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View Full Version : The #BrisketSperiment: Stickburner vs. Insulate Cabinet #WhoDat1


PaulstheRibList
08-29-2015, 10:22 AM
Well, it's that time. Time to put logs on that beautiful fire that burns with such BBQ elegance upon the end of my stick burner. And, since I've been heavy learning-by-smoking on the new big insulated cabinet smoker, #WhoDat1, and whereupon I have 4 gorgeous 6+ week aged 1855 Choice+ Briskets in the icebox, it seems good to me to put the two smokers in a little Head-2-Head competition: Stickburner vs Cabinet!

Oh, and I got one of those cool new 4 needle injectors with the 1 gallon pump bottle, and it worked great
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3Xc1wW5rNX5UenAj7lM8PZD7HJoZYeLCmbPguAlZBrY=w1356-h1017-no
Now time to light the 2 fires
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jU4Dwh169GIpYEPZxfap5cf7BpcHl5Mq3_UobxnebBo=w1356-h1017-no

Only hickup is that one of my buddies is cooking his first full packer, so I sent over there about 11...and didn't come back home until 3:30. So my 3 splits in the stick-burner were just about burnt out when I returned from that great conversation, so I had to re-build the coals. No hill for a stepper!

Which gave me time to pat off the Butcher's Prime injection, oil the beauties down and apply generous coatings of Big Bad Beef Rub from our ole pal Meathead
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ctTbrLzjKqFldrc3iIbsSRaSyNW4ZCNFNMJgqwmlD4Q=w763-h1017-no

They were both 14 pounds before trimming, and trimmings were 2.25 pounds on one and 2.75 pounds on the other. So almost the same size and weight

I prepped the fires and put the ice-cold meat in at 4:30, 225 degrees for the first 4 hours, then I'm planning to raise the temp to 275.

PaulstheRibList
08-29-2015, 10:25 AM
Morning Update.

I was faitful to wake up in 50 minute increments twice, then apparently forgot to set my alarm because the sun was up and slept for 2+ hours, fire down to 170ish on the stick burner. Internal at 129. Fire rekindled! Bark is really nice except for the curled area holding liquid on the flat. Fat cap up.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SqARkDVQfE0Sp3xQD5xnSKO5ej5EPIwVo3bZtlYngLs=w1356-h1017-no

Raised the temp on the cabinet to 265, and we're off to the races! Internal at 157. Bark looking nice except where there are pools of liquid.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SVFy0W03P1ktb1Ychc4lbNSGzCP5Epa-cTTy5JH-pI8=w1356-h1017-no

Stickburner is def far ahead on bark formation, even with the period with diminished fire.

landarc
08-29-2015, 10:28 AM
Looking good

layne
08-29-2015, 10:34 AM
Great experiment!

pga7602
08-29-2015, 10:38 AM
Fun experiment. My bet is on the stick burner... why else would one incure the extra hassel. Keep the progress coming!

Diesel Dave
08-29-2015, 11:29 AM
Looking good so far, will be awaiting the results :bored:

STLBBQer
08-29-2015, 11:34 AM
Nice! Can't wait to see the final results.

Fwismoker
08-29-2015, 11:51 AM
My bet is bark goes to the stick
Eatable slices goes to the cabinet
Flavor deeper into the slices edge goes to the stick
Overall Juiciness goes to the cabinet

Bludawg
08-29-2015, 12:27 PM
I HATE BIG FARKIN PICTURES especially when PB has a resizer built in all you need to do is apply it under settings. Who wants to scroll around to read a post.

jbounds286
08-29-2015, 12:59 PM
im not having to scroll lol...23" screen tho

jsmorrow2s
08-29-2015, 01:17 PM
i wouldnt mind trying both as both look mouthwatering good!

PaulstheRibList
08-29-2015, 04:04 PM
Well, I had to go to and fro a bit, ended up wrapping them about 2-230, and pulled both about 3:40, all probe tender and around 205 in the deepest part of the flat.

Here's the joy emitting from #LilTex, the stick-burner:
When I wraped it, about
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/411l4XhLgBkIwEelqs5v2wX5J6pekRX5cnYwzT-JQwo=w302-h226-no

And about 90 minutes later when I pulled it
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ew9gDnhDK0p8jz4BnuAPqoWf4eakt2qDtlSM6EB6Y9E=w763-h1017-no

And the bark in the Cabinet really ended up looking nice. Here she is before I wrapped. Forgot to take a pulled pic.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Vc1ps1swSFb72HVnJxtVxYdzNO8Cduybr0nZFxSar_4=w1356-h1017-no

Guests on #theRibList will be swinging by starting about 5, and I can't wait to dig in and see what she looks and tastes like!

I was hoping to have time for a long rest for them, but my 4+ hour convo at my friends house last night starting at 11 prevented that opportunity.

I guess we'll just have to suffer through it!

PaulstheRibList
08-29-2015, 04:05 PM
My bet is bark goes to the stick
Eatable slices goes to the cabinet
Flavor deeper into the slices edge goes to the stick
Overall Juiciness goes to the cabinet

I'm going to print this out so we can get the guests to vote on all categories!

PaulstheRibList
08-29-2015, 04:06 PM
I HATE BIG FARKIN PICTURES especially when PB has a resizer built in all you need to do is apply it under settings. Who wants to scroll around to read a post.

Sorry about that. Posting pics here is not as simple, maybe I'm missing something. I load mine onto my Google+ account, then copy the URL's and past into these posts. Maybe I'm missing a simpler alternative?

fat heads bbq
08-29-2015, 05:01 PM
Need pics of slices.....yum.

twatsonr1
08-29-2015, 05:07 PM
Looks very nice! What kind of cabinet cooker is that?

