Best method for my first brisket...

[Jmincher]

I'm going to be trying my first brisket this weekend on my WSM 18 1/2. Has anyone had good results using the smoke and oven finish method? Got a suggestion for a good rub?

Hopefully the weather holds out. Supposed to be a balmy 47 degrees in St. Louis.

Thanks!

[cirk]

Get a point no flat, smoke till you got a great bark wrap in butcher paper and smoke till probe goes through like butter.

[gtr]

Here ya go.

This might be easier to navigate and really is all you need to look at for yer first.

Long story short - rub it with coarse salt & pepper, and cook it till it's probe tender. Let it rest at least an hour, slice against the grain, and enjoy.

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by cirk

Get a point no flat, smoke till you got a great bark wrap in butcher paper and smoke till probe goes through like butter.

Points are very hard to find around here. Buy a packer, not just a flat or a piece of a flat. I prefer 12-15 lbs. You can always vac-u-suck the leftovers or use them in chili or tacos or a bunch of other things.

Originally Posted by gtr

Long story short - rub it with coarse salt & pepper, and cook it till it's probe tender. Let it rest at least an hour, slice against the grain, and enjoy.

It's hard to beat this advice :) I would just add to cook it at 250 - 275 pit temp.

[landarc]

I would say, that a good rub to start out with is about 50/50 kosher salt and medium grind black pepper. If you want to get fancy, then 40/40 salt and pepper and 10/10 granulated garlic and chile powder.

Yes, if you smoke the meat for at least to the point it gets good color, then move it to the oven, you can get good results. I smoke until the color is almost right, then wrap in two layers of butcher paper, pop in a large pan and into the oven. The pan is just to prevent clean up issues if the paper leaks.

my preferred way...
Use a whole packer, in the 12 to 14 pound range, simple rub. Then fire the cooker (I use a UDS) and run it around 275F to 280F. I will often place the meat, unwrapped on the cooker at 225F and let the temperature run up to 270F, adjust the vents and try to hold it at 280F. Once the meat has been on for around 2 hours, I check for color, if it is a nice deep red, with some darker spots, I wrap. If not, I wait until it is, then I wrap, with two layers of butcher paper. Run in the smoker until the flat probes very tender. Remove and pop in 195F oven or into a cooler for at least 2 hours. Total time in cooker is often between 7 and 9 hours. I usually start my cook allowing for 12 hours total to serving.

[Bludawg]

12+ lb packers, 50/50 K salt & 16 mesh Black Pepper or Dirty Dalmatian.
Pit at 300 cook for 4 hrs wrap in butcher paper continue to cook
Remove from pit when it is probe tender, leave it wrapped set on a sheet pan pop a thermo in the center
When the Temp drops in to the 150''s carve against the grain 1/4" thick slices.
Never carve more that you need as it helps to retain the moisture.

[MaximumJEFF]

Agreed. Salt, pepper and smoke is all you need

[El Ropo]

If doing a whole packer, don't worry about the point section, probe the flat, that's what should be probe tender.

I think blu was meaning to say 1/4" slices above.

Leftovers can be used in many dishes. One of my faves is chili. Smoked brisket chili is heavenly.

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by El Ropo

I think blu was meaning to say 1/4" slices above.

14" slices are nice, too

[Bludawg]

Fat fingers tiny keys. All fixed.

[BobM]

This is how I did my first brisket.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...97#post2096497

Good luck!