With the help of the forum members, I have been successful with ribs. I have wowed my friends and family with them on the last two occasions I made them. My next smoking adventure will be with a brisket. I tried a smaller trimmed flat when I first bought my BDS about 6 months ago. While it tasted great, it was tough. Upon further reading of this website, I found out that I didn't cook it long enough. I intend to do 4 hours of smoke, and then 14+ hours in the oven. That is, unless someone tells me that it isn't necessarily about length of time and it is more about reaching a certain internal temperature. Please advise on that part before Saturday night! But alas, here are the photos with some commentary...
I bought a 7lb. flat from Sam's Club. It has a fat cap on the flip side.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3248.jpg)
I intend to apply Iceman's Oink'r rub (thanks Iceman!) before sealing the brisket for 24 hours.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3246.jpg)
I haven't yet decided what smoke to use, but I have mesquite, hickory and apple available. Any suggestions are welcome.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3249.jpg)
Just to show you how good of a sport my fiancee has been, she added a few things to her shower registry and I scored a really nice cutting board and a pretty decent set of J.A. Henckels knives.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3247.jpg)
Tomorrow, I will begin the dry rub and look for suggestions about types of smoke to use.
I think your right on with your plan, I would use mesquite if it were me (well heck thats all I have) ;D I too will be doing some briskets this weekend, store have them for 87 cents a pound!! WooHoo!! Good Luck, and keep us posted!
C
Any way you can send me a few of them briskets for that money, just looked yesterday and they are $ 5.99/ pound :(
LTS
Yeah really! Mine was $2.86 a lb.
I got an easy one for ya...............move to Texas! I could try to ship some I'm not sure how except like overnight and frozen but if I could help ya'll get one with some weight to it I'll try...I'll be the brisket factory....but really I can look into it!...God knows they send everything else overnight.....I'm game?
C
LTS, Viason, welcome, Looking forward to the pictures as you get into the bradley. ;D
I smoke/cook my brisket at 220°F until it reaches 185°F; other choose to smoke/cook at 250°F. Either is considered low & slow. The internal temperature is most important, and you will see ranges from 180°F up to 210°F; the higher end being for pulling. If this is your first brisket, take it out when it hits 190°F, that seem to be the temperature that most use. Also search the board on how to FTC. If you look towards the end of this article it will give you an explanation.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=449
But further searching on this board you may find other variations of FTC, such as using the microwave or preheated oven.
Of the flavors you have the hickory would work best. I'm not sure what flavor is in the 120 pack. If it is oak I would use that instead of the hickory.
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on July 04, 2008, 03:15:00 AM
Of the flavors you have the hickory would work best. I'm not sure what flavor is in the 120 pack. If it is oak I would use that instead of the hickory.
I think that westtexassmoker got to him - that 120 pack is Mesquite
I certainly will FTC if it is done before guests arrive. I am expecting it to be pretty close to a 14 hour cook after the initial 4 hour smoke. I have used the house oven to FTC and I have also used a cooler when traveling to someone's house. Both seem to work well. The oven is easier for me since I just foil, towel and place it on a cookie sheet (just in case some of the juices manage to escape). Besides, the oven is still pretty warm after leaving it open for a few minutes following the cook.
So, hickory over mesquite and apple? Yes, the 120 pack is mesquite. I prefer it with the ribs - which I cook most often.
Oh yeah, I forgot to ask...I have a disposable foil pan for the oven. Should I add anything to the pan with the brisket? Do I need to cover it with foil? Please advise. Thanks!
I always add a little apple juice or jack daniels just to get it started. AJ doesn't do anything in flavor but the JD does unless it gets sampled too much before eating. ::)
Okay, apple juice I have. I use it when I make the foil boat for the ribs and spritzing it in the smoker. I am still curious if I need to cover the brisket in the oven or just let it sit in the pan with the juice.
Tonight's step was to give it the dry rub and put to bed for 24 hours. Hey Iceman, this rub smells like it has a little kick!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3256.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3257.jpg)
I would keep it covered. The goal is to keep as much moisture in the brisket as you can.
I always cover mine. Put the temp probe in before covering and turn off the oven when it reaches your desired IT. You can leave it in the oven or put into a pre-warmed cooler for several hours.
I give mine (matter of fact got a couple in the smoker as we speak) the 4 hour smoke, then into the oven in a pan with whatever liquid you want, but just a smidge, the juice from the brisket will give ya plenty of juice at 220 for the next 12-18 hours, then pull and FTC....side note save your juice from the pan to make some heavenly sauce......Oh yeah, use mesquite!! ;D
C
Well, I am at work and waiting to get home to start the smoke. I think I just may do a mix of hickory and mesquite for 4 hours. I already used a fork to poke a few holes through the fat cap. I will then remove it from the BDS and put it in a covered foil pan - using a small amount of apple juice. My target internal temp will be 190 and I will cook at 220. I hope that I get to FTC prior to guests arriving, but if it isn't finished until then, so be it. I intend on leaving the fat cap on during the overnight cook and removing it prior to slicing. If it doesn't just slide off, then I will leave it on and trim anything that is excessive. I hope there is no need to have to do this part. Photos of it going in the BDS will be posted tonight when I get home. My financee thinks I am nuts for taking these photos for you guys.
Quote from: Vaison on July 05, 2008, 08:32:53 AM
My financee thinks I am nuts for taking these photos for you guys.
