Brisket (aka unicorn meat)

[Southstar Jeff]

I have cook on my egg for several years. I think you are taking a very ineffective approach. One of the big benefits of the ceramic cookers is to not open it during the cook. This maintains a nice moist environment.

My advice: Mix some wood chunks ( fist size) in your lump, light with minion method, then as temp comes up, start shutting down the vents. As stated above, you do not want to overshoot, let it come up gradually. This will also help preheat you chunks so they'll burn cleaner. Don't overly worry if the smoke is blue or white, you just don't want it billowing. After meat is on, leave the cooker closed! This is where a remote therm comes in handy. You want to cook based on the grate temp, and you can know when to start probing for tenderness. I think 190 is a good temp to start trying it, then after that, forget the temp and go by feel.

Hope that helps. Remember, keep it simple. And with the ceramic cooker, you are controlling temp with air flow, not fire size. Completely different from a stick burner.

[Bludawg]

I never cooked on a flower pot but smoke & fire is smoke & fire. I think your procedure is pretty good all though I cook at 300 and recommend it. Theres nothing wrong with cooking neked I've done it plenty and a Neked brisket is a beautiful thing, You don't wash your feet with your boots on you can't smoke in foil.
The two things that really stand out and need some work are keeping the pit closed already addressed in a previous post. Learning the "Feel of a tender brisket". Think about Hot monkey love and Hucka-Buckin with your woman for a second, Got it? Thats the feel! Once you learn that feel you won't even need to check the meat temp just before it gets to the givin up poking with your finger it should feel like a 16 yr old cheer leaders breast firm but yielding. You remember that and you'll be a much improved cook. I don't rest mine in a cooler I put it on a sheet pan and park it on the counter top, insert a thermo and tent it loosey, when the IT drops into the 150's it is ready to slice.

[bigabyte]

Actually, I like bludawgs explanation better. I change my recommendation to what bludawg said.

[JS-TX]

BD.. good explanation, although I hope nobody gets all confused and starts porkin their brisket..

[AustinKnight]

A water pan is going to eat more fuel I wouldn't use it. I think your seeing more white steam then smoke if using a water pan. What type of lump are you using oak, mesquite, the brand maybe? You need to just cook more briskets brotha, it's going to take at least 50 briskets to start getting it down, don't get discouraged just keep smoking and go on feel use temp if your going to as a reference. You'll eventually get the feel of thing's and start to show consistency, better days to come.

@ JS-TX lol ya

[Pitmaster T]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

Hucka-Buckin with your woman for a second, Got it? Thats the feel! Once you learn that feel you won't even need to check the meat temp just before it gets to the givin up poking with your finger it should feel like a 16 yr old cheer leaders breast firm but yielding.

This comparison of feeling a brisket compared to feeling a girl in her prime of development and maturity (its all downhill after 16) is so inappropriate in this forum... it has NO place in the Q Talk forum. Where on earth do you get the wrinkly gray haired saggy balls to say something like this. I mean is there a precedent for this kind of behavior?

I am shocked!

[Bludawg]

Sorry.... I stole your thunder, one only has to see a few Pitmaster "T" VIdeos to see from where draw my inspiration

[ColdFyre]

I'm with the OP on this one... I've made a couple of "ok" ones, but nothing that "probes like buttah" yet.

And Blu... omg, that was too damned funny. Now I gotta to <achem> "talk" to the wife...

[Bludawg]

FUNNY!!!!!! Funny How??? What I'm a Clown I amuse you??? What do you mean funny... I'm serious about BBQ Stop laughing long enough and engage the grey matter If you want to get it right.