And yet more brisket questions

Try this.....

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98178&highlight=brisket

And BTW....that's a flat (I'm learning a lot on here...:becky

I looks like you have the flat. I always do a packer which has a lot more fat, but I trim to 1/4"-3/8". Also, I prefer smoking at 230°-240°. Fat up or down won't make much of a difference although I leave mine fat up. Can't help you out time wise since each chunk of meat is different with different stall times. When it reaches 166°, wrap in foil with a squirt of fruit juice and take it to 195 for slicing. Let it rest in a cooler for at least an hour or two. Hope this helps and I'm sure you'll have plenty more help showing up if I haven't confused you enough.:nod:

Definitely a flat. Looks like it's trimmed enough. Fat = favor & moisture so if anything just take a little skim off the fat to open it up for the rub. I like to score is lightly like pig skin to help it render.

Finally - as I learned quite clearly last weekend with the brisket I cooked for the Hut - temperature ain't nothin' but a number. Put it in the smoker for 4 hours. After that - hit it when some spray or mop every hour, When you spray or mop it, use a probe (thermometer, ice pick, awl, something sharp & pointy) to test the meat. If it slides in like buttah, it's done. If it don't - it ain't. Personally I do not foil on the smoker as I like a nice crusty bark, but that is each person's choice. Foil it when it comes off the smoker & let rest in a cooler for an hour.

Bigabyte's excellent tutorial
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57882

Barbefunkoramaque's Master Classes
(requires a funk decoder ring)
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1568913

Temp probes & brisket
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54990&highlight=brisket

I owe a massive debt to that last thread & Barbefunkoramaque. Brisket is our most popular meat at the Hut & last week's cooks - with the new techniques - had folks going insane. Between Bigabyte's & Barbefunkoramaque's knowledge you will find the path to excellent brisket!

Since this is your first brisket, I'd keep it very simple. Smoke it between 250-275 degrees, forgo the frequent mopping and wrap it in foil when the internal temp reaches around 165 like mentioned above. Before you wrap consider pouring a 50/50 mixture of low sodium beef broth and your favorite beer. Not too much beef broth or it will taste like a pot roast. After about 2 hours unwrap it and let the bark firm up. Check for tenderness like mentioned above and wrap up in foil and put in a cooler or unwarmed oven for about 1 hour. Wrapping in towels keeps the meat hot also. Also leaving rub on overnight is not necessary and be careful using fruit juice. IMO that's best left for pork, you want your brisket to have a nice beefy taste. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

It looks like a point cut to me.

There are so many ways to make a brisket - and to ruin one. You'll do fine if you keep it simple.

First, I would NOT add the rub today. Too much salt can be a bad thing if on for too long. I always rub mine an hour or so before going on the smoke and then a light dusting right as it goes on.

If you are going to cook it at 250-275 (I do my high temp ones at 275) then you need to trim more fat than if you do a low and slow, as you won't have enough time for it all to render. I usually trim to about 1/4" or a bit less.

I don't foil any more, but if you do, adding moisture is optional. There is enough moisture in the meat that it won't dry out if you don't overcook. I have added broth mixed with a bit of Worcestershire, but go light, or as stated above it'll be more roast-like. Also, in my experince, I get better bark by not adding liquid or foiling. The important thing, if you foil or not, is to let it cook long enough. Many rookies think, "Oh, it's 180 internal, it's gotta be ready"...or something like that. It MIGHT be ready. It might not. I check the thermometer until it hits the stall - around 170*. Once the temps begin to move again, I don't check the temp, I probe and wait until the probe goes in a few places "like butta". Then I foil, remove, and place in cooler filled with towels (if I don't have towels on hand, I use wadded up newspaper). Let sit in there for an hour (longer if you want or need to until time to serve). Remove, unfoil, slice, serve and enjoy.

God's blessings on your cook. Keep us up to date.

Oh...DON'T USE Mesquite.
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I kid. I kid. I LOVE Mesquite brisket - it is stronger than most woods, so don't go too crazy with it.

chambersuac said:

Oh...DON'T USE Mesquite.
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I kid. I kid. I LOVE Mesquite brisket - it is stronger than most woods, so don't go too crazy with it.

Click to expand...

Even though mesquite is the standard around South Tx, I have to admit I'm quite "tired" of it.