Please feel free to comment on this - I know you will ;D
The problem is that T'Storms are predicted for later Saturday and Sunday. The OBS is out on the deck and I don't want it pouring on my brisket.
This is a 7.5 pound hunk. I went with Pachanga's brisket rub, short a couple of ingredients, and the mustard slather. It has been in the fridge since mid Friday afternoon.
I'm planning on giving it 5 hours of cold smoke; 2 hours each of mesquite and oak and an hour of apple. That'll be Saturday morning before the T'Storms roll in.
Then it gets wrapped and goes into the fridge.
Early Sunday morning it'll go into the oven on slow cook. That runs around 200-225. Finally an FTC. Hopefully, it'll be done for dinner.
My alternative is to go with 5 hours of hot smoke and then into the oven. I figure it would be done around midnight Saturday - a little early :-\
I may be wrong and forgive me if I am, but I think 5 hrs of cold smoking then fridgen
is not something you really want to try.
I was just about to say the same thing. I don't know exactly what the danger zone temp range is, but your brisket would probably be in it for 2-4 hours, then into the fridge for a day or so to cultivate any bacteria that shows up during the cold smoke. I'm still new a this whole meat temperature thing, but I think you'd run the risk of contamination there.
Yeah, I was kinda worried about that too. The danger zone is probably around 45-135.
I guess it's the hot smoke and then into the oven and a late Saturday night.
Arnie,
You already got the cold smoke and hold answer, and I think you have the right alternative. But here's a twist you might want to consider, and it comes from a very good authority - Scott Roberts, owner of the Salt Lick restaurant. Their standard method for brisket is to cook, then cool and chill for 24 hours, then reheat and serve. Many other TX barbecue restaurants are doing the same. The drill is cook as you would like, throw it on a sheet pan and cool it down then into the fridge, then the next day warm it to service temp in a low oven, 2-3 hours at 225 ° should bring you to 140 °. He says it makes them better.
This is what I am going to try next time, using 175 as the IT, 1-2 hrs FTC in an a disposable AL pan, then off with the foil and into the fridge to cool, then cover tightly with foil and hold for ~ 24 hrs, then rewarm to ~ 150 °F to serve.
"Before we learned that meats get better if refrigerated, we had to cook briskets 24 hours a day," says Roberts, who has drawn his share of that 3 a.m. pit-tending shift. Now the restaurant cooks brisket to 165 degrees internal temperature, removes it from the smoker, and places it on a rack on a sheet pan, fat side up. Then the brisket is put in a freezer and chilled to an internal temperature of 40 degrees. For food safety, this must be done in six hours. Then the meat can be held in barbecue sauce for a moisture barrier for 24 hours, in a plastic bag or wrapped in foil, in the refrigerator at 38 degrees to enhance the flavor. To reheat, bring the brisket to 140 degrees in a 225-degree oven (3 hours for a 12-14 pound brisket).
http://www.austin360.com/food_drink/content/food_drink/dining_at_home/stories/2006/06/14kitchen.html
I always fully cook my briskets ahead of time and reheat before serving, so I would apply the smoke and move the brisket to the oven. Fully cooking the brisket ahead of time works out well, but I reheat at higher temperatures, being that the collagen has already converted to gelatin. I generally reheat at 350°F, in a tightly sealed pan with a little low sodium beef broth.
Just to clarify what is recognized as the danger zone; that is 40°F - 140°F. That means if the meat is kept cold at 40°F and below; or hot at 140°F and above the food will be safe, temperatures in between food borne bacteria can grow at a rapid rate.
Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going with the cook ahead method.
Work in progress.
Ready to go into the smoker at 10 AM.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/ArnieMauer/Brisket/Brisket1.jpg)
As my (bad) luck would have it, it started raining at 11 AM. Had to get the OBS into its rain gear.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/ArnieMauer/Brisket/Brisket2.jpg)
To be continued ...
I'm glad you beat the weather. The storm hit my area around 9:30 AM.
It was pouring by 1 PM.
The smoke phase was over by 3 PM. Did 1-2-2, apple-oak-mesquite. The sun was out and the birds were chirping.
Here it is, ready to go into the oven.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/ArnieMauer/Brisket/Brisket3.jpg)
No, the greenish cast isn't mold ;D
I put a probe in each end. They read 171 and 172, kinda nice. Then it stalled. The temps went down to 168 and 169. Been that way for an hour and a half. I hate it when that happens.
