PhilB
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
- Location
- Vancouve...
I really hope so!
First Brisket. [Where did I screw up (or did I)?
- Thread starter PhilB
- Start date
I really hope so!
PhilB
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
- Location
- Vancouve...
Updated the album with more pictures:
https://imgur.com/a/8FOGnan
I also made this sauce, and added the juice from the foil in there as well:
https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/barbecue-sauce-recipes/texas-barbecue-juice
That sauce is amazing, I would definitely do that again!
Notes:
As you all know, I would definitely leave more fat cap on. If nothing else, it'll make more juice run down when slicing.
Obviously, the bark on this was not as nice as the ones that didn't get wrapped. When I decided to inject at the last minute (at 3am this morning!), I added more rub after. I probably wouldn't do that, it was a little too much pepper.
Clearly, this was juicy, you can see it in the pictures. For some reason, though, flat just tastes "dry" to me. I'm beginning to think I just don't really like flat! I don't think I've ever had brisket served that I really liked naked. Everyone else seemed to really like it. With the mop sauce, it was way better. Point was good either way.
https://imgur.com/a/8FOGnan
I also made this sauce, and added the juice from the foil in there as well:
https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/barbecue-sauce-recipes/texas-barbecue-juice
That sauce is amazing, I would definitely do that again!
Notes:
As you all know, I would definitely leave more fat cap on. If nothing else, it'll make more juice run down when slicing.
Obviously, the bark on this was not as nice as the ones that didn't get wrapped. When I decided to inject at the last minute (at 3am this morning!), I added more rub after. I probably wouldn't do that, it was a little too much pepper.
Clearly, this was juicy, you can see it in the pictures. For some reason, though, flat just tastes "dry" to me. I'm beginning to think I just don't really like flat! I don't think I've ever had brisket served that I really liked naked. Everyone else seemed to really like it. With the mop sauce, it was way better. Point was good either way.
I’m by no means an expert but here’s what I find with brisket. The better the cut of meat, the better chance of good results. Don’t over season. Cook it properly. Don’t pull too early or too late. I don’t inject, wrap, mop, or spritz. It seems the simpler I keep it, the better the results. Just my 2 cents.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Rockinar
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2013
- Location
- Houston, TX
Watch some Youtube videos on Texas style brisket and learn a
bit, pick up some tips.
This is a good one by a guy that knows what hes doing and talking about. He also uses a 22"" Kettle. Basic brisket, basic Kette and he does a good job. Keeps it all super simple.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4FxPzeI9ZCM&t=174s
My only tip is when learning over cooked is better than under cooked. Over cooked might be dry but you can stil eat it. just put some sauce on it. Undercooked will be more chewy and rubbery, and no sauce can help that.
Keep trying.
bit, pick up some tips.
This is a good one by a guy that knows what hes doing and talking about. He also uses a 22"" Kettle. Basic brisket, basic Kette and he does a good job. Keeps it all super simple.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4FxPzeI9ZCM&t=174s
My only tip is when learning over cooked is better than under cooked. Over cooked might be dry but you can stil eat it. just put some sauce on it. Undercooked will be more chewy and rubbery, and no sauce can help that.
Keep trying.
PhilB
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
- Location
- Vancouve...
Well, here's how things went, for those who followed along...
The hostess put the briskets and the pork belly in the fridge on Sunday or Monday to start thawing.
Problem #1: Meat was still frozen solid when I got there Thursday. Crap. Time to improvise with coolers and water baths.
Problem #2: Found two full cryovacs of two pork butts each in the meat freezer as well. Uh oh...
Well, guess there will be more thawing, prepping, and cooking involved!
Friday morning, saw all meat thawed, and realized that the two briskets and the one pork belly would take up two pits (all we had, two 22.5" WSMs) themselves...OK, I'll cook the pork butts early this morning, pull in the evening.
Problem #3: Opening cryovacs and splitting pork butts showed that they were still frozen where they met...back in the water bath they went.
Pork butts went on a bit before noon...4 hours later than I had hoped to throw them on when discovering the abundance of meat. They got wrapped at 150 or so. Prepped briskets (wasn't stupid this time, and left about 1/8" to 1/4" fat cap) and pork belly in the mean time. Butts pulled at 9pm. People happy for late night snack.
Briskets went on around 9:30pm or so. Got up around 5:30am, checked on them, they had beautiful bark and colour, and were at anywhere from 150-155 or so. Foiled them up real tight, put them back on (closed the pit for good just around 6am.)
