Smoking brisket on 22" WSM

[LexB89]

Hi guy's,

I have ordered my first brisket joint for the weekend.

It will weigh about 2.5 - 3kg (5.5 - 6.5lbs) hopefully including the flat and the point.

How long should it take to smoke at roughly 250 degrees?

I'm picking up differing information from websites.

Can anyone help me out?

 

[oldsmokerdude]

Tough question in that there are so many variable involved: ambient temp, wind, humidity, and the meat itself all come into play. All that said, I would estimate about an hour and half per pound. However, it is done when it's done. I've had briskets cook way faster than that and had some cook way slower. Determine "doneness" by internal temp and probe test, not by time.

 

[texomakid]

You're going to smoke a brisket joint?

6 1/2 lbs is going to either be a small brisket or only the flat or the point. As oldsmokerdude said, many variables but running @ 250 deg F I'd also estimate about 1.5 hours per pound so roughly 9 or 10 hours? Let's see pics of that brisket when you get it. We love pics!

 

[LexB89]

Thanks.

I will post some pictures.

I asked for half a Brisket including the flat and the point.

I'm not sure what I'll end up with.

 

[noboundaries]

Interesting. My local Costco used to sell briskets cut lengthwise. I never bought one. They didn't offer full packers at all. Looking forward to the pics.

 

[gary s]

Gary

 

[texomakid]

Point, not Joint! Ok now I get it. I was fixing to go try and find my old bong. I know I've got one stashed in those boxes in the attic somewhere?

ok, for real, I've never seen a brisket like this so scratch anything I suggested. please post pics.

 

[civilsmoker]

I do point cuts by preference. Here is a post for an un wrapped version.....

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/the-picture-journey-of-a-point-cut-brisket.293748/

when I’m short on time, I drop it in a foil pan and cover it with foil when the IT hits 165. Once you cover it you can transfer it to the kitchen oven till done to simplify the cook. It will be done in 7-9 hours this way.

good luck and starting with the point is a good thing. It’s more uniform and cooks even because of that. It also tends to be less prone to getting over done and dry like the flat on a full one.

 

[LexB89]

Gi guy's,

This is what I got from my butcher's.

I'm pretty sure it's just the flat. 3.2kg (7lb).

 

[LexB89]

Which way do I put it on the smoker?

The same way as on the picture?

 

[tallbm]

Gi guy's,

This is what I got from my butcher's.

I'm pretty sure it's just the flat. 3.2kg (7lb).

It kinda looks to me like you have point and flat but they took off all the fat unless the fat is on the bottom. In the pic the left side looks like the point and the right side the flat but usually the point covers the flat muscle and doesnt sit off to the side/.

I do my briskets fat side up. Keep the thicker portion to the hotter side of the smoker.

I smoke my briskets at 275F smoker temp and it takes a little over an hour a pound... but that is on briskets 9 pounds or heavier AND i dont open the smoker until the end to check for tenderness AND i dont wrap at all.

I kinda find that anything under 8 pounds generally takes 8-9 hours anyways.

The key to smoking a brisket and getting it right is:

• The brisket is done when it is TENDER
• It is tender when you can stab ALL OVER with a kabob skewer and it goes in with no resistance
• You check for tenderness when the Internal Temp (IT) of the meat is about 200F
• You put the thermometer probe into the thickest yet center most part of the FLAT muscle, never the point muscle

Follow those bullet points and u will have a successful brisket that you can then improve on with each following cook :)

I hope this info helps :)

 

[LexB89]

All good stuff! Thanks!

Should I have more fat on the brisket?

 

[LexB89]

I'm cooking my brisket and running at 270F. It's been on for 5 hours and the internal temperature of the meat is stuck at 158F.

It's been at 158F for at least an hour or so.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[BB-que]

Only if you’re not drinking yet. Patience, there’s nothing you’re doing wrong. Don’t stress and start trying a bunch of things. If there’s one thing that will ruin a chunk of beef it’s paranoia (take it from me). You hit a stall. You can ride it out, wrap, or bump temp to 300. But as you do more you’ll learn the simpler you keep the process the better. Don’t overthink it, and imo don’t fluctuate the temps a lot, beef doesn’t like that. Find a temp and let it roll. If anything wrap it until temp.

