Ok let's do a brisket..One packer cut 8.5 lb wet aged 3.5 weeks.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/cjgbrad/IM001655.jpg)
Rubbed down both sides, left the entire fat cap on, just trimmed the sides a bit. We'll cut the fat off after the cook for some burnt ends!
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/cjgbrad/IM001656.jpg)
Now into its sleeping bag for a goodnights rest in fridge (this was last night)
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/cjgbrad/IM001657.jpg)
What kind of wood are you going to use? ;D
I would guess something with a lot of bite to it...like Pecan.
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Pecan is for making pies! ;D
Ok after a nights rest in fridge, time to rest for an hour on the counter while the smoker is pre-heated to 220.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/cjgbrad/IM001658.jpg)
Into the smoker....aw the sweet smell of 4 hours of mesquite!
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/cjgbrad/IM001659.jpg)
Time to head off to work! >:(
C
Out of the smoker and into the oven for 14 hours @ 200
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/cjgbrad/IM001661.jpg)
FTC for another 3 hours and now I'm thinking its lunch time!
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/cjgbrad/IM001663.jpg)
C
Westex,
That is a treat of beauty.
I don't suppose your house is on the way from San Diego to Houston is it?
Wow, that looks awesome. I think it's time to try a brisket :)
Very nice Westex ... and now the address was ???
Very nice Westex! What is the tracking number for the UPS delivery? :D
Man, that looks good!
I have a question...I just bought a brisket about the same size, however, it has a pretty good layer of fat on one side. Should i cut it down as trim as the brisket in these photos or leave all of it on? I'd imagine that everyone has preferences, but I certainly don't want to leave too much on there before carving time. Thanks in advance.
do NOT remove the fat cap before smoking. You smoke the brisket with the fat cap on top. This helps keep the meat moist. The brisket actually has very little fat in the meat itself and so it can dry out quickly. Fat gives meat flavor. A good idea is to take a fork and stab thru the fat cap into the meat all over the top before smoking. This helps keep the meat moist during smoking and improves flavor. AFTER you are done cooking the brisket and ready to slice it, you will find that the fat cap slides right off. You should remove it before slicing. BTW, the fat cap adds a lot of weight to a brisket so if you buy a 9lb brisket, you might have up to 2lbs of fat on it, so remember that when buying them.
kiyotei is dead on leave the fat cap on during the smoke for self basting, I like to remove it after the smoke and throw it back into the smoker for burnt ends and the brisket goes into the oven for the finish!
C
Looks good WTS!
I think I trimmed to much of the fat from my first brisket, it was a little dry.
I only smoke flats, and do mine a little differently. I generally trim down to a 1/8" to 1/4" fat.
I do the same as Habs, however, I may have to leave the fat cap on next time to see what it does. I will always have a rack of bacon above mine when I trim the fat cap down. Yours looks so good WTS that I may just have to do my next one with mesquite. Come to think of it, I don't believe I've evr smoked anything with mesquite. But in honor of my Tejas friends, the next brisket I do will be with mesquitos.
SD
Ok,I'd like to do a briskit,but I have some questions....8 1/2 lbs wet aged??What is wet aged,something I have to do?? $ hrs in the smoker and off to work...I can't make it home for approx 10 hours after leaving for work.Into the oven for 14 hours at 200?...can't I do this in the Bradley and finish it there,nervouse going off to work and leaving an oven on!Not being smart,,I would like to replicate this,but have had some succeses and failures trying to use this smoker.Any explanations would be appreciated and I'll go back lurking in the forum
thanks
kuffs :-\
I like to wet age my brisket for about 3 weeks, which simply means leave it in the cry-o-vac for that long in the fridge, if market trimmed vac seal and then the same routine, I like to leave the fat cap on through the smoke for self basting and cut it off before going into the oven, it goes back into the smoker for another 4-6 hours..I usually will hit it with 4 hours of smoke in the BS (with mesquite) and then into a foil pan covered in foil and just a splash of liquid (whatever you throw in) and into my house oven for another 14 to 18 hours @ 220, then pull it (save your juice from your pan makes for a nice base for sauce) and FTC for another 4 to 6 hours (I've gone as long as 8 and still nice and hot) Slice and enjoy or shred and make a sandwich!
Oh yeah I forgot I started this thread (to much mesquite smoke to the brain) ;D I think the pics and what-have-you are at the first!
C
Ya know I re-read (remember to much smoke to the brain, dang I thought high school was bad) ;D Someone else will throw there thoughts in on this, cause I know alot of folks will finish in the BS, I've done it once with great success, but I trust my indoor oven more than I do my BS on the back porch for long cook times, granted I've never had problem and don't want to, but I've seen the kitchen oven during cleaning cycle with fire inside and I don't trust that in the BS but once again I know many on this forum that cook the entire time with their BS....really I think you'll be OK either way ya go! (At this point in time I would like to place my disclaimer - I did'nt tell ya what to do! ::)
C