First Post and First Brisket!

SmokeDogg · July 08, 2008, 01:18:39 PM

I have been lurking the Bradley boards for about 4 months and finally decided to sign up. You guys are great and very knowledgeable! I've gotten a lot of great tips from you all. I am just looking for a couple opinions. First would be to foil or not to foil. Second would be a guess on the cook time for my brisket.

I have a Choice 9 lb. brisket flat that is untrimmed, rubbed and ready to go. I plan on smoking the whole way in the Bradley at 210 to 220 degrees, fat side down. I'm going to use 4 hours of oak & hickory. I have read one technique is to pull it at 165 degrees and then foil it and throw it back in the Bradley. Then take it to fork tender usually between 185 and 195. The other technique I have read is to use no foil and just leave it in there to fork tender, again 185 - 195.

I want to know if anyone has any preference over the two techniques and how long would they guess each technique would take for my particular smoke if they had to guess. I am going to need it to be done by 8am tomorrow. I then plan to FTC until noon.
Thanks in advance for the advice!
SmokeDogg

FLBentRider · July 08, 2008, 01:35:59 PM

W E L C O M E to the forum SmokeDogg!

Quote from: SmokeDogg on July 08, 2008, 01:18:39 PM
I have a Choice 9 lb. brisket flat that is untrimmed, rubbed and ready to go. I plan on smoking the whole way in the Bradley at 210 to 220 degrees, fat side down. I'm going to use 4 hours of oak & hickory.

I would go fat side UP. If you are going to pull itand foil it, then do it after the smoke is done; then put it in your (kitchen) oven, since after the smoke generator stops that's all the bradley is anyway.

I would put the fat side up, so that the rendering fat will keep the meat moist.

Most of the brisket folks here keep the temp lower, around 200 - 205.

Timing - put it in now. You can FTC until serving time if needed. If you've been lurking here, you know what that means.

Habanero Smoker · July 08, 2008, 01:45:03 PM

Hi SmokeDogg;

Welcome to the forum.

FLB have given you some good information. Though if you are not going to trim at all, you could smoke fat side down for about half the smoke.

I don't have a preference, but I've never foiled so I can only tell you that I fully smoke brisket in the Bradley at 210°F - 220°F until it reaches internal temperature of 185°F. Can't help you with the times.

pensrock · July 08, 2008, 01:50:51 PM

Welcome SmokeDogg.

I'm still a brisket virgin myself but plan to change that shortly. These folks on here know their stuff so you are in good hands.

pens

SmokeDogg · July 08, 2008, 02:07:53 PM

Thanks guys for the welcome and quick replies.

From looking around some more, it seems not to foil until the FTC period is the truest bbq method for brisket. However, its pretty much 50/50 on the fat side up or down. Jim Minion father of the minion method and a longtime brisket man says fatside down in my Weber cookbook with his recipe in it. I was going to trust him, but I'm still open to opinions on all my questions still!

Thanks guys.

westexasmoker · July 08, 2008, 04:02:54 PM

The guys have pretty well covered it all, 9 lb is just about the perfect size for your rack. I smoke mine for 4 hours @ 220 with the fat side up, as already stated self-basting that way! Pull after the smoke, into the foil pan with maybe just a splash of beer cover tightly and into the oven @ 220 from anywhere from 18 to 24 hours, then if you need FTC!! Good luck, let us know how it turned out!! Oh yeah use mesquite ;D and WELCOME to the forum SmokeDogg!

C

La Quinta · July 08, 2008, 06:05:56 PM

Welcome SmokeDogg...

I may have to go with Westexas on the mesquite...BUT ONLY FOR BEEF...good luck... great smoking...adult beverages..."it don't get much better then that"!!! :)

Keep in touch and let us know...

westexasmoker · July 08, 2008, 08:19:31 PM

OMG...did LQ go with me..come to the dark side...and bring the adult beverages....BwahaaaBwahaaaa!! Keep us posted! :) :) :)

C

SmokeDogg · July 09, 2008, 02:39:51 AM

OK so its just after 4AM here and my alarm went off. The brisket has hit 191. I probed it in all areas and it went in nice and easy and all areas were between 191 and 195. It felt a lot more tender in one end than the other though, I hope that's OK. I have FTC'd with a little hot apple juice and hopefullly it stays warm as its close to 6 1/2 to 7 hrs until lunch! I've FTC'd butts that long but this is my first brisket. What do you think? So in all, it took 10 hours for a 9 pound flat. Kept the temp between 215 and 225 the whole cook. On the outside it looks fabulous, I'll let you know after lunch how the inside looked and tasted! ;D

westexasmoker · July 09, 2008, 05:32:27 AM

I forsee a tasty lunch in your future.....can't wait to hear of your results!! Keep us posted!

C

SmokeDogg · July 09, 2008, 10:11:14 AM

BAM! That was great! Got reviews from everyone in the office here today. The thinner end of the flat came out perfect, the fatter end came out a little drier and was more like chopped beef. I wish the whole thing was perfect but I'll take it for the first time. The smokiness was perfect as well. I did 4 hours of smoke alternating hickory and oak pucks. Wish I would have taken pictures but maybe next time. Thanks for all your tips...it was great. Can't wait for the next one!

SmokeDogg

westexasmoker · July 09, 2008, 10:16:39 AM

Congrats SmokeDogg, it'll just keep getting better with each smoke! You got it right, the flat is perfect for sliced beef and the point is perfect for chopped beef sandwichs....Dang its luchtime for me I think, I'm gonna have to get some Q!!

C

kiyotei · July 10, 2008, 09:55:30 PM

A large brisket has various zones of muscle type. You can see (feel) this as you slice it. You will not have a 100% consistent meat texture all the way thru the meat. I like to slice the whole brisket and then mix it up on the plater so people get meat from all sections of the brisket.