I volunteered to cook some sandwiches for the employee Christmas party. Initially I was thinking pork butt but then thought. Hell, lets get some variety and do a brisket and pork. Besides, I am not buying the meat.
I have cooked quite a few pork butts/shoulders and only one brisket but never at that same time. I normally use Hickory for the pulled pork and mesquite for the beef. I was wondering what wood I should use if smoking both at the same time?
I normally FTC pork at around 180 and was going to follow Panchanga's directs for brisket. What about cook times between the two meats? I am using an OBS with no additional heating element. My plan is to smoke them in my garage (cold here in South Dakota) and finish them in oven.
Any advice would be appreciated.
I've done them together in my OBS... Just load it up and let it run. Pork butt on top.
Maybe mix the pucks? 1 Hickory, 1 Messy, etc.
IMHO if you are just doing the smoke portion in the BS then it does not really matter too much about procedures. The real cooking is going to take place in the oven. I generally like Hickory, Mesquite, Oak, or Pecan on beef and Apple on butts. For my taste I would either smoke separately or go with a middle of the road wood like Oak or Pecan. Do not know your tastes, so this is all I can offer.
I ordered the brisket from the grocery in town rather than driving down to Sam's club. I just picked it up and it is bigger than i expected 13.96lbs. I was expecting a 6-8lb brisket. It says it is a USDA Select Whole boneless brisket. I am assuming i am going to have to cut it in half to cook as it is rather long.
Take a look at Pachangas Recipe and I think he talks about bending the brisket to put a hump in it and wedge it into the rack. As it cooks, it will shrink and lay flat. If it is still too long, I think he mentions cutting off the thinner end and tuck it under the thinnest portion of the remaining beef, basically making the whole thing the same thickness for more even cooking. Sounds like good eating ahead. Enjoy!
I have done both butts and brisket together. In fact, most of the time I do butts I buy a brisket to throw in. I have done 3 8lb butts with 14 lb brisket, and rotate the racks every few hours.
Since you are finishing in the oven you don't need to worry about checking the water bowl and v tray on an overnight cook. In the OBS such a load has taken about 18 -24 hrs at 230*. I usually use about 4 hrs of hickory. Hickory is my favorite except for with poultry.
As they said, you can bend the brisket or cut it. I would try bending first.
It will be done when it is done, just go low and slow. When it stalls don't panic. Check for tenderness in addition to IT.
Like they say - "You can't heurt it its dead". "If you screw up use more BBQ sauce or make chili."
Sounds like you wound up with a whole packer brisket. As SCB said, think about bending that brisket so it has a hump in it and fit it in the rack rather than cutting it. As it cooks, it will shrink and begin to flatten out.
Thanks for the advice. The plan is now two butts (one for sandwiches for a Christmas party Saturday) and the brisket. I plan on putting them all in the OBS at 4 pm tomorrow and pulling out into oven at 10pm. Probably going to alternate hickory and mesq but might just go all hickory..never used mesquite on pork before...Hopefully I can FTC around 9-9:30 for a noon lunch???
Good luck and we look forward to the pics (Hint, hint) ;D
All loaded up but can't figure out how to load the pictures...
Quote from: madtown on December 16, 2010, 03:21:48 PM
All loaded up but can't figure out how to load the pictures...
Try this http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?488-Answers-To-Bradley-Smoker-FAQ-s&p=768#post768
Just got em home.
(http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/malone00/IMG00237.jpg)
Pork after rub and ready to good. They sat over in the fridge last night and re-applied.
(http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/malone00/IMG_0044.jpg)
Brisket was long. I wasn't sure what to do cut or tuck. Tucked. Rubbed and slathered.
(http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/malone00/IMG_0045.jpg)
All loaded up and smoking...Cab temp dropped fast. I need to invest in that second element!
(http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/malone00/IMG_0046.jpg)
Madtown,
I'm all giddy waiting to see the finished product. Some good eating in your future.
Checked temps. Brisket at 170 and pork 160-165. Time to sit and wait. I expect they should be done for our noon lunch.
That sure is impressive looking. Good eats soon to be had!
Man alive! That's a brisket and a half. They don't seem to make cows that big around here ;D Looking forward to the money shots!
Quote from: SoCalBuilder on December 17, 2010, 07:23:40 AM
Man alive! That's a brisket and a half. They don't seem to make cows that big around here ;D Looking forward to the money shots!
SoCal
Seems to me somewhere I've read that ya'll have a bunch of happy cows that only give milk and wear sunshades! ;D ;D
Quote from: Caneyscud on December 17, 2010, 12:26:05 PM
Quote from: SoCalBuilder on December 17, 2010, 07:23:40 AM
Man alive! That's a brisket and a half. They don't seem to make cows that big around here ;D Looking forward to the money shots!
SoCal
Seems to me somewhere I've read that ya'll have a bunch of happy cows that only give milk and wear sunshades! ;D ;D
Well there not all that way. Those are just the ones that have wandered off and found a pot patch in the middle of a National Forest ;D
Okay, where are the pics. No pics - didn't happen
Sorry for the delay and I didn't get any after they were pulled and sliced. But A LOT of compliments and everyone loved the food. It tasted great and I am going to have to do another brisket soon because it was a hit. The meat was tendor, juicy, and gone in no time. No leftovers....must mean something. These were taken before they went into foil for 2 hours. They were done right around 10 am and the brisket was done before the pork. I assume that has to do with the thickness of the meat.
(http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/malone00/IMG00242.jpg)
(http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/malone00/IMG00241.jpg)
(http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/malone00/IMG00243.jpg)
Forgot to say. THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!
On the money - they look great!
Quote from: madtown on December 20, 2010, 09:27:28 AM
No leftovers....must mean something.
It means you knocked it out of the park. Congrats! ;D
Everything looks great.
Awesome Job!