I am going to try a brisket for the first time this weekend. I am looking for suggestions. I like a smoke flavor, but not over powering. How long should I smoke and what is a good temp, and how many hours is the average cook time?
Thanks in advance!!!
On brisket there are no simple, easy answers. There are many ways to cook brisket and come out with a great result. Each will produce a different result, so it is largely a matter of taste and preference. While there is no simple and general answer, there are a number of excellent references here to help you get started.
First, I suggest you start on the Recipe Site under Beef and looks at both the WTS and Brisket Pachanga versions. Very different, but both good, both TX-based in their origins.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?146-Beef
Next I'd suggest you read through this recent thread for answers to questions similar to yours.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=20049.0
Since you mentioned you don't want too much smoke, on your first I would suggest maybe 4 hours with something like oak or pecan. That will give you a foundation and you can modify as you desire on your next brisket.
When doing a brisket I like 4 hr Oak with a cabnet temp of 220.
After the smoke dump the water pan and refill with HOT water, then dump and refill the water pan every 4 or 5 hr.
The pan might look like its still full but its not water, its mostly grease and you dont want that to overflow in the smoker, think grease fire.
I do all my smokes with the vent wide open, its stuck there now.
I keep the seasonings simple, salt, pepper, granulated onion and garlic, kinda like you would do a steak, if you like it on a steak you will like it on a brisket.
I like to taste my brisket, not the rub.
You can figure about 1 1/2 hr per pound to get you in the park but ALWAYS go by Internal Temp when cooking in the smoker.
I like to take the IT to 180 or 185 F then pull out and wrap in Restaurant grade Plastic wrap then a wrap in a Towel then place that bundle of joy in an Cooler, like the one you put your beer in when its hot out, just dont put any ice in it.
I do the PTC, Plastic, Towel, Cooler but most folks here do FTC, Foil, Towel, Cooler.
Let it sit in the cooler for a couple hours to let the juices reconstatute then slice and serve.
This is the way I like it, experiment and find the way YOU like it.
Good luck.
The grade of meat you choose will also have a direct result
in how your finish meat will taste and cook.
If possible, I would go with choice. It is a little more $$ than a
select grade but it also is a little easier to get right the first time.
Good luck and be sure and share your pics.
Oh Ya.
No pics, didnt happen. ;D
Choice is the way to go.
The only thing I can tell between Choice and Prime is the cook time.
Select is touch and go, could be good or could suck. ;D
When you go to buy one make sure its flexable, I bend it in half, the easier it bends the more i like it.
Looks like the pros have you taken care of. Listen to OU812, a good bend on your meat is good!