Help Needed With First Packer Brisket Cook*****

[hurricanedavid]

Today, a good friend gave me a 17lb Packer Brisket. I hope to smoke it in the Stumps BabyXL on Sunday. I have limited experience smoking Flats but never tackled the whole Brisket.

I would appreciate any input regarding fat trimming requirements, fat cap up or down on rack, preferred cook temperature, what temp to start probing for doneness, and an approximate estimation on how long this will take to cook.

I would also appreciate input on how to prepare burnt ends.

I plan to cook with Red Oak Lump, smoke with mesquite wood, and season brisket with Canadian Steak seasoning.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Ham14]

I can only tell you how I cook mine. You will get many answers so it's up to you on which way to go. I learned mine from Myron. Trim any excess fat on top. If time permits try and get silver skin off. If your wanting burnt ends then trim all fat from the middle to the point. Leave about a fourth of fat on flat. After trimming inject with heavy amount of broth and beef base. Let sit in frig overnight. Take out and put some olive oil lightly all over and put your favorite brisket rub. Get your smoker to 350. Cook about an hour and a half and wrap in foil with some broth and put back on smoker until the point hits 203. Normally it takes 4 hours to cook. Huge next step is to let it rest at least 2 hours in a warm place ( cooler). If you want burnt ends separate point from flat and wrap your flat back up to keep resting and put rub over all the point back in smoker for 1 hour and cut in cubes with some auju that came out of brisket. Slice your flat against the grain and add some of the auju from the cook and that's a hot and fast and very good brisket. Everyone I've made has been right on. I use heavy smoke of oak and hickory and always get good smoke ring. Hope it helps and good luck however you cook. Most important thing is just have fun cooking.

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Check out this thread. Good Luck with your cook!

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57882

This is one of many ways but it's a Great starting point.

 

[landarc]

The link Toast posted will take you to one of the best brisket tutorials I have seen. Bigabyte nailed it.

I don't do exactly what he does, but, that is a great tutorial

 

[JohnnyB]

Yeah, there are a thousand different opinions on how to cook a brisket. I like to keep it simple. I cook it higher (275-300ish*), I don't inject (mainly from laziness), wrap at 4 hours, and take it off at probe tender (start checking at 5, could be up to 6 hours max total) vs. a specific IT. Typically I trim the deckle pretty heavy, making a deep separation, because I like the bark on the point. I lay it on the rack fat cap down, because I find the bark is better on the meat side if its not sitting on the rack. Oh, yeah, and put that point towards the heat side, that makes a huge difference in the flat.

Good luck!

 

[Lowki]

good starting place for HnF if you are into it. Also an entertaining read.

http://blog.gatewaydrumsmokers.com/the-white-rabbit/