Weekend Smoke

SnellySmokesEm · March 28, 2010, 07:37:09 PM

The Braise: I did my own version of the Cowboy Braise. Here's is the recipe.
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 large onion chopped
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup worchestire
2 can beef broth
2 cans budlight
2 sliced jalapenos
2T CYM
2T paprika
1 stick unsalted butter

The Pastrami was outta this world again. My parents were very impressed with the meat and the slicer.

Man it sliced pretty thin. I liked that this one had a small fat cap and I toned down the pepper in my rub. I smoked with Alder for 3 hours and got an IT of 145 then wrapped tight and let chill for 2 days.

NewfieSmoker · March 28, 2010, 08:13:35 PM

How long will it take the postal service to get a Pastrami sandwich to Newfoundland? ;D ;D ;D

Newfie

classicrockgriller · March 28, 2010, 10:30:28 PM

Are you trying to keep everybody at your house forever?

They would be crazy to leave with all that great food you are feeding them.

OU812 · March 29, 2010, 08:04:45 AM

That all looks great Snelly.

Too bad your brisket turned out a little dry, better luck next time.

smokeNcanuck · March 29, 2010, 02:04:57 PM

All looks great to me! don't blame your self for the dry brisket.
I swear it was due to gravitational pull as I too had a dry one this weekend.

Pachanga · March 29, 2010, 02:50:12 PM

Snelly,

I would guess the brisket problem was braising. It was most likely your mustard problem also. Braising retards or halts the formation of bark caused by the Maillard Reaction. Hence, the mustard did not set. Those who braise will pull the braise and cook naked during the last couple of hours for bark formation. Braising can pull a lot of moisture out of meat due to steaming. You can dry a piece of meat by boiling it underwater. If the IT of the meat hits boiling (or the outside edges), rapid release of moisture is the result. When the meat is FTCed, the moisture equalizes and pulls from the center to the edges, creating a more even dryness. The above is based on scientific facts.

It may have been the reheating but my best guess is the above.

Nice experiment, however, and something to gain additional information from for future smokes. You have to try new things to see what is best for you and to achieve your ultimate brisket. The best brisket ever smoked is waiting out there somewhere. It may be your next.

The brisket may not have been up to your standards but that butt and pastrami were killer.

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

SnellySmokesEm · March 30, 2010, 05:50:58 AM

Thanks for all the replies.

Panchanga - Thanks for your input as well along with the facts to back it up as well. After seeing squirtthecat hit a homerun with his smokepalozza brisket I decided my next brisket would be braised. Maybe I should have PM'd squirt and got a better game plan. All was not lost however, the pork was great and the pastrami was a home run as well. I learned something as well and will apply to my future smokes. I will have another shot at brisket and I wont let his one get me down! ;D ;D ;D

So any ideas on what to do with the leftover brisket besides feed it to my dogs???? I still have the part of the brisket where the point and the flat are attached. Pulled beef perhaps?

Oh and on another note: After all the post regarding running up the post count I hope no one thinks that was what I was doing when I did separate posts when adding the finished product pics. It seems like every time I get a long post my mac does funny things and sometime it losses my post when I am previewing it. It happened twice when I started this post and I had to re-post it a few times. Anyone else have this problem?

squirtthecat · March 30, 2010, 05:53:42 AM

Quote from: SnellySmokesEm on March 28, 2010, 07:33:33 PM
the brisket with some of the braise wrapped in foil into the oven for 1 hour at 200 and 45min at 300 to reheat

I wonder if that 45 minute ride at 300° dried it out?

SnellySmokesEm · March 30, 2010, 06:00:34 AM

Quote from: squirtthecat on March 30, 2010, 05:53:42 AM
Quote from: SnellySmokesEm on March 28, 2010, 07:33:33 PM
the brisket with some of the braise wrapped in foil into the oven for 1 hour at 200 and 45min at 300 to reheat

I wonder if that 45 minute ride at 300° dried it out?

It is so hard to pinpoint exactly what it was because I tried so many new techniques in this smoke. I really think it was a combination of them that led to the dryness. I cant wait to try it again. Thats the beauty of smoking! I feel that eating is the reward of a long and fun process of slow smoking the food and I did have fun and was rewarded heavily with the pork and the pastrami so I am still a happy guy. ;D ;D ;D

squirtthecat · March 30, 2010, 06:02:27 AM

Quote from: SnellySmokesEm on March 30, 2010, 06:00:34 AM
It is so hard to pinpoint exactly what it was because I tried so many new techniques in this smoke. I really think it was a combination of them that led to the dryness. I cant wait to try it again. Thats the beauty of smoking! I feel that eating is the reward of a long and fun process of slow smoking the food and I did have fun and was rewarded heavily with the pork and the pastrami so I am still a happy guy. ;D ;D ;D

That's the spirit! Throw another brisket at it..

Pachanga · March 30, 2010, 06:49:29 AM

QuoteSo any ideas on what to do with the leftover brisket besides feed it to my dogs?Huh I still have the part of the brisket where the point and the flat are attached. Pulled beef perhaps?

Cut it up into chunks. Add some of the fat (quite a bit). Put cold brisket in a food processor. Pulse till finely chopped. When it is reheated the fat will melt into the brisket. Butter some buns and brown them in a frying pan on the range. Add a layer of sauce, hot sweet pickles, onions, and jalapenos. It will be like heaven.

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

SnellySmokesEm · March 30, 2010, 09:52:48 AM

Quote from: smokeNcanuck on March 29, 2010, 02:04:57 PM
All looks great to me! don't blame your self for the dry brisket.
I swear it was due to gravitational pull as I too had a dry one this weekend.

I knew it had to be something like that. It certainly wasnt anything I did to it. ;D ;D ;D

ArnieM · March 30, 2010, 10:08:48 AM

I'm with Pachanga. Basically, it's cooked beef and you can do a lot with it. Use your imagination.

I corned some brisket and there were leftovers. I chopped the dickens out of it along with the leftover potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions - whatever else was in there. Dumped it into a cast iron pan on med-hi, flattened it out, cracked a few eggs on top and covered it until the eggs were done (runny). Crispy on the bottom. Good stuff.

OU812 · March 30, 2010, 10:22:13 AM

Quote from: SnellySmokesEm on March 30, 2010, 05:50:58 AM
So any ideas on what to do with the leftover brisket besides feed it to my dogs????

I'm thinkin about a hot beef sandwitch, with mashed taters and the hole thing covered with brown gravy. Makin me hungry just thinkin about it.

Pachanga · March 30, 2010, 10:24:23 AM

Anther suggestion.

This is what I do with burnt ends occasionally. Chop it in chunks and throw it in a big pot of pintos the last hour of cooking. It is a whole new smoked experience.

I've got pintos on right now to go with some ribs tonight. I saved some ends and forgot about them until now. Thanks.

Pachanga