No injection, no splitting the muscles, just rub, smoke for hours, wrap, wait. First one came off around noon-ish, and was butter all around and 199-203 depending on area. Into the cooler with blankets it went. Second one was only at around 185 most places (it was bigger and on the bottom shelf after wrapping). Got pulled a few hours later (can't recall exact time). Pork belly went on then and that got pulled around 9pm or so, I think.
First brisket got served around 3ish, I think. Juicy, tender, best one I ever made. I realized that the flat does dry out as soon as you slice it, so I sliced on demand. Tried a fresh slice vs one that was sliced 10 minutes previously near the end...huge difference. So slice and eat fresh! I asked everyone if they wanted lean or fat. The "whatever" people got the flat, as I saved the point for those of us who wanted it :heh: First brisket was gone in about 15 minutes.
Served the second one at dinner time, along with other stuff provided by others. Equally moist, juicy goodness. I still think flat is just a leaner cut than I like, but some experienced brisket people, including some who are actually from Texas said it was spot on. I'll stick to the point for myself!
Overall, I thawed/prepped/trimmed/cooked for over 50 hours minus some sleep in the middle (and had another friend helping as well). I also had a camp stove that served endless Turkish coffees and Cuban Cafecitos throughout, and made some beef dip sauce from scratch during the down time.
Definitely the longest cook of my life, but also definitely the best briskets I've ever made. Thanks all for the help, and I'm now at least confident that I can produce a good brisket.
Also got a bunch of people sold on using something like the DigiQ. "Wait, you just tell it the temp, and it holds it?" "You managed to hold 225 for 12 hours and didn't have to add coal?" Yep.
The hostess put the briskets and the pork belly in the fridge on Sunday or Monday to start thawing.
Problem #1: Meat was still frozen solid when I got there Thursday. Crap. Time to improvise with coolers and water baths.
Problem #2: Found two full cryovacs of two pork butts each in the meat freezer as well. Uh oh...
Well, guess there will be more thawing, prepping, and cooking involved!
Friday morning, saw all meat thawed, and realized that the two briskets and the one pork belly would take up two pits (all we had, two 22.5" WSMs) themselves...OK, I'll cook the pork butts early this morning, pull in the evening.
Problem #3: Opening cryovacs and splitting pork butts showed that they were still frozen where they met...back in the water bath they went.
Pork butts went on a bit before noon...4 hours later than I had hoped to throw them on when discovering the abundance of meat. They got wrapped at 150 or so. Prepped briskets (wasn't stupid this time, and left about 1/8" to 1/4" fat cap) and pork belly in the mean time. Butts pulled at 9pm. People happy for late night snack.
Briskets went on around 9:30pm or so. Got up around 5:30am, checked on them, they had beautiful bark and colour, and were at anywhere from 150-155 or so. Foiled them up real tight, put them back on (closed the pit for good just around 6am.)
No injection, no splitting the muscles, just rub, smoke for hours, wrap, wait. First one came off around noon-ish, and was butter all around and 199-203 depending on area. Into the cooler with blankets it went. Second one was only at around 185 most places (it was bigger and on the bottom shelf after wrapping). Got pulled a few hours later (can't recall exact time). Pork belly went on then and that got pulled around 9pm or so, I think.
First brisket got served around 3ish, I think. Juicy, tender, best one I ever made. I realized that the flat does dry out as soon as you slice it, so I sliced on demand. Tried a fresh slice vs one that was sliced 10 minutes previously near the end...huge difference. So slice and eat fresh! I asked everyone if they wanted lean or fat. The "whatever" people got the flat, as I saved the point for those of us who wanted it :heh: First brisket was gone in about 15 minutes.
Served the second one at dinner time, along with other stuff provided by others. Equally moist, juicy goodness. I still think flat is just a leaner cut than I like, but some experienced brisket people, including some who are actually from Texas said it was spot on. I'll stick to the point for myself!
Overall, I thawed/prepped/trimmed/cooked for over 50 hours minus some sleep in the middle (and had another friend helping as well). I also had a camp stove that served endless Turkish coffees and Cuban Cafecitos throughout, and made some beef dip sauce from scratch during the down time.
Definitely the longest cook of my life, but also definitely the best briskets I've ever made. Thanks all for the help, and I'm now at least confident that I can produce a good brisket.
Also got a bunch of people sold on using something like the DigiQ. "Wait, you just tell it the temp, and it holds it?" "You managed to hold 225 for 12 hours and didn't have to add coal?" Yep.
PhilB
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
- Location
- Vancouve...
Could not agree more!
Well done, sounds like this was spot on!!
