Smoked a couple of briskets today

[bigpoppa]

I had a couple of 10 pound briskets that I soaked for 24 hours in an Apple Chipotle brine. After I removed them from the brine I filtered the spices out of it and rubbed both briskets down. I preheated my MES 40 to 225* and started my amnps with an apple/oak blend pellet. I smoked to an IT of 165* and then foiled. Placed them back in the smoker until IT of 190*. Wrapped in towels and placed in cooler to rest for an hour. They sliced up might pretty! 

 

[cabrego]

Wow, looks pretty juicy-how did it taste?

I prefer the look of the meat with a smoke ring but that is just preference I suppose.  Also, the meat looks very white, is that because it was brined?

 

[jrod62]

Looks goood !! :drool

 

[chef jimmyj]

I am having a tough time getting Flats to stay Juicy! Have been smoking all the way to 190*F without foiling. Will have to give foiling a shot...The Dog is the only one not Complaining!...JJ

 

[smokinhusker]

Looks pretty good! How's the taste?

 

[jfulwider]

If you Smoke a "Flat" or Brisket to 190 with out wrapping it in foil it is going to be very dried out. Like Big Poppa said around 160 to 170 then wrap it up. I like to add a little apple Juice and BBQ sauce and some brown sugar to the bottom of the foil and put the meat in fat up (or the same way it was in the smoker before). Also during your smoke (before you wrap) spray some Apple juice on it a couple of times. Hope this helps you out.

 

[bigpoppa]

It was really juicy and tasty.....when I pulled them to wrap I also emptied my drip pan (AKA the water pan in the MES 40) I added about 3/4 cup of drippings to the briskets before sealing the foil. As far as the smoke ring...I too enjoy a little ring myself but that is a sacrifice you make when you smoke electric I guess. The lighter color of the meat I believe is from brining. During the brining process you are bringing more moisture inside around the cell walls. I think that moisture is what keeps the meat a lighter shade. Just a thought though...

 

[jirodriguez]

So how did the texture of the brisket do with the brining? Did it stay fairly firm, or did it make it slightly mushy? Just curious - I have never brined a brisket, but the apple and chipoltle sound amazing!

 

[bigpoppa]

No the brining doesnt make it mushy at all. The stuff I use says to brine for 1 hour per pound. I exceed that most of the time and it still doesnt change the texture of the meat. I have brined all of the meats that I have smoked...pork, chicken, beef...it all does really well!

 

[damon555]

If you Smoke a "Flat" or Brisket to 190 with out wrapping it in foil it is going to be very dried out. Like Big Poppa said around 160 to 170 then wrap it up. I like to add a little apple Juice and BBQ sauce and some brown sugar to the bottom of the foil and put the meat in fat up (or the same way it was in the smoker before). Also during your smoke (before you wrap) spray some Apple juice on it a couple of times. Hope this helps you out.

I respectfully disagree...190 is my target temp now. I've all but given up foiling during the smoking process. I was too lazy to wrap a brisket some time ago and it turned out much better than the previously wrapped ones. Since then I've noticed 2 things.....first of all when foiling the brisket the meat inside wasn't nearly as flavorful as I like and secondly the exterior bark is just plain delicious when left unwrapped.

It takes longer to smoke but my WSM can hold temps for a very long time. Proper planning gets things done when they need to be. Many people spend too much time fiddling around opening the smoker to do various things. My experience has shown me that that is very counterproductive. The more you leave the meat and smoker alone the better the final product......

 

[jfulwider]

While I agree with you on the bark, I dont on the wrap. I do open my pit up with a brisket but never on a butt. I just think it dries the beef out to much. So I open the pit and spray it down with apple juice. But different strokes for different folks. That's what make BBQ fun and never the same from person to person. Have fun with it.

 

[huntdean]

Hey BigPoppa, can you share your brine recipe?

Thanks.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

I beg to differ with you ,but Briskets don't necessarily need wrapping:

I never wrap, anything:

just sayin'................

Have fun and...

 

[eman]

I used to wrap briskets and butts. Not any more. Don't even use a thermometer in the meat anymore .Only for the smoking temps.

when a bamboo skewer goes into the brisket easily in both the point and flat it's done. when the bone pulls out of a butt easily and clean ,it's done .

 

[jirodriguez]

You can do a partial cheat if you want to foil, but still want bark.

Cook your brisket as normal, and foil at 165°, when you hit 180° pull it out of the foil and put it back in the smoker, the internal temp will drop about 5-10°, and let it cook to desired finished temp. 190° or 200°. The 2nd un-foiled cook time will probably take 4-5 hrs (that is just a rough average each piece of meat is different). It is kind of like 3-2-1, but for briskets instead of ribs. You get a nice bark that isn't ubber crunchy and dry, and the meat is very tender and juicy.

 

[bigpoppa]

Hey BigPoppa, can you share your brine recipe?

Thanks.

I buy all of my brines from Sweetwater Spice Company in Austin, TX. The brines they sell are concentrate so you just add water and soak it up. Their web address is www.sweetwaterspice.com. They have some really awesome flavors...IMO!