elk brisket

[axman]

I'm kinda new to smoking world and still learning and have learn alot from this forum. and for that i say thank you.
The son in law and i just got a pen raise bull elk 4 years old that we're going to cut up to day. My question is about the brisket how to i smoke it, like a beef brisket? any information well be helpful.  as a side note i do have can get our hands and on pork, beef, venison and lamb. if the any out of the box thinking.
thanks ahead of think for any response 

[axman]

for got i have Bradley 4 shelf digital with a PID controller

[axman]

well we got the elk all cut up, finished around 9pm in a blizzard. We save a couple 12 lbs round roast to brine for hams and the approx 11 lbs brisket.  The whole elk was VERY beautiful look meat nice and tender looking, 
the brisket has nice marbling, i trimmed some of the extra fat, it about 2" thick and and around 18" sq  our intentions are to smoke and pull for sandwiches for Christmas
my best guess right now is to

    put rub on both sides Not sure of rub yet (help needed, not spice though)
    roll and tie into log
    let sit over night
    preheat box to 220 for 1 hour
    smoke with mesquite, maple or some of both for 4 hours at 180-190 water in dish
    finish with box temp of 200-210 and IT of 180-185  apples juice and real maple syrup in dish
    FTC for 2-4 hrs  with apple juice and real maple syrup
    pull
   serve with condiment of choice     
   what do you guys think will this work? is there any suggestion anyone has to make? Mild rubs for elk? Times? Temps? Anything?
   thanks

[squirtthecat]

I wish I could help, but I've never smoked (or seen for that matter) anything like that..

Tender, eh.  Perhaps treat it like Venison?   Much lower final IT?

[Brisket Lover]

No ideas for elk, but I'll be watching this thread. Take some pictures too if you can. 

[axman]

thanks for the responses, i didn't think that this subject would be in the out limits. but i'm going to try it. as far as pic i'll see if i can figure it out but don't hold your breath me and office type equipment don't always see eye to eye. i'm going to try something, what do i have to lose, 2day before Christmas so i'll take any thought anyone has
thanks 

[Sailor]

never did a Elk brisket but I would think that it is going to be a lean piece of meat.  You might consider laying strips of bacon on top to help keep it moist.  I have done many a deer roast in a kettle smoker and I would smoke them then boat them to keep them from drying out.  The deer roast came out fork tender and was so moist and had a great flavor. 

[axman]

thanks sailor, i had been on the fence if bacon or side pork was going to be needed but i think i will use which ever is cheapest 

[axman]

well i did it! last weekend in a snow storm i smoked the 11lb elk brisket with  2 pork butts 
i cut the brisket 1/2 so they fit in the racks and covered with one layer of cheap thick cut bacon
rubbed with a store rub let sit and cool for about 4 hours
and then room temp for 2 hrs
preheated Bradley to 250 degs for 1 hr
9 hrs at 200 degs with the first 4 hrs smoke with 1hr Mesquite, 1hr cherry, 1hr Mesquite, 1hr cherry
then 215 degs to IT of 185 degs
kept pan full of apple juice
the first brisket came out after 17.5 hrs and the last butt came out at almost 20hrs
FTC for at least 2.5 hrs to 5hrs 
pulled the pork first and it just fell a part (and tasted Great)
the brisket some area fell apart and most areas i had to cut against the grain
most of the brisket was kinda dry and chewy, and since we were not eating it until the next day i mix up some apple juice and real maple syrup 3-1mix. put it all in a vac bag and vac sealed in hopes it would make more tender over night.  it did work.  it was very tasty then put on the bun.
if the empty pans are the judge the pulled pork won because it was gone first but the elk brisket was not far behind. everyone seemed to enjoy both

having never had a brisket of any kind i haven't got any thing to compare it to. will i make it again, if i find another elk hanging in a shied i will, but i won't go out of my way to find it.

but i still take input on how i could have made it better

[Sailor]

Glade it came out OK for you.  That apple juice works wonders to put moisture back into dry meat.