Looks mighty fine there Arnie. Wish we had scratch and sniff technology online ;D
Since it's just the flat, you might want to think about how high you take it. When the temps start rising again that's an indication that most of the magic is done. Pushing it further just tends to dry and overcook. Since the wall was hit ~ 170, you might look for ~ 180 to be a sign that it's done it's internal thing.
Good idea. Sorta treat it like a shoulder cod.
an Hr after the start of the rise from the stall, pull it.
I was thinking +10 °F from the stall onset temp. My guess is they will be very close but your one-hour out may be better as it may be less overdone.
What I'm slowly coming to, with the combination of temp control and sensing that I've gotten with the DBS, is that when the magic's done (i..e, collagen conversion), then the cooking is done and further impression of heat is mostly serving to overcook and dry the meat. So the key is to figure out when the conversion is basically done, pull it and allow a rest for the heat to distribute evenly and equilibrium to be attained (e.g., FTC). Then it's done. What's difficult is that the onset of that magical conversion is typically different for each piece. Arnie did great actually seeing it hit the wall and drop back a degree or two - now he has a number to work from.
So just after posting the above, found this one ... note the IT
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=16442.msg197750#msg197750
Probably a +10 might be better than a time.
Maybe Arnie will read this and know at what hr He was +10* of the stall.
I have done a couple of shoulder cods and used time and it was nice, but it is also a different cut of meat.
Maybe I should experiment with my stuff and not Arnies. ;D
I read it, sure would have like to seen some pics. ;D
It's pouring out. Good thing for the oven.
Total time was about 13 hours; 5 for smoke and the rest in the oven on Low/Slow. About what I expected.
Here it is out of the oven.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/ArnieMauer/Brisket/Brisket4.jpg)
The first little slice came off the pointy part on the right. Debbie got it (she's worse than the cats).
Conversation:
"Why didn't you ever make this before?"
"I did."
"Not like this!"
I thank Pachanga for the rub and slather.
The chef got the second slice.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/ArnieMauer/Brisket/Brisket5.jpg)
It's cooling down now - but who can wait? Have to cool it down some before putting it in the fridge. Debbie went to bed. All I have to worry about now are the cats.
That color is righteous.
Black Gold. $$$
Lookin' good, Arnie!
You might oughtta duct tape the cougars to the floor tonight ;D
Quote from: hal4uk on June 12, 2010, 09:50:49 PM
Lookin' good, Arnie!
You might oughtta duct tape the cougars to the floor tonight ;D
Awe, come on Hal, those kitties don't like brisket :o
It's in the fridge so I can go to bed.
I'm an advocate of simple. S&P does it for me on roast beef - well maybe a little garlic. The Pachanga rub, with 147 ingredients and the mustard slather really worked well on the brisket. I'll do the reheat later today.
I cut up some smoked beef tenderloin about a week ago. I cut off some of the not so nice pieces and left it on the cutting board while I went to the bathroom. They're reserved for the raccoons. When I got back, there's a cat on the counter chownin' down.
A cat isn't easily trained but they learn very well. They know which cabinet has what and what the fridge is for. They're survivors.
Nice looking Brisket Arnie!
Well, it's all over and it came out well.
I did an appetizer based on a post CRG had up. Melon, tomato and onion with a drizzle of EVOO and rice wine vinegar. Very nice contrast of sweet and sour.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/ArnieMauer/Brisket/Brisket6.jpg)
The money shot. The brisket with simple cole slaw, baked beans with pineapple, bacon, onion and garlic and cheesy grits. Even the Brits liked it.
(http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/ArnieMauer/Brisket/Brisket7.jpg)
Looks great Arnie. I like those grits!
Looks good Arnie, can't say I've ever eaten a grit though.
Looks Great, Arnie!
You're going to warp some CT (the state, not the sauce) minds - first cornbread, then brisket and grits. We have gone global, even i the USA.
Nice Arnie!
Grits may not be normal CT food but I like them too! Had some in Baltimore that were made with mascarpone & really good applewood smoked bacon - I'm going to replicate them some day.
A real nice looking brisket Arnie. You worked hard at it and it looks like it paid off. And oh yes, I love cheesy grits, had some this morning with my breakfast .
I'm trying to teach these British people how to eat properly.
