Yet another brisket newb question.

[Mach1]

I'm going to do my first brisket tomorrow and have to admit I'm kinda nervous. How open do I need to open the vent? I have a 7lb flat how long do I need to plan on letting it smoke/cook for? I'm planning on smoking for 4 hrs, so how much total time should I plan on we are having some friends over and I don't want everyone setting around for hours on end waiting, so I need to decide about when I need to start it.

Thanks you guys have been awesome.

[EDinNB]

I'd run the vent 1/2 open, and plan on 11 hrs min to get it to an IT of 185-195, probably it will take a couple of hrs longer, but should't excede 15, then you should wrap it in foil, then in towls and put it in a dry cooler for 2-4 hrs so the juices can redistribute.

PS I'm a rookie too and I suggest you read read and read thes forums, search out a subject and read all you can...

(Did I learn properly boys?)

EDinNB

[DTAggie]

Mach1 - my vent is sealed open!  Everything I do uses a fully open vent.  As Ed said, probably a minimum of 11 hrs.   Do 4 hrs of smoke since this is your first go.  Empty the water bowl and refresh with water.  Cook with a cabinet temp of around 225*.  Hopefully you have a meat probe to measure the internal temp (IT*) of the meat.  Since it is a flat, I would not go above an IT of 185*.  When it hits that temp, do like Ed said.  Wrap in foil, then a towel and place in a cooler or your microwave to sit.  I have let a brisket sit in FTC (foil, towel, cooler) for up to 4 to 5 hours and still be piping hot when I unwraped it.  FTC lets you start early and have some wiggle room to make sure it is done before company arrives.

I would place the meat on the top or second from top rack.  Do not place on bottom rack!

[mr5150]

Hello All,

This is my first post. I just did a 8 1/4 pound brisket this weekend and it turn out dry. I had the temp set to 220 degrees and cooked and smoked for 10 hours on the bottom rack.

I do need to get a proper cooking thermometer but my question is around smoking times and whether or not to mop?

[irish_smoker]

mr5150, I have never had to mop before but I think the most important thing for you is to get a good probe thermometer, something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/RediCheck-Remote-Cooking-Thermometer-Settings/dp/B0000AQL24/ref=sr_1_8?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1314120394&sr=1-8

The key is, cooking with the Bradley, you cannot base your cooking on time, it's based on when your meat gets to temp.  You can have a  7lb pork butt take 12 hours one day and a week later, cook another 7lber that takes 14 to get to temp.  Also, when you have just 1 rack in the smoker, put it on the 2nd from the top or 3rd from the top....I usually only use that bottom rack when I've got 4 racks of food in the smoker.

[mr5150]

Thanks Irish,

I will move up to the third rack the next time I smoke.

I think my problem is I was using smoke for the whole process. So for the 10 hours I had the brisket in I had the smoke on as well. It sounds like you only have to smoke the cut for 4 hours or so.

I just bought a Maverick ET 732 from E-Bay so that should help me out internal temperature wise.

Thanks again!!

[EDinNB]

I smoke my Briskets (I've done 2 now) 4 hrs and heat the rest...nice and smokey, but not overpowering.

EDinNB

[ArnieM]

The bottom rack gets a lot of direct heat and can dry out the bottom, hence the suggestion to move it up.

I have mopped (actually spritzed) before but haven't noticed much, if any, difference.

[beefmann]

mach,

have the vent 3/4 to wide open

box temp at 220 to 225, place brisket on one of the upper two racks for more even temp, smoke for 3 hours, continue to cook in the bradley till an it of 190 to 200 it

if you  have it  run a wireless thermometer  after the smoking process and good luck

[irish_smoker]

Also, leave the smoke generator on after the 4 hours of smoke has finished, the heat from the hot plate helps maintain a consistent temp in the cabinet.