Comp Brisket

R

RedRyderBBQ

Guest
Hey all,

I have my first competition coming up in a few months and have been experimenting with brisket. I used to do a traditional all purpose rub with paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic, onion, cumin, salt, etc. but didn't like the sugar with the beef. I then tried the central texas esque salt/pepper method of brisket and I love it.

My question is then, can this simplicity of salt pepper, and some garlic powder without an injection be competitive in BBQ competitions?
 
Hi Red,
Which contest you cooking? If it's close, I'll most likely be there. Yes, you can win without injecting. Use good beef and wrap it. As far as seasoning is concerned, 2 words. Bovine Bold.
 
the beef rub i am using now is just about as simple, using the holy cow rub from Peace love and BBQ i added on ingredient that goes well with beef, Im pretty sure that with brisket most of your rub comes off during the cooking process and wrapping the key part is cooking it to the right tendernessi have found that there is a relationship between the two (taste & tenderness) if one score is high the other is high if one is low more than likely they are both low.
 
jbrink01 said:
Hi Red,
Which contest you cooking? If it's close, I'll most likely be there. Yes, you can win without injecting. Use good beef and wrap it. As far as seasoning is concerned, 2 words. Bovine Bold.
Click to expand...

I am cooking in the Roots n blues festival in columbia, mo. Im a student at mizzou and have gone to the event the past 3 years for the music and have always wanted to enter into the bbq competition and this is the year!

I actually have a bottle of bovine bold. I haven't tried it on its own but I did use it for the spice rub. The main ingredient is salt, like on most rubs, so I tried to dilutte the salt with some paprika and chili powder. I'll have to try it with just bovine bold some time
 
indianagriller said:
the beef rub i am using now is just about as simple, using the holy cow rub from Peace love and BBQ i added on ingredient that goes well with beef, Im pretty sure that with brisket most of your rub comes off during the cooking process and wrapping the key part is cooking it to the right tendernessi have found that there is a relationship between the two (taste & tenderness) if one score is high the other is high if one is low more than likely they are both low.
Click to expand...

So do you add any liquid when you wrap? I would really like to try wrapping with butcher paper during the cooking process next time.
 
You want salt, it makes the flavors pop. I don't know about the whole butcher paper thing. Aluminum foil with some liquid in the bottom will do you just fine.

Good luck.
 
Ryan Chester said:
You want salt, it makes the flavors pop. I don't know about the whole butcher paper thing. Aluminum foil with some liquid in the bottom will do you just fine.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Yep, I just dilutted the salt for the spice rub. I let that sit overnight in the fridge. I didn't want a lot of salt because then I did a dry brine that morning. I put on a layer of kosher salt, lemon pepper, and then coarse pepper. I wanted the layer of kosher to pull the spice rub into the meat.

With the butcher paper, i wanted to try it because as i was reading it allows steam to escape and keeps the crust...crusty
 
Not sure about all that either. Stick with your Bovine Bold, wrap with aluminum foil around 160-165 with some liquid in the bottom, and pull when your temp probe slides in like butter somewhere in the 195-200* range. Don't worry about the crusty crust.
 
jbrink01 said:
I think your making it harder than it has to be. IMHO.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't doubt that. Still in experimenting phase so trying as much as I can. Next experiment will be bovine bold.

So people keep saying liquid.... are we talking au jus? some special concoction?
 
I don't do competitions but just throwing my own opinion out; a correctly cooked brisket does not need injections or rubbed down with a laundry list of spices. Salt, pepper, garlic salt and thats it for me.
 
donnie's brisket recipe/technique is excellent.

however, like jbrink said, your complicating things by adding to it.

i like butcher paper...sometimes.

although, i'd disagree about not injecting.
 
azmark said:
I don't do competitions but just throwing my own opinion out; a correctly cooked brisket does not need injections or rubbed down with a laundry list of spices. Salt, pepper, garlic salt and thats it for me.
Click to expand...

agreed, but for competition, it's a competition.

the rules of what's good are different.
 
boogiesnap said:
donnie's brisket recipe/technique is excellent.

however, like jbrink said, your complicating things by adding to it.

i like butcher paper...sometimes.

although, i'd disagree about not injecting.
Click to expand...

I was trying to follow his technique in his hot and fast brisket youtube video, and I thought he did a low salt spice rub before his tri-level rub. I wasn't trying to add to it merely replicate it to see how it turned out because the logic makes sense.

what times do you like and not like butcher paper?
 
but you didn't follow his recipe.

it is specifically engineered. you can't add, subtract, or substitute and expect the same results.

there's a heavy learning curve with brisket.

you CAN add, subtract, or substitute and get your own results, but not necessarily his, you may never.

but, what you do is up to you.

i don't know how much that helps.

but anyway, butcher paper doesn't allow for liquids to be added to the wrap. for me, this is quite necessary for most competition meats.

donnie is a superb cook, i'd say even chef.i've learned ALOT from him and consider his stuff some of the best of the best.

but, take what he has offered, and then you must apply competition parameters to be successful.

lastly, if you're using someone's technique, let it be known. we can help you better quicker.
 
right, in the video he just said spice rub so didn't see a recipe for specifically which spices or amounts or what have you. So right off the bat I knew it wasn't going to be a replica of his recipe. My goal wasn't to get exactly his brisket, but merely improve. I have been using the same brisket recipe for 2 and a half years and got tired of it and wanted to change it up so did research and found donnies thread and videos and really liked the principal of just salt pepper and some spice.

I had no intention of getting it exact, wheres the fun in that. I made a brisket with his methodology (maybe i should say that instead of recipe) and really liked the results but wasn't sure if it would be what the judges would be looking for, which was the base of the thread. Since i have not competed or even tasted competition bbq, i have no idea I can only go in with what I like the best.

I appreciate all the feedback thus far.


boogiesnap said:
but you didn't follow his recipe.

it is specifically engineered. you can't add, subtract, or substitute and expect the same results.

there's a heavy learning curve with brisket.

you CAN add, subtract, or substitute and get your own results, but not necessarily his, you may never.

but, what you do is up to you.

i don't know how much that helps.

but anyway, butcher paper doesn't allow for liquids to be added to the wrap. for me, this is quite necessary for most competition meats.

donnie is a superb cook, i'd say even chef.i've learned ALOT from him and consider his stuff some of the best of the best.

but, take what he has offered, and then you must apply competition parameters to be successful.

lastly, if you're using someone's technique, let it be known. we can help you better quicker.
Click to expand...
 
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