SMOKFOR at BriskCon 1, Launch in T -11. Question...

[Old_Sarge]

My first brisket in the Bradley tomorrow morning; planning to be done and in FTC mode by early Sunday before meetin' (I budgeted a full 2 hours per pound at 210 degrees).  I've got a 12-lb brisket and I had to separate the flat & deckle due to sheer monstrous size. I performed a field lipectomy and trimmed the most glacial chunks of fat, but left a nice layer since I don't like to boat/mop/spritz; I only open the smoker once during the process to change out the water pan. The two portions, per their last request, are currently luxuriating in a sybaritic mud bath of CYM and Wild Willie's #1-derful rub at Le Spa Frigidaire.

My question: Should I "stack" the two portions on one shelf, flat under point, or is it better to shelve them separately? If I stack, should I slip the flat underneath, fat cap down, with the point on top, fat cap up? I've never split the two sections for a smoke; I always had room for the entire hunka-hunka-burnin'-beef on my old smoker.

Please advise...

[Tenpoint5]

I would go Fat Cap up with both of them and put the one with the most fat on top to help baste the bottom one. But What do I know I havent completed a brisket in the Bradley I boat and oven mine.

[hal4uk]

(no advice - but..)
"I don't care who ya are... dat's funny"

[Wildcat]

I would go separate racks for maximum smoke exposure.

[squirtthecat]

Fat side up, separate shelves, point on the top.   

[KyNola]

What Wildcat and STC said.

KyNola

[ArnieM]

What Wildcat and squirt said and Ky agreed to  :)

Also, I'd use the upper racks.  The one on the bottom gets too much direct heat if placed on the bottom rack.

[Old_Sarge]

Okay, cool. I'll give each section its own bunk, but I will probably put the flat on the top bunk because it's a lot thinner than the point and I'd like both pieces to finish up, if not at the same time, at least w/in an hour or two of each other.

[ronbeaux]

Sounds like a plan!

[Pachanga]

Old Sarge,

I have enjoyed your posts.  Of blackouts and barbecue comes to mind.  Very funny and expresses eloquently what has happened to many.

If you do not want to divide your brisket in the future, I have posted my solution on the following link.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=13080.0

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

[Old_Sarge]

Old Sarge,

I have enjoyed your posts.  Of blackouts and barbecue comes to mind.  Very funny and expresses eloquently what has happened to many.

If you do not want to divide your brisket in the future, I have posted my solution on the following link.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=13080.0

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about dimensions and bought a really long brisket that is to other briskets as Gene Simmons' tongue is to other mens' tongues. I tried bending to fit, but it looked like a meaty rendition of the St. Louis arch, and I would've had to build bamboo skewer scaffolding to make it stay upright. It did really well on the bend test, though.  ;D

This is a lesson learned; from now on I'll buy a stockier cut that lends itself to fitting on the rack in one piece with only a slight inchworm effect.

[Pachanga]

Here is another method I use.  This is an excerpt from Brisket Pachanga in the Old's and Habanero recipe site (http://www.susanminor.org/).  If you haven't been to their site yet, it is certainly worth the time.  This method sounds like it would work on a Gene Simmon's Brisket.

"Sometimes the brisket is still too long to fit, even after bending it. One reason I find that a brisket is too long is usually the brisket is very thin toward the end of the flat. Measure the brisket against your Bradley rack. Cut the thinnest part off and lay it fat side down under the thinnest part of the main brisket which is fat side up. If you match the taper of both pieces of meat by matching thick to thin, you will end up with a uniform thickness that smokes evenly and retains moisture well. No one will know the difference when serving."

Good luck and keep up the witty posting,

Pachanga

[Old_Sarge]

Here is another method I use.  This is an excerpt from Brisket Pachanga in the Old's and Habanero recipe site (http://www.susanminor.org/).  If you haven't been to their site yet, it is certainly worth the time.  This method sounds like it would work on a Gene Simmon's Brisket.

"...Cut the thinnest part off and lay it fat side down under the thinnest part of the main brisket which is fat side up. If you match the taper of both pieces of meat by matching thick to thin, you will end up with a uniform thickness that smokes evenly and retains moisture well. No one will know the difference when serving..."

Pachanga

Hey, that's basically what I planned on doing originally!

Great timing; I'm way behind schedule and am just fixin' to start the smoke. The Bradley's pre-heated and the smoke launcher magazine is packin' a full load of oak rounds (nothing against mesquite...just don't have any on hand). Probably do an 8-hour smoke, then assess when I change the water pan as to whether I want to do any more.

I am going to try something a little weird...I saved all the fat trimmings and soaked them overnight in apple juice/vinegar. I'm going to put them on the shelf above the brisket and let it drizzle suet raindrops on the meat. I can always pull 'em if it looks like the good idea fairy was full of crap after all...

[KevinG]

Sniff, Sniff - Ahh, winds must be coming from the south. A little touch of oak in the air. ;D

[Pachanga]

Old Sarge,

I am going to try something a little weird...I saved all the fat trimmings and soaked them overnight in apple juice/vinegar. I'm going to put them on the shelf above the brisket and let it drizzle suet raindrops on the meat. I can always pull 'em if it looks like the good idea fairy was full of crap after all...

I do exactly that with my trimmings except the apple juice.  Run through this thread (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12061.0).  There is a photo of the trimmings on the top rack just as you described about halfway down the thread.    Let me know how the apple juice works out. I like the soaking in apple juice idea.  If you report favorably, juicing the trimmings (is that legal?) will be added to my next smoke.  The last photo shows who is waiting on the trimmings.

Good luck and self basting,

Pachanga