First brisket-advice needed

[Rowdycue]

I know there have been lots of threads about cooking brisket, but I have never been that interested since where I grew up brisket meant corned beef.I will try my first packer tomorrow. It weighs about 9 pounds and I don't want to take the time to cook it at a low temp.My smoking experience has been with smoke and chicken but not beef. I plan to inject it tonight with beef broth and something but haven't decided what. I will cook it on a Brinkman Smoke'n Pro with Brethren suggested mods using Kingsford and a mix of pecan, apple, and pear. I think I will separate the point from the flat so it will all be ready at about the same time.I may try some burnt ends which I have never seen or tasted. Will rub with Bovine Bold. I don't use a thermometer but am used to long cooks without one. I know it won't be ready until it's ready and will test with a probe. Do you brisket cooks have any suggestions or additions such as to injection ingredients or cutting off the point first? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[monty3777]

if you have the space in your cooker I'd cook it whole.

 

[Markbb]

Remove the point after the cook and then make burnt ends......everything else seems good to go....

 

[Chef Jim]

I just asked about a brisket, and was given this link. It's worth the time to look at it.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...flat+point+fat

bigabyte wrote this and did a wonderful job.

 

[Rowdycue]

Thanks, Monty and Mark. I haven't decided what to mix with the beef broth for the injection. Would white wine work? I know the alcohol will help tenderize. I also wondered if I should put some rub in the injection mix.

 

[Rowdycue]

Thanks, Chef Jim but my d-a computer can't follow that link.

 

[Chef Jim]

Thanks, Chef Jim but my d-a computer can't follow that link.

Mine didn't either, I'll look for it and send again.

 

[Chef Jim]

Thanks, Chef Jim but my d-a computer can't follow that link.

This one just worked for me, try it. :clap2:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57882&highlight=brisket+flat+point+fat

 

[monty3777]

Thanks, Monty and Mark. I haven't decided what to mix with the beef broth for the injection. Would white wine work? I know the alcohol will help tenderize. I also wondered if I should put some rub in the injection mix.

Well, here's where I come off sounding like a know it all - but I think trying to tenderize brisket is a huge mistake. The only way to get a tender brisket IMO is to cook it correctly. Nothing else will make a difference more than getting that part right. The internal temp needs to be 200 or maybe a little higher. If you over-ride your brain you will cook it for as long as it actually needs (the little voice in your head will tell you to take it off before it's done - trust me!). I used to pull them around 185 thinking that I was overcooking them - that was my mistake and it caused me some embarrassment.

If you think white wine will enhance the FLAVOR - then by all means. I typically use an overdose of beef bouillon - two cubes per one cup of water. Then I may add some beef au jus paste, or whatever.

A good mop:
1 beer
1/2 cup cider vinegar
half an onion diced
2-4 cloves of garlic minced
1 T. rub of your choice
1/2 cup water

 

[Rowdycue]

I got it, Jim. Thanks. Also thanks to bigabyte for the tutorial. I read it when posted but had no plans to cook a brisket at that time. I don't even think I'd seen one. Monty, I don't have to inject and it would surely be easier not to. I'm just scrambling around in the dark.

 

[monty3777]

Monty, I don't have to inject and it would surely be easier not to. I'm just scrambling around in the dark.

You ain't in the dark - you're on the Brethren.:thumb:
That brisket will turn out awesome!

 

[Southern Home Boy]

I'm going with Mr. Monty-know-it-all :thumb: on this. Keep the point and flat together if you have space, brine or marinade if you want, but don't inject.

The way I do it (How many BBQers does it take to change a light bulb? 100. 1 to change it and 99 to say, "That's not how I learned to do it.")is I use a mustard slather then coat with rub. I take the coated brikset and put it in a ziplock bag, burp out the air, seal it up and stick it in the fridge for as long as I can (preferably 12 -18 hours).

This makes a great crust and the vinegar in the mustard acts as a marinade and pulls the flavor of the rub into the meat (a little anyway).

 

[monty3777]

Just to be clear - I didn't say "don't inject." I'm simply saying that your injection won't do much to tenderize the meat. I always inject my briskets. I never marinade because I don't think the marinade penetrates the muscles and fibers very well

 

[landarc]

Does wine really tenderize meat? I don't think that assumption is correct. Looks to me like you have gotten great advice, so I won't confuse things any further.

 

[Southern Home Boy]

Just to be clear - I didn't say "don't inject." I'm simply saying that your injection won't do much to tenderize the meat. I always inject my briskets. I never marinade because I don't think the marinade penetrates the muscles and fibers very well

Sorry. Didn't mean to misquote. Mea Culpa. :yo:

 

[littlechief]

For what it's worth.... I usually inject the night before with a mix of honey, whiskey & rub, rub down the outside and wrap loose enough as to not squeeze out the injection, put in the fridge overnight.
When I do a #10 or larger I like to separate the point from the flat because the flat always seems to finish before the point and their easier to separate cold. When I do separate I try to make sure I keep the temps down in the 220* range because two smaller pieces can cook faster than one large and the meat needs time to break down.
Just my 2 cents.
Good luck!!