler it a bit longer. (contingency plan in place)

Even after looking around for a while on brisket stuff, my big questions are:

what are you mopping with or spritzing with?  Should I be smoking fat up or down?  Figured I would toss a pan under to catch potential AuJus.

If I do catch some, what is best method for preping that for use?

Have I given myself too much time? I figure have in by 7:30-8, eat dinner 6:00ish.  I have read all about how time differs and use 1.5 hours as a guidline.  But 10+ hours for 5#???

Any suggestions on a rub would be good, but I can usually come up with something creative.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[sprky]

Brisket needs to done low and slow in my opinion. I smoke them in the 200 -225 range target temp of 215. I figure 2 hrs per pound. I also cooler hold my briskets. The briskets I smoke are full packers.  I spritz with 8oz Jack Daniels, 6 oz apple cider, 4 oz water, 2oz cider vinegar. Smoke fat cap up. I have always trimmed my briskets to round 3/8 inch fat cap. However another member here has had excellent results with out trimming. I normally slather my briskets with a cheap yellow mustard and Worcestershire sauce, apply my rub wrap in saran wrap and let sit in fridge over night. 

 

[vt dukhntr]

Thanks for the response.  I'll try your spritz.  Maybe for this first attempt I'll try 220.  I think I have enough time to get to temp and cooler  Even at 2 hours a pound if I keep it at 5# size I can start maybe at 6:30 instead of 7:30.  That leaves me 11.5 hours, almost 12 by the time we really get ready to eat.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I use Montreal Steak Seasoning or a similar type rub I created...Coffee makes a nice Spritz and as far as Au Jus goes this Recipe is popular...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.

 

[stovebolt]

 VT, JJ has you covered on this one, fat side up. If you finish in the oven you should stay with the same low and slow, no time to be gained here. We don't go to the oven to increase the heat, we do that after foiling because we don't need smoke once it's in foil.     

 Chuck                                    

 

 

[vt dukhntr]

Thanks Chuck.  I'm going to get this in early so that I have at least 11 hours.  I can always cooler it and heat a bit just before dinner if need be, but it sounds like if I cooler it, the heat will be held for a long time.  SHould be an interesting adventure.

~Dave

 

[SmokinAl]

Don't forget the camera!

 

[philh]

I must be backwards because I smoke my briskets with the fat cap down. I found out with the new smokers with the water pan that the meat does not dry out like it did before.

I think the seasoning soaks into the meat better if it doesn't have to fight thru the fat..

Just do what works for you. There is more than one way to cook a brisket..

I usually cook at a smoker temp around 225 & pull when IT reaches 199.. Yummy

Phil

 

[redclaymud]

Brisket needs to done low and slow in my opinion. I smoke them in the 200 -225 range target temp of 215. I figure 2 hrs per pound. I also cooler hold my briskets. The briskets I smoke are full packers.  I spritz with 8oz Jack Daniels, 6 oz apple cider, 4 oz water, 2oz cider vinegar. Smoke fat cap up. I have always trimmed my briskets to round 3/8 inch fat cap. However another member here has had excellent results with out trimming. I normally slather my briskets with a cheap yellow mustard and Worcestershire sauce, apply my rub wrap in saran wrap and let sit in fridge over night. 

That's great advice and it's the classic way of doing a brisket.  You can't go wrong.  I'm thinking for your first time, keep it simple.  I prefer Wild Turkey over Jack Daniels, but that's only to prep the cook.

 

[redclaymud]

I think I've tried this recipe before and it was great.  My biggest problem was the juices drying out in the catch pan, but once the broth is added, after the first hour, every drop of flavor fallin into that pan made it so much tastier.  Bravo Chef JimmJ.

I use Montreal Steak Seasoning or a similar type rub I created...Coffee makes a nice Spritz and as far as Au Jus goes this Recipe is popular...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.