can you cook a brisket in a little chef elec smoker?

[wizarddrummer]

Hi,

What I know about smoking you can put into a thimble and have room for an air craft carrier with the extra space.

I read lots of posts in this forum about the smoking and elsewhere so i know a little bit, but the only actual experience is from a brinkman barrel smoker that i had about 15 years ago.

The other day, a friend dropped off a little chef electric smoker model lc-tqp #9800.

I think that the internal temperature gets up to 165, which is what i understand the internal temperature of a brisket when it is finished being cooked.

Is it possible to cook a brisket in a smoker with such a low temperature?

i can't find any manuals for this thing or pictures of it in operation.

It has a little pan with a plastic handle that sits on top of the electric element.

I am assuming that you put the wood chips in the pan.

I am unsure, because it is electric, do you soak the wood chips or not.

With such a low temperature, if it is possible to smoke the brisket, how many hours per pound?

About brining with salt water ... i have used a brine for cooking chicken before. I understand the scientific principle and the results for chicken and turkey are outstanding.

I read that a salt water brine is not that effective with cuts of beef such as brisket. Can anyone enlighten me on this if brining beef is a waste of time?

thanks very much.

[landarc]

If you cannot get the temperature up into the range of at least 200F and preferably 225F, I would not do a brisket or any other meat. It is just too low to get it out of the danger zone fast enough.

You can soak a brisket in a brine with some cure in it and get a corned beef, this will retard spoilage, but, you will be better off still with a proper smoker. The food borne pathogens in meat are not to be trifled with.

[early mornin' smokin']

finished brisket is usually more around the 200 degree internal.

[NorthwestBBQ]

No.

[quarters69]

Don't waste a good brisket in a electric smoker, do it with wood, 165 is way to low, gotta be around 225 to be safe

[ON THE FARM]

i found it online and sure nuff 165*f!!!
i think it is for making jerky, but that might be a little low too.
i would pass on the brisket.

[swamprb]

...and cook the brisket in the oven.

Quote from the Luhr-Jensen Little Chief Home Electric Smoker recipes and Operating instruction manual:

"Please remember that smoke flavoring is NOT a curing process. Your meats must be cooked, refrigerated or frozen immediately after the smoke flavoring."

..so if it is all you have, you can put a small brisket flat(s) in the pre-heated smoker for 2 hours and then wrap in foil and finish it off in the oven. Shorten cooking time by 10%.

Before I got into BBQ'n as an addiction, I had 3 Little Chief smokers, and smoked salmon all the time and played around with jerky, steaks and even smoked a few turkeys and chickens. I wouldn't say it was good at any point, but at the time I just didn't know chit about smoking. I used Alder, because it was the Northwest thing.

I'm down to one Little Chief and it is still my Go-To smoker for Salmon!

You can get Luhr-Jensen instruction manual wherever Little/Big Chiefs are sold or online. Don't be hatin' on the LC's!!