My 1st Brisket

azamuner73 · June 21, 2011, 04:27:08 AM

Hey guys,

It's been a long time since I've had the chance to use my smoker and I decided to give brisket a try.
I picked up a 5.75 lb instead of a full one in case I botched my first go at it.
I tried to follow Pachanga's recipe but realized I was short a few ingredients. This is probably where experimentation is not always a good idea. I used about 90% of the same ingredients and then I remembered something about a java rub so I put some coffee in there too.

I hit it with 4 hours of smoke (special blend) not sure if that was a good idea or not but I didn't have the right pucks that Pachange listed. About 12 hours later I pulled it at 185.....I misread it and later saw it should have been 195. I FTC'd for a few hours and then poured some apple juice on it before wrapping it up again and popping it in the fridge.

After I got home the next day, I tasted the spice on the outside of the brisket and it had a bit of a bitter taste and it's a little spicy, so I scraped off the excess and put it in a roasting pan, with some water and a mire poix, covered it in foil and popped it in the oven so I could get that puppy to 195. Several hours later it finally did and I brought it out to rest. Gave it a taste and the brisket itself it very tasty and tender. Next time I do a brisket I think I will stick to the exact recipe or even try a stripped down version. At least it didn't turn out to be a total flop and I can enjoy my failure with a cold beer.

I meant to take some pics before cooking but my forgot. I can post the end results though...just need to take a pic or 2 when I get home.

beefmann · June 21, 2011, 06:41:56 AM

i have done a few briskets and it seems 190 to 195 is the best temp to go to and some times the best rub is a basic one,

My old stand by happens to be a coating of

paprika
pepper
granulated garlic
ground mustard

azamuner73 · June 21, 2011, 07:20:50 AM

I liked the sound of Pachanga's rub and I'm sure if you stick to the recipe it's great so I'm trying to figure out exactly where I made the mistake so I don't repeat it.

One thought is the adding of some ground coffee might have contributed to the flavor. I also might have been a little too generous on my chili powder. The other thought was my choice of bisquettes. I only had the special blend ones left so that's all I used.

In the end I think it was all these choices that led to the outcome, but it's still a pretty tender brisket so at least I'm doing something right.

I think sticking to some basic rubs like I see on Triple D will be my best option and then maybe tweak the rub to my personal taste.
Also I already have those spices in my cabinet. I will have to take a trip however to pick up the right type of bisquettes before I have another go at it.

Tenpoint5 · June 21, 2011, 07:41:54 AM

What was your vent setting? if you didnt have the vent open far enough you might have gotten a little Black Rain on your brisket. Which has a bitter taste to it.

KyNola · June 21, 2011, 07:52:10 AM

Quote from: azamuner73 on June 21, 2011, 07:20:50 AM
One thought is the adding of some ground coffee might have contributed to the flavor. I also might have been a little too generous on my chili powder.

I think you nailed where the bitter taste may have come from.

At an IT of 195, isn't the brisket almost right at the falling apart stage? The reason I ask is two weekends ago STC, Hal and I did a brisket and pulled it at an IT of 180 in the flat and it was moist, tender and easily sliced. Everyone has their own preferred method and I'm not being critical in the least. Just curious about the brisket at an IT that high.

azamuner73 · June 21, 2011, 10:17:38 AM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on June 21, 2011, 07:41:54 AM
What was your vent setting? if you didnt have the vent open far enough you might have gotten a little Black Rain on your brisket. Which has a bitter taste to it.

IIRC, I think it was about 3/4 open. I did use a flexible stove pipe though to fee it out the window since it was raining and I couldn't do it outside.

azamuner73 · June 21, 2011, 10:27:51 AM

Quote from: KyNola on June 21, 2011, 07:52:10 AM
Quote from: azamuner73 on June 21, 2011, 07:20:50 AM
One thought is the adding of some ground coffee might have contributed to the flavor. I also might have been a little too generous on my chili powder.

I think you nailed where the bitter taste may have come from.

At an IT of 195, isn't the brisket almost right at the falling apart stage? The reason I ask is two weekends ago STC, Hal and I did a brisket and pulled it at an IT of 180 in the flat and it was moist, tender and easily sliced. Everyone has their own preferred method and I'm not being critical in the least. Just curious about the brisket at an IT that high.

I had my Maverick hooked up and I pulled it out at 185. I can't remember the order in which I tested the tenderness but when I started to cut into it there was still a lot of resistance. I checked Pachanga's post and it said 190-195 was the temp so I decided to get it to that the next day in my oven. I should correct myself as the final IT was 190. After I let it rest and cut into it, it was only the end that was a little on the dry side, but the next slice was tender and moist and the fat was slowly melting down.

For my first brisket I'm happy that it's even edible. Of course I only want to improve from here on in. If the rub is my biggest or only problem that's only minor. I just want to be sure I'm not making other critical mistakes. If I am I want to learn from it so I don't repeat them. :)

ghost9mm · June 21, 2011, 10:38:20 AM

I have a nephew in Texas that is competition several times a month and he contends along with his competition that once a briskets IT gets above 200 degrees you now have a piece of roast beef...now there are some here that may disagree but that's OK...I am just the messenger...

azamuner73 · June 21, 2011, 11:11:49 AM

So what is the general consensus on when to pull the brisket? 185-190?

I like the way it turned texture wise. It still holds together nicely, it slices without much effort and it's moist, so I'm guessing I at least got that part right.

I'm thinking my rub experiment was the problem.

KyNola · June 21, 2011, 12:03:03 PM

Quote from: ghost9mm on June 21, 2011, 10:38:20 AM
I have a nephew in Texas that is competition several times a month and he contends along with his competition that once a briskets IT gets above 200 degrees you now have a piece of roast beef...now there are some here that may disagree but that's OK...I am just the messenger...

Hey G9, did your nephew happen to mention at what IT he removes the brisket from the smoker? I have 2 SRF Wagyu briskets being delivered tomorrow and I sure don't want to screw those babies up.

ghost9mm · June 21, 2011, 12:14:16 PM

Larry... he removes them at 180 to 185 and foils them and NEVER wants them above 190...
WOW !!! I sure would love to be there for a small piece of that Wagyu briskets...I don't think I would let them in there much above 165.. or less if you like them to pink side...please take pictures of that cook...

KyNola · June 21, 2011, 12:35:33 PM

G9,
go down about halfway on this thread and you will find photos of the SRF Wagyu brisket we did at Hal's. That one came out at 180.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=22794.45

ghost9mm · June 21, 2011, 01:23:22 PM

Larry...Someone with no teeth could have taken a bite out of that brisket...lol.. :D and just where do you pick one of them puppies up...?

KyNola · June 22, 2011, 07:59:28 AM

Quote from: ghost9mm on June 21, 2011, 01:23:22 PM
Larry...Someone with no teeth could have taken a bite out of that brisket...lol.. :D and just where do you pick one of them puppies up...?

G9, I sent you a PM with all of the details. The link is www.snakeriverfarms.com

My 1st Brisket

beefmann