First briket: live thread and questions

[ice_mf_mike]

So i am tossing my first brisket on shortly. Pics to follow.

My plan is to smoke around 275ish. Brisket is around 12 lbs. Using my WSM 18.5. Its my 5th time smoking so very much a newbie.

I have foil and butcher paper but was going to wrap in butcher paper. What temp should i be wrapping it at?

Also, do folks spray brisket during the cook? My WSM water pan is foiled. I can spray with apple cider vinegar. Should i?

 

[ice_mf_mike]

 

[ice_mf_mike]

My smoker is settling in around 322 today with the vents about 1/4 open..... was going to bring it to 275 but i may just ride out at 325.

 

[cpw]

I usially wrap for color not temp, but that also usually ends up being around 160-170. I also don't spiritz with anything but that's just because I don't want to mess with it. I do add a little liquid to the wrap (foil in my case).

 

[SeaSalted]

So i am tossing my first brisket on shortly. Pics to follow.

My plan is to smoke around 275ish. Brisket is around 12 lbs.

I have foil and butcher paper but was going to wrap in butcher paper. What temp should i be wrapping it at?

Also, do folks spray brisket during the cook? My WSM water pan is foiled. I can spray with apple cider vinegar. Should i?

I did a pre-trimmed 12 pounder yesterday, cooked at 275. Brisket was wrapped at 160 and was pulled when probe tender ~ 195-197. Some folks wrap when desired color is achieved, others by temperature. Some pull when probe tender (Arron Franklin pulls by feel when it's flexible.) Franklin also spritzes his to determine actual color prior to wrapping in butcher paper.

Check out Arron's YouTube channels for good info

 

[ice_mf_mike]

So when you wrap with butcher paper, how much paper should i be using?

 

[blazinfire]

I usially wrap for color not temp, but that also usually ends up being around 160-170. I also don't spiritz with anything but that's just because I don't want to mess with it. I do add a little liquid to the wrap (foil in my case).

THIS.... other than that the biggest tip of all is to make sure you cook it til it probes tender. I'm cooking a brisket today, I'm considering no wrapping this time for the giggles of it

 

[GroundChunk]

Good luck! If you're running hot mind the ends of the brisket that are coming close to the walls of the WSM. The heat is coming directly from the source and running up the walls without interacting much with the water pan.

A good wrapping video is "BBQ with Franklin: the payoff" at 2:00 minutes in.

 

[SeaSalted]

So when you wrap with butcher paper, how much paper should i be using?

Check out Arron Franklin's [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnRRDSYgdmw"]Wrap Test[/ame]

 

[ice_mf_mike]

Good luck! If you're running hot mind the ends of the brisket that are coming close to the walls of the WSM. The heat is coming directly from the source and running up the walls without interacting much with the water pan.

A good wrapping video is "BBQ with Franklin: the payoff" at 2:00 minutes in.

Thanks. So what if the ends are coming close to the walls? Would i trim those? I am def running hot right now.

At about 333 right now with two of the bottom vents closed and the other open about 1/4.

 

[GroundChunk]

SeaSalted,
That's my favorite brisket video ever. You can find the full episodes from Season One here

http://www.pbs.org/food/features/bbq-with-franklin-season-1-episode-1-brisket/

 

[GroundChunk]

Just keep an eye on the ends when you get a little further in. The meat will shrink and you'll have less surface area to worry about. If you're noticing the flat getting too hot from being exposed, move the point closer to the edge and baby the flat a little bit.

I'm not saying to check it often, but when you're in a little ways just take a peak and make an adjustment if you notice it looking a little aggressive.

 

[bjarolim]

Wrap by color, that's what I do. Also if your wrapping with butcher paper I hear that the bark will continue to form rather than foil where it won't. Probe tender, that's ur biggest concern. I wouldn't even use a thermometer on a brisket unless ur taking notes, but still would use it very little. Probe tender, probe tender, probe tenser

 

[ice_mf_mike]

So got the fire to come down to ~300 now. still have two grates closed and one open 1/4. Will see if it hangs here. This is my first time using Royal Oak for a longer cook. I knew it burns hot. Wondering if i should have used a water pan. Ahh well.

 

[Norm]

I'm no expert on brisket but I wrap around 170°'s. By then It's got good color and then I'll wrap in used grocery bags. Butcher paper works well too but I get the sacks free. I probe the thick part of the flat for no resistance, take it off and let rest for an hour in a cooler. I'm not a big bark fan so don't really care if it gets soft.

Good luck, hope you have time to share some pics with us.

 

[ice_mf_mike]

Another question. So i have the probe currently in the thickest part of the brisket to monitor the temp. Not sure if its the flat or the point. Does it matter?

 

[ClintHTX]

Thickest part of flat would be idea. Use temp to monitor and when it gets probe tender it's done.

 

[GroundChunk]

In your picture the flat is the muscle that runs the length of the brisket. You can see the muscle fibers running parallel with each other. On the far left there is a muscle mass under the flat. The muscle fibers of that muscle run perpendicular with those in the flat and are fattier. That's the point. You can't see the point in the picture because it's "face down". I'm not sure if you have one, but the other side is where the fat cap would be running the full length of the brisket.

 

[landarc]

If I am running a probe, I like it in the part of the flat just under the edge of the point. That is where I feel the temperature is best to monitor, as it is close to the center of the mass of the flat.

Looking forward to a great cook for you.

 

[SmittyJonz]

I don't wrap, don't use meat probe and I cook 300*ish. My Briskets look like meteorites......the edges of the flat char and the exposed fat on point chars - dog treats.