Brisket help

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47586
Pretty decent article I found about smoke rings. There's plenty more on this site if you're keen on looking.

As far as the non rendered fat coming out a lot of people (myself included) tend to cut out some of the fat that's between the point and flat as well. I like to do this so I can make beef tallow from it rather than have it end up in my trash can.

If the fat aint rendering your not cooking it long enough. I trim my FC to 1/4" when the brisket is truly done it is about 1/16- 1/8" Don't dis the fat that is where the flavor comes from.

after trimming


after cooking


slice from the flat

BD is right, fat is flavor, render that fat just right and you got some bbq heaven. Go with whole packers too. Don't forget to season the bottom.

You don't have much of a smoke ring cause kegs don't burn hardly any fuel.. less combustion = less smoke ring. If you have a salty rub and let it set on the brisket for about 6 hours that will help a little. Celery salt helps too. This brisket was cooked on a keg ( I fixed my slices before turn in!)



I recently picked up a used 22 WSM and been using that more lately for briskets.. not really for smoke ring purposes but more for temp control. In my case, my kegs have a tendency to get too hot if I'm not super careful, while most people have the opposite problem.

Bludawg said:

If the fat aint rendering your not cooking it long enough. I trim my FC to 1/4" when the brisket is truly done it is about 1/16- 1/8" Don't dis the fat that is where the flavor comes from.

after trimming

after cooking

slice from the flat

Click to expand...

Pretty good looking brisket there . . . .

I would not trim more than down to 1/4" off a flat's fat cap. You need that fat there. If you are cooking just flats, that is the only fat on the meat.

Cooking to internal 200F, that may, or may not be cooked enough. As for smoke ring, the comment about how clean a keg burns in the answer. If you simply must have the smoke ring, put the meat on while the cooker is cooler, around 215F, and let the temperature rise up, the cooler cooker will be burning less efficiently, you will get a little more ring that way.