Summary:
The cook and reheat on the brisket worked well. Thanks to BLSH and Habs.
The brisket rub and CYM on the brisket worked very well. Thanks Pachanga.
The baked beans were B&M, three pound can, simmered with bacon, garlic, onions and pineapple.
Also did the Texas cavier with corn chips as an appetizer. Went over big.
The cole slaw was - cole slaw.
Grits. They're so dirt simple I'm surprised I don't make 'em more. Add the ground corn to boiling water with a pinch of salt and maybe a little butter. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add shredded cheddar or your favorite cheese (Deb's sounds good). Good for breakfast or basically good at any time.
It was fun.
My old man was at the Awful Waffle, when some folks from Arnie's neck of the woods come in...
They order breakfast --- and of course -- everything comes with GRITS.
The lady was real nice and polite, but didn't wanna even try grits (nor did the dad or the kids)...
She says, "I know you're going to think we're 'damned yankees', but we just don't eat that stuff - whatever it is..."
The waitron unit asks, "are you visiting? or moving down here?"
The nice lady says, "Ohh.. we're just visiting..."
Waitron unit: "Well.. You're just Yankees! You're not Damned Yankees! WELCOME TO NASHVILLE!!!"
Mighty fine indeed
Quote from: ArnieM on June 12, 2010, 11:07:17 PM
It's in the fridge so I can go to bed.
I'm an advocate of simple. S&P does it for me on roast beef - well maybe a little garlic. The Pachanga rub, with 147 ingredients and the mustard slather really worked well on the brisket. I'll do the reheat later today.
I cut up some smoked beef tenderloin about a week ago. I cut off some of the not so nice pieces and left it on the cutting board while I went to the bathroom. They're reserved for the raccoons. When I got back, there's a cat on the counter chownin' down.
A cat isn't easily trained but they learn very well. They know which cabinet has what and what the fridge is for. They're survivors.
There are only 139 ingredients in the rub. ;D Glad it worked out. I was worried about the dry heat in the oven and thought about chiming in on adding some moisture in a separate pan but it looked like you had plenty of good advice coming your way.
Salt and pepper work fine. The difference between a good cook and a great cook is knowing how to use salt and pepper in the right quantities. However, I believe other ingredients add to the Wow factor because the brain is not used to those flavors. I am an advocate of the beef standing on its own with the bark and rub acting as a condiment that compliments the beef and tickles the taste buds making them wonder "what was that?"
Lately I have been experimenting with the nuances of dried peppers such as ancho, pasilla, chile piquin, cascabel, petines, New Mexico chiles and chile de arbol. Most people automatically say they do not like chiles because they are too hot. The fact is that many chiles are mild with no heat at all; just flavor. The flavor enhancements and varying heat can really take meats to the next level when used as a compliment and not as a mask of the meat flavor. The different combinations in salsas is very interesting with each pepper playing a distinctive role. The flavor profiles of salsas is infinite. If your salsa comes out of a jar, you are missing out.
I was in New York recently and ate at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. I had a chile rubbed pork tenderloin with a Bourbon sauce made with anchos. The rub was pasillas, anchos and chile de arbol along with cinnamon and several other ingredients. It was outstanding and very interesting since I have been working with the same chile combinations. I have since duplicated it at home with great success (had all the ingredients in my pantry and bar). Again, the rub and sauce act as a compliment and condiment, not a masking of the meat.
Good luck and slow smoking,
Pachanga
Arnie - as long as momma is happy, all is well.
Congrats.
Grits - I can't just eat one. So many ways to enjoy them. Maybe some Shrimp-n-grits for this weekend! hmmmm
Quote from: Caneyscud on June 14, 2010, 08:19:00 AM
Arnie - as long as momma is happy, all is well.
You got that right.
Pachanga
If you like dried chile I've been buying from these folks (http://thechileshop.com/cgi-bin/shop.pl?shop=view_category&category=Food%20%26%20Seasonings&sub_category=Dried%20Chile) for many years - great products and reasonable prices.
Pachanga,
As a matter of fact, I did put an aluminum foil pan with water in the oven a few inches below the brisket. The extra moisture in the oven may have helped to avoid drying it out.
Also, the trick of using MTQ in the rub in place of regular salt worked well.
I sliced it all up so everyone could take some home. Even the raccoon got a piece. :D