First time brisket this weekend...my method

M

maynard001

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I'm trying a brisket for the first time this weekend. Here's what my method will be...lemme know if you see any glaring mistakes here.

Inject brisket with beef bouillon.
Apply rub & yellow mustard
Let sit in fridge overnight
Smoke at 250 degrees until internal temp hits 150
Foil at 150...adding a little more beef broth into the bottom of the pan
Cook in pan/foil until internal temp reaches 198-200...test for probe tenderness

Let rest for at least 2 hours before slicing

Does this sound like a winner?
 
I would not inject or add beef broth. A brisket will form it's own goodness at the bottom of the pan if left alone. :clap2:
 
I use reduced sodium broth for my injection and mix a little rub in it. I stay away from bullion due to it being extremely salty. That's just my way but I figured id throw it out there for ya! Other than that, sounds like winner! :grin: Happy Smoking!
 
If you want to foil, 150 really shouldn't be a hard and fast rule. I would go by color and how the bark looks on when to foil...just my opinion though.
 
Thanks dudes. I haven't decided yet if i'm going to inject. Looks like some do...others don't...both with good results. It will probably come down to laziness. If I have a can of beef broth in the pantry I'll probably do it...if not I won't :)

SDAR...so when you say "go by color"...does that mean I should foil it once it gets a nice dark bark on it...regardless of time or internal temp?
 
You should put a drip pan under it whilst it cooks, obviously remove the pan when you foil. Put the pan in the freezer for about 20 minutes or so then remove from freezer scrape the fat off and you then have perfect aus jus for dipping. Method for the cook seems solid, I've cooked only one brisket and didn't foil but most likely will next time. Post some pics of the finished product fella!
 
I would not mess around injecting. Plenty flavor in brisket. Test how it tastes and you can always adjust on your second one. I believe meat stops taking on smoke flavor at 165 degrees, so you might want to take it that far before you foil. Sounds like you have done your homework and are ready to go. Just relax and enjoy the process.
 
I also don't recommend adding liquid when you foil. The brisket will produce plenty on its own.
 
Thanks again. Yep...this will be my 5th smoke on my WSM. I've pretty much got the pit management part down. The first couple of cooks were kind of erratic temp-wise...but I've got the minion method down and my smoker is seasoned a bit now...so holding at 250 shouldn't be a problem.
 
I wouldn't inject it. I also don't like foil, but to each his own.
 
You cooking a packer or just the flat?

My first briskey (which was just two months ago) was a flat. I injected and foiled after it hit the stall (although I didn't put any fluid in with the briskey after foiling). It was cut-with-a-fork tender and, although the bark was tasty, it was a bit soggy. If I were going to do it over again, I would have removed it from the foil and crisped it up at the end.

My last two briskets were packers and neither of them I injected. The first of them I foiled after it hit the stall, the second I did not. They were both quite good. Neither was quite as cut-with-a-fork tender as the first one, but they were both juicy and neither was close to being tough. The packer I foiled, I removed from the foil at the end to crisp up the bark. The bark was better than the first one I cooked (the flat).

The last packer I cooked (this past weekend) was no foil, no injection and cooking it HnF (the first time I've cooked HnF). It definitely had the best bark of all three and it was no less tender and juicy than the packer I had foiled.

I am fairly new to this as well, but take it for what it is worth from someone who is new and still learning and experimenting: I think you get better bark without foil, I haven't noticed a difference in tenderness or how juicy it is as between foiling and not foiling, from all I have read, however, you should inject if you are planning to cook just the flat. I have not injected with a whole packer yet, so I cannot compare injected v. non-injected packers. I had actually planned to inject my last packer (I was worried I had overtrimmed the fat cap and since this was my first HnF cook, I figured I wanted to play it safe) but woke up early and forgot before I put it on.
 
Thanks Enkidu.

Wow...it's easy to get confused/overwhelmed. Foil...no foil...inject....don't inject...low 'n slow....hot 'n fast...it seems like you can make these things tasty no matter how you cook them.
 
I'm doing my 2nd brisket this weekend. A 14 pounder from Sams. What are you using for a rub, if any? I'm leaning towards one for the Big Bob Gibson brisket recipes. Haven't decided which one yet. One on them foils, the other does not. The one that does not foil, you are supposed to mop it.
 
Thanks Enkidu.

Wow...it's easy to get confused/overwhelmed. Foil...no foil...inject....don't inject...low 'n slow....hot 'n fast...it seems like you can make these things tasty no matter how you cook them.

That is the message. :grin:

Lots of personal approaches and most work out well.

Just cook it how you want and adjust in the future if you feel the need.

Good Eats.

TIM
 
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