 

[LexB89]

Ok thanks.

I've got a drink, which helps!

I've wrapped it.

I'm not running low on briquettes tho.

How should I go about adding more?

I know if you stir up the briquettes too much the temperature sky rockets.

 

[tallbm]

On a brisket one side should have a whole layer of fat where u dont see the muscle, that is the fat side. The other side should be almost all meat other than some spots of super thin fat or tissue, that is the meat side.

As mentioned you have hit a stall which is common for a brisket and often lasts for hours and hours.
I just now realize we never spoke about properly timing your brisket. When cooking a brisket it is basically mandatory that you plan to finish way early before your planned eating time. I always recommend to shoot to finish 4 hours before planned eating time.
If the brisket DOES finish 4 hours early then awesome, u tightly double wrap in 2 layers of foil, then tightly wrap in 3 bath towels and set it on the counter and I PROMISE that 4-5 hours later it will still be piping and ready to slice and serve.
If the brisket does NOT finish 4 hours early, well you have 4 extra hours for it to do its thing before people show up with forks and knives to eat :)

As for adding briquettes someone other than I will have to give u good information on that BUT understand that the brisket doesnt care what temp it is cooked/smoked at so a spike or a lull in temps wont hurt it and even if u go up to 375F for an hour it wont hurt the brisket as long as you arent burning it with direct flame. You have it wrapped so it should be protected.

Finally, in my opinion the best briskets are unrwrapped or wrapped in butcher paper. If you foil wrap a brisket too early it basically taste like roast beef instead of a brisket.

Get your fire situation under control first and then figure out if u wanna keep it wrapped or unwrap it for the flavor u are going for and as mentioned then just let things go and keep it simple.

Remember the brisket is done when it is tender and that is up to the brisket so welcome to your first brisket experience. Almost every brisket smoke can teach you something for the next one :)

 

[LexB89]

I think the brisket I bought was already trimmed. Next time I'll ask for the fat left on and do it myself.

It's funny you say about it tasting like roast beef!

That is what it tasted like.

I assumed it was because I over cooked it? But I also thought I worked to correct internal meat temperatures.

If you don't wrap it how do you keep the meat from drying out?

 

[tallbm]

I think the brisket I bought was already trimmed. Next time I'll ask for the fat left on and do it myself.

It's funny you say about it tasting like roast beef!

That is what it tasted like.

I assumed it was because I over cooked it? But I also thought I worked to correct internal meat temperatures.

If you don't wrap it how do you keep the meat from drying out?

The fat and the collagen tissue in the muscle keep it juicy. Yours had a bunch of fat removed.
Next time ask him for a "whole packer" brisket untrimmed.

It tasted like roast beef cause it was smoked for only 5 hours then wrapped.
If you smoked it to an IT of about 180F and then wrapped you would have gotten many more hours of it getting smoke and forming bark and forming the brisket flavor u are looking for.
What you ended up with was basically a lightly smoked roast instead of a brisket lol.

Get a better cut of brisket with the fat on and smoke it without wrapping it.
Again at 275F smoker temp it takes a little over an hour a pound if you have steady temps and you dont open the smoker and it is unwrapped the whole time.
If you have a 10 pound brisket and u want to eat at noon. Then it will take about 11 hours and then add 4 hours to finish early or have buffer. So 16 hours meaning start at 8pm the day before if u want to eat at noon.

Do those things and u will have a much better brisket :)

 

[LexB89]

Ok great!

Overnight cook sounds much better than the 6am start!

How much fat do I leave on?

 

[tallbm]

Ok great!

Overnight cook sounds much better than the 6am start!

How much fat do I leave on?

Yeah it sure is. The key is to know your smoking setup/system well enough and what it can do so you dont have to stay up all night.

I run a highly modified electric smoker and have wireless thermometers to measure smoker and meat temps so I can put it in a couple of hours before bed time and ensure smoke generation is going well then go to bed and if anything crazy happens the alarms tell me or when it is about done the temp alarms also tell me.
It is super efficient usage of time for me since I dont have to do much hahaha.

Again I cant stress the importance of knowing your smoker/smoking system well and how to keep it going all night and know how much baby sitting is/isn't involved :)