Smoking first brisket ever for the super bowl - how does this cut look?

[tps7c]

Hey guys, we're smoking a brisket for the Super Bowl, and starting the cook late Friday night so it's actually ready on Saturday - not taking any chances! This is the first time doing one, so can you give me your opinion on the one we selected. Costco had prime briskets for $4.99/lb. Tried to get the smallest one since it's the first time. Considering using "Holy Cow" for the rub. Will be doing this on the WSM 22". Any tips of how to trim this bad boy? Thanks!

 

[Rawhide99]

YouTube is your friend.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Trim it up and cook it! Take notes and make adjustments on the next one.

 

[schlotz]

Hmm... Super Bowl is Sunday evening so why getting it done on Saturday? First brisket on an overnight smoke is really stepping out there. The 14# will probably trim out to somewhere around 11#. Weigh the trimmings so you know final smoking weight. Would recommend smoking it at a verified 275º grate temp. You need to verify your grate temp with a known calibrated external thermometer. Do NOT reply on the built in thermometer, they are notorious for being inaccurate. Allow for 14 hours until dinner time. The brisket should become tender and hopefully have rested for at least two hours (maybe more) before slicing. When the IT in the thickest part of the flat reaches 195º start probing all over the flat (not the point). You are looking for a feel like going in/out of peanut butter. If not tender wait for a 3º IT rise and probe again. Repeat until tender. Once there, remove and let sit open on the counter to allow the cooking to stop. The IT should drop approx 5%. Then place in a cooler covered with towels and let it rest until dinner time. With that said, I personally would start smoking around 3-4am Sunday morning.

Good luck and don't forget, no pictures and it didn't happen.

 

[indaswamp]

However it turns out-post pictures. Kind of a standing unwritten rule that everyone gets their first brisket cook posted to the carousel at the top of the home page.

 

[tps7c]

Hmm... Super Bowl is Sunday evening so why getting it done on Saturday? First brisket on an overnight smoke is really stepping out there. The 14# will probably trim out to somewhere around 11#. Weigh the trimmings so you know final smoking weight. Would recommend smoking it at a verified 275º grate temp. You need to verify your grate temp with a known calibrated external thermometer. Do NOT reply on the built in thermometer, they are notorious for being inaccurate. Allow for 14 hours until dinner time. The brisket should become tender and hopefully have rested for at least two hours (maybe more) before slicing. When the IT in the thickest part of the flat reaches 195º start probing all over the flat (not the point). You are looking for a feel like going in/out of peanut butter. If not tender wait for a 3º IT rise and probe again. Repeat until tender. Once there, remove and let sit open on the counter to allow the cooking to stop. The IT should drop approx 5%. Then place in a cooler covered with towels and let it rest until dinner time. With that said, I personally would start smoking around 3-4am Sunday morning.

Good luck and don't forget, no pictures and it didn't happen.

Thanks for all the info and tips Matt! I didn't even think about weighing the trimmings to get the actual smoke weight. I'll be using the FireBoard system to monitor the temp. I've used it on some long pork butt cooks and it's so impressive. Before that I used the Pitmaster IQ120 for about 10 years - great system as well, but it was time to upgrade. So I'm making the brisket for my friend's SB party on Sunday, and he's helping, and we both just decided on having it ready Saturday. If for some reason it came out terrible, we could always smoke some ribs in a pinch, which we've been doing for 15 years, lol. We can have some brisket on Saturday (WM tournament is on) to try it out, and then again on Sunday for the game. We're also going to use it to recreate the famous Fox-Bros Brisket Chili (we're in ATL where those guys are from) and his wife will also use some for brisket nachos. Excited for the maiden brisket voyage but also nervous!

And I'll definitely posts pics of the process along the way! Thanks again for the advice!!

 

[tps7c]

However it turns out-post pictures. Kind of a standing unwritten rule that everyone gets their first brisket cook posted to the carousel at the top of the home page.

Oh that's awesome! Thanks, and I'll definitely post pics for sure!

 

[schlotz]

Nothing better than smoke brisket chili

 

[Newglide]

Can't really offer any advice but good luck. Enjoy the cook and post up some pics and updates along the way

 

[912smoker]

You've got a big crew here to help if you have any questions during the cook.

Have you used Holy Cow before?
I LOVE the peppery taste but the wife not so much.


Keith

 

[bmudd14474]

Id have that thing trimmed up now then into the smoker early AM. Then once its done id hold over night at 150degrees then serve sunday.

 

[Coreymacc]

Dont trim anything, take the big piece of fat out between the flat and point only. Trimming all the fat doesn't do anything. Leave it all on and remove it on your plate when you eat it.

My opinion
Corey

 

[MileHighSmokerGirl]

The WSM 22" runs hot (it's hard to get the 22" below 275° F and keep it there) so you can expect it will smoke faster than you anticipate.