JoeSmoker
08-29-2015, 06:02 PM
That is one fine looking cabinet.... WHO DAT!!!!!!!!

Diesel Dave
08-29-2015, 07:00 PM
They look great!

Hope to see some sliced pics. and don't worry about the size it's not that big a deal.
But if your computer has paint you can size them down quick and easy

Oakswamper
08-29-2015, 08:20 PM
Looks great

PaulstheRibList
08-29-2015, 10:11 PM
‪#‎theRibList‬ took flight again today, with Briskets in 2 different smokers, and a pile of friends to come over for taste testing, then taking some succulent smoked brisket home. Friendship is a gift, a part of the Kingdom of God, and we so enjoy sharing friendship over beautiful food, smoked with care and love. Bart Glatt broke out the spontaneity and wowed the crowd with his magic. The kids, young and not as young, Loved It! Oh, and the brisket was, well, Great! ‪#‎LiveIsMoreFunOntheRibList‬‪#‎HoldMyMule‬

Here are the 3 main cooks on team #theRibList They took home a brisket from the fridge tonight to cook for their friends tomorrow
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8SEwcZEpcvI4wfgeCUdnnv5fS1IXeQVsrC1m_wTOu0c=w1242-h931-no

The Briskets were really good! The next 3 pics are from the stick burner. It tasted great. Bark was great, except for that spot in the middle of the flat? I'm seeing that a few times and still need to figure it out. There was a little spot on the bottom, in the flat about 8 slices in, that was crusty on the bottom. Adjusted the cut and it was fine. The flavor was a little more "Robust" on this one, and I preferred that! And the fat was rendered a little more completely on the stick burner one. The fat on the Cabinet one was fine, but the stick burner was even better.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Q5HALR7_w1J7NNWWLBqKnfE8WUjz5FySucqGPmAk0zk=w1242-h931-no

Behold, the Mighty #BrisketSword
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ri1dmjzcmqq4UddlUzcUToJv4tB2gztH6992g4SZj-s=w1242-h931-no

and more
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hnFOAUFSLuoIfJpumCwIjDgpSG1h9Dsi6J3M_k8eOlw=w1242-h931-no

The Point slices from the stickburner were really really good!
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CN84TKAdbR9lWhSR9Sn3Cybcu2_7dtQ36XYwehgSeZ8=w1242-h931-no

The Brisket out of the Cabinet smoker, #WhoDat1. It was more moist. Both briskets went into the smokers weighing 11.75 pounds. The one out of the Cabinet weighted 1/2 pound more than her stick-burning sister. The flavor of the wood (Hickory Chunks, about 2/3's of a Western Wood bag, and 2 bags of Frontier Lump Hardwood Charcoal) was a little less pronounced.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/MckvsusB-FfG0tYLSMdvTSvywVTUYqgw07B2CQOv9HU=w1242-h931-no

The smoke ring on the Point was, well, Beautiful!!!! This pic is probably 90 minutes after we started slicing, so the edges are drying a bit, but she's still pretty!
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YbW9ZvceMoXwrsIF4IajH1vImsiZQmejL6GR4_AnYdo=w1242-h931-no

The Cabinet smoker held more moisture, and the fat was not quite as rendered. But is was moist and delicious.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/A0h32VSk8zEHwi0xozYeCbfPv69TaKxOZApthxPF5Og=w1242-h931-no

Yeah!

PaulstheRibList
08-29-2015, 10:15 PM
My bet is bark goes to the stick
Eatable slices goes to the cabinet
Flavor deeper into the slices edge goes to the stick
Overall Juiciness goes to the cabinet

You nailed it!
The only thing that I would modify from your prediction is that BOTH briskets had really good slices. These were big briskets, 11.75 pounds trimmed, and the slices were long and really good. The slices on the stick burner may have been a touch dryer, but you didn't notice a difference unless the slices sat there for 10-20 minutes before eating them.

One of my team took the main knife work today, getting some good practice in, and he cut too many slices on the stick-burner brisket at the beginning, so some of them sat out a while. We did not cut those extra's on the Cabinet smoker, so I don't know if I had an exact comparison.

PaulstheRibList
08-29-2015, 10:25 PM
Looks very nice! What kind of cabinet cooker is that?

It's a home build gravity fed. 6x6 outside box, 5 racks above the firebox opening, 2 below. #theBeast

Diesel Dave
08-30-2015, 06:40 AM
Looks like you nailed it on both briskets :thumb:

They look fantastic

PaulstheRibList
08-30-2015, 01:30 PM
Next Brisket on the #WhoDat1 Cabinet I'm going to start it at 225 for a few hours, and from there to finish at 275, see if I can render that fat a touch more and get that perfect bite on the edge.

SmittyJonz
08-30-2015, 01:35 PM
Looks Good! Apparently the small exhaust on WhoDat is not a problem.

landarc
08-30-2015, 01:43 PM
What I believe this proved, is that you know how to cook brisket

PaulstheRibList
08-30-2015, 02:39 PM
What I believe this proved, is that you know how to cook brisket

Thank you! #HighPraise

PaulstheRibList
08-30-2015, 02:42 PM
Looks Good! Apparently the small exhaust on WhoDat is not a problem.

Apparently not. I am still planning to put a post up with the layout of the cooker, and the rig I built to hold two 25 CFM Pit Bull fans for the CyberQ Wifi, but they do push plenty of air through it. It takes a good hour for the smoke to get clean, and you can see the volume really clearly when it's first lit and the fire is getting up to speed.