The grocery store made me do it!! Not my fault! Two brisket flats in the mini-WSM. QVIEW

[addertooth]

Brisket is at an insane price in my area.  It is typically 6 to 8 dollars a pound.  Today I was walking through Safeway, with nothing on my mind but the steaks and chicken I was going to low temperature cook.  I promise, that was all that was intended.  But then, I walked past the meat section and saw about ten brisket flats, and all were marked down to half price.  Their sell-by date was four days from now.  I realized this would be an opportunity to get brisket flats at the best price I would likely see all year.  I pulled out the measuring tape I happened to keep in my pocket.  I found a 6.37 pound and a 6.99 pound flat which would just fit in the mini-WSM and smiled as they fell into my shopping cart.  I fired up the mini-WSM (while also having the Kingsford Grill working the chicken and steaks).  I used the Kingsford competition briquettes in the mini (for the first time), and tossed in some mesquite.  While it was warming up, made a fresh batch of rub.  The flats had their fat-cap hash-sliced, and the rub liberally applied.  The larger hunk of beef was put on the warmer lower grate, the lighter chunk-0-beef was put on the top grill.  The brisket flats were put on the grill at 1:30P.M. local time.  It may be a very late night tonight, but it will sure be worth it.  Pictures will be posted when they are done, but it may wait till tomorrow morning, depending on how late they finish. 

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• addertooth
• Sep 1, 2014

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• addertooth
• Sep 1, 2014

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• addertooth
• Sep 1, 2014

 

[addertooth]

Six hours later, 146 internal temp on both of the flats.  Bark is setting up nicely. Probably going to switch to hickory for the rest of the smoke.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Nice , half price , however I couldn't afford that , even 'Packers' are cheaper, somewhat.

 

[addertooth]

The packers total even higher locally, due to their higher weight.  Most are in the 60 to 75 dollar range.  It is really ridiculous in my area.  I guess supply and demand; their must be a lot of smokers in the area.

 

[addertooth]

Two hours later, still at 146. This is the lowest temperature stall I have ever experienced.

 

[noboundaries]

 
Two hours later, still at 146. This is the lowest temperature stall I have ever experienced.

Yep, it happens.  Always a surprise.  I've seen meat stall at 138F before, which is the lowest I've seen. 

Keep an eye on your fuel load using the comp briquettes.  They are less dense than KBB and flame out fast.

Nice find on the brisket BTW. Looking forward to the final product.   

 

[addertooth]

I wasn't expecting to be up until 3:45 in the morning finishing the 1 hour rest, but it happened.  Now for the sad admission; it was largely due to bad pit thermometer placement.  I was monitoring pit temperature from the bottom rack (I normally measure pit temperature at the top rack), AND due to how large the meat was, the probe was at the outer edge of the bottom rack.  This puts the Pit Thermometer probe right where the hot convection air from the charcoal first enters the smoke chamber.  This gave an artificially HIGH   temperature of the smoke chamber.  When I finally slipped a third temperature probe into the top-half of the chamber, nearer the center, I discovered I was smoking at 170 degrees.  I didn't catch this until the meat had hit 160, and was being foiled.  Needless to say, once the pit temperature was corrected, the rest of the smoke went much faster. 

What the ultra low and slow smoke cost me:

The bark never got hard, even before the foiling it was super soft and "WET".  Absolutely no smoke ring whatsoever.  The texture of the meat defies description.  It is both cut with a spoon made out of butter, AND very sliceable into thin sections.  Normally these two things are opposite ends of the spectrum (you get very soft, but falls apart when sliced, or you get a bit firm but slices like a champ). I am not sure if I love it, or hate it.  It is just strange. It gave me insight to how Katz pastrami may be smoked.

What the ultra low and slow smoke gained me:

Extremely soft and tender.  Very Moist (almost stupid moist).  The smoke flavor runs all the way to the center of the meat, the smokiness is very uniform throughout the meat.

The final pictures of the meat, after rested, pulling from foil:

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• addertooth
• Sep 2, 2014

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• addertooth
• Sep 2, 2014