:D :D ;D
I hear ya Vaison! My wife thinks I'm nuts too!
Oh well. What's great about it is how everyone on the forum can learn from everybody else's successes and... well, not so successful smokes.
Good luck and I'm looking forward to some awesome lookin' pictures! ;)
Mike
Crazy for photos is kind of a wide spread sickness round here.
I remember getting "the look" the first time I wanted to "document" my process.
After the first taste, no more "look"
:o
My husband shakes his head & then moves quickly to the next room ;D He knows better than to actually comment.
Yep I know the feeling, my wife and kids are like why are you taking pictures of the food! Simple answer because I can! ;D Looking forward to more, looks great!
C
The BDS is loaded with a few pucks of mesquite used on my last cook and the rest is hickory. The brisket is unwrapped, on a nicely cleaned rack (thanks Natalie) and ready to go in.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3258.jpg)
Here she is just before I shut the door for 4 hours of smoke.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3260.jpg)
Ahhhh.... That's a thing of beauty Vaison! ;)
I see a fine meal in your future!
Mike
I checked on the water at the 2 hour mark and took a photo while I had the door open. Everything inside is looking good!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3261.jpg)
However, I noticed this toward the end of the previous time using the BDS. I am getting a slow leak out of one side. Is this normal? I don't think it is the water from the bowl.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3262.jpg)
Vaison
Do you have your vent open about 1/2 way?
Mike
It is just cracked a little. I will go open it some more.
Funny you should mention the wifes's opinion on submitting photos. Mine thinks it's totally weird! I told her that Fisherman will want a pic of there prize, as well as hunters. A successfull smoke is the same right????? Just say right so I can show her!
Right....if you used mesquite.....Right!! ;D
C
Smoking complete. Here it is just before covering with foil and putting in the thermometer. See you tomorrow afternoon!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3263.jpg)
Looks great Vaison, your gonna have some good eats there....I gotta throw mine in, nothing better than a good brisket!....Mesquite!! ;D
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/cjgbrad/IM001696.jpg)
C
Perhaps my thermometer is touching the bottom of the pan, but it is reading 180 already and it has only been in the oven for about 45 mins. I didn't expect it to get that close to 190 until hours into the cook. I am just using a standard house probe. I have a digital Weber thermometer still in the box that I got with points on my credit card. I just may break it out to give it a try.
Greetings, Yes, a little soon for that temperature. Did you add some apple juice to the bottom of the foil pan. Moisture in a well sealed boat with help with the cooking process.
As Mr Walleye indicated the vent being closed too far will contribute to the condensation build up... Keep the vent open a touch more than necessary to ensure there is no smoke backing out the crack between the smoke generator and where it hangs on the tower. You wont be wasting smoke - there is plenty. You do not want the smoke and moisture backing up into the generator...that is a bad thing ;)
That brisket looks like it will be a really good one. ;D
Well, I removed the thermometer and will take it out of the oven to check temp. I thought I could just leave it in the whole time and get an accurate reading. After 2 hours, I checked the new temp (taken out of the oven) and it is 160. I put a little bit of juice in the bottom to get things started as I was told that plenty of juice will form from the brisket as it cooks. Everything is a-okay so far. Time for bed.
After 4 hours in the smoker at 220, then another 13 hours in the oven at 220, the brisket reached an internal temperature of 190. I took it out, snapped a photo, FTC and placed it back in the still warm oven. Guests arrive in 3 hours.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3266.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3268.jpg)
Looks G R E A T Vaison!
Nice!
I'm drooling just lookin' at it! 8)
Let us know how things turn out.
Mike
Looking good Vaison. Mike really hooked you up on the vent issue. You need the vent adequately open to keep the condensation from forming as the meat cooks and the water in the pan evaporates. That's what is on your floor, and you also need it open so the smoke does not back up into the generator. That is a really really bad thing and will ultimately over time destroy the generator. I run my vent pretty much halfway open all the time unless I'm doing poultry and then it's open pretty much all the way as poultry holds a lot of moisture.
I'll bet that brisket is a killer! Congrats.
KyNola
I had a house full of guests and was also running a grill full of hot dogs and hamburgers, BUT I managed to snap a photo of the final product during slicing. I put it on the serving table, offered Iceman's sauce on the side and it was very VERY well received. It was my first taste of it and I am blown away. I don't think this could have come out any more perfectly. Thank you to everyone who assisted with my first brisket. It was a total success. I cannot wait do another. Oh yeah, somehow one pound or so of the brisket never made it to the table and was wrapped in foil inside of my fridge. :P
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/Vaison/CIMG3269.jpg)
Well done, Vaison. You're officially hooked. Welcome to the club. Smoking is very addictive.
SD
That would be a thing of beauty...Congrats V.....Time to start thinking about another smoke!
C
Atta boy Vaison!
Ya did us proud! ;)
Congrats on getting a successful one under your belt! 8)
Mike
Quote from: Vaison on July 06, 2008, 04:32:21 PM
Oh yeah, somehow one pound or so of the brisket never made it to the table and was wrapped in foil inside of my fridge.
Those are the classified aspects of smoking that we do not share. :D
I think O or NePa has the classification guide for this topic. 8)
Arcs_n_Sparks
Vaison, now ya done it... very good looking piece. :)
Really nice V,
I know you are still grinning over that one. ;D
KyNola