With this being your FIRST brisket smoke AND it's Super Bowl Sunday, you need to start EARLIER than expected so you can account for delays, longer than normal stall time.

So as a fellow WSM smoker (18"), open your lid vent, close 2 of your 3 bottom vents AND close the 3rd vent about 2/3 of the way, put the brisket on the top rack, smoke it to the stall about 165 F (FAT CAP FACING UP), then pull it, toss it in a turkey bag if you have one, if not wrap it in butcher paper or aluminum foil, and put it in the oven at 235° and let it finish. This way you don't run into any delays. Once it's probe tender and jiggly like a jello, wrap it in some THICK towels and toss it in an empty cooler until you're ready to serve it. This way it's ready when your guests arrive and they're not grumbling and getting impatient.

 

[Abigail4476]

Hey guys, we're smoking a brisket for the Super Bowl, and starting the cook late Friday night so it's actually ready on Saturday - not taking any chances! This is the first time doing one, so can you give me your opinion on the one we selected. Costco had prime briskets for $4.99/lb. Tried to get the smallest one since it's the first time. Considering using "Holy Cow" for the rub. Will be doing this on the WSM 22". Any tips of how to trim this bad boy? Thanks!View attachment 731088View attachment 731089View attachment 731090View attachment 731091View attachment 731092

A little late to the party, but maybe put these posts in your back pocket for later:

First Brisket Trim. Howd I do?

Cooking my first smoker brisket today. 6# flat. Didn’t have a great knife( daughter ordered Wusthof boning for my b day) any corrective criticism welcome. Was aiming for clean one side and 1/4” fat cap on other. Appreciate feedback.

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Honest rating 1-10 on my brisket trim.

Smoked everything but brisket for many years. Decided it’s time to start. Looking for feedback on how I did for the first time.

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Firehouse Brisket for the Guys...

Choice packers went on sale last week $2.99/#. Guys bought one for me to smoke. It looked decent in the cryo-vac pack, but when I opened it up...I've never seen such a poorly trimmed brisket. Tip of the point was cut off and it had a rather large flap of meat to one side of the point. The...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[sandyut]

Read the post from @tallbm about trimming above. Its spot on.

Holy Cow is all I use on briskets. run the WSM around 275. I cook all my briskets at 275 on my pellet grill.

As for the one you picked...picking a brisket can be challenging IMO. I try not to buy too much hard fat by using the bend test. if it wont bend, then there is a lot of hard fat. It can be trimmed but thats a bunch of $4.99/lb fat. Do the best you can on picking one out, then deal with what you get when you trim.

Post pics.

 

[schlotz]

Totally agree, before anything else read @tallbm's post about trimming.

 

[radioguy]

All Great advice above!! I do it hot and fast 260-300F . Pull it when probe tender, I probe it with an instant read thermometer. When its done, wrap in foil and rest it for an hour or longer. I put it in a cooler with old beach towels. This is where all the magic happens.
Have Fun and post some pictures.

RG

 

[voyager 663rd]

Hi heat (325-350) will get it done in ~ 6 hr (with a wrap) so no need for overnight stress AND it will still turn out nice and tender.

Plus a 14lb will probably give you closer to 8-8.5 lb than 11 lb (about 40% or even 50% weight loss). Still a lot of product there though.

Always a crap shoot having to buy in cryovac (up here we never get it without the plastic or I could choose wiser).

Don't throw away the cut-off fat. Reduce it to make beef tallow--fantastic way to cook fries.

 

[ZZTommyV]

I freeze and save the fat trimmings for Tallow. After a few briskets you can get a good size batch

 

[tallbm]

Hey guys, we're smoking a brisket for the Super Bowl, and starting the cook late Friday night so it's actually ready on Saturday - not taking any chances! This is the first time doing one, so can you give me your opinion on the one we selected. Costco had prime briskets for $4.99/lb. Tried to get the smallest one since it's the first time. Considering using "Holy Cow" for the rub. Will be doing this on the WSM 22". Any tips of how to trim this bad boy? Thanks!View attachment 731088View attachment 731089View attachment 731090View attachment 731091View attachment 731092

Hi there and welcome!

I'm a little late to the game on this one, I was away with no internet access for 7 days so didn't see this until now.

Here is the trimming post people were mentioning:

My Brisket Flat Trimming Approach Explained - QView

Well I have had a number of private messages where people ask for more info about what I do when I trim away the thin Flat portion of a brisket I smoke. So today I figured I would just post about it with plenty of pics so it becomes easier to understand vs when I just go "blah blah blah trim...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

These days I rarely throw the good trimmed beef in the pan under the brisket, I've been saving it for grind and using it in sausage. Repurposing that meat always comes out exactly how I want it where throwing it in the pan is a roll of the dice on how crisp or soft it may come out and I always want the extra good trimmings for sausage making or stew dishes anyhow :D

Good luck on it, I hope it came out well, the games starts soon! :D