Mustard on Brisket

[unsmokedham]

Ok, I'll bite (no pun intended  :)) but why would one put yellow mustard on brisket. I see that referred to in many post here on the forum and I have had lot's of BBQ'ed brisket and tri-tip and never seen anyone put yellow mustard on them. I am not a big fan of yellow mustard although I do like a little Dijon mustard on stuff from time to time? For the life of me I can't imagine putting yellow mustard on meat to cook it so I am puzzled?

Gene

[westexasmoker]

I for one am also a fan of no mustard on brisket or any beef for that matter.  I do use it when I jerk a porkloin though, but that is to keep my chopped jalapenos and onion applied.  Myth would have it that the mustard creates more bark, but I don't see that either.....But it just boils down to one technique as compared to another...some like it, some don't.  I'd say give a whirl and see if it floats your boat!

Oh yeah and welcome aboard USH!  Lots of good folks and info here.  Good luck and keep us posted!

C

[FLBentRider]

I'll echo what WTS posted.

A lot of folks here swear by the stuff, but I don't.

They say it helps with the rub and the bark.

I have not gotten around to a "butt to butt" test.

[OU812]

Ditto on what WTS and FLB have said.

Plain old salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder here.

Some say the CYM helps tenderise it also.

I do put CYM on pork butt though, mainly to hold the rub on, I like lots of rub on the pork.

[Caneyscud]

I also don't use it very much (won't say never).  Theory is you slather on a very thin coat on the meat and then sprinkle on the rub.  It helps with the adherence of the rub.  During the cook, the CYM flavor and color pretty much disappears.  If you are a fan of thick spicy bark, it can certainly help.  There is one unnamed forum member (Pachanga) that hails from Texas (there might be some doubt about that because he uses CYM  ;D ;D ;D) - he should be around shortly and answer any questions!   ;D ;D  I like my brisket nekkid!

[Pachanga]

To prevent any misunderstandings or hate posts, Caneyscud and I are buds who have several common interests in our backgrounds and the following is tongue in cheek.

Caney,

Thank you for the not so subtle introduction.  I am a little surprised that you question my impeccable native Texan credentials since you live out of state now.  You may as well be in NEEEW YORK CITY.  I have never understood why you left God's country but I heard it involved a San Antonio card game, the Mexican mafia, twin sisters and a bottle of tequila with a worm in the bottom.  Well, there was a worm in the bottom.  There is some question as to whether the sisters were senoritas or a couple of goats.   I like to think they were senoritas.  There was also something about your brisket being "nekkid".  I'm not saying any of it is true but that is the rumor going around (or maybe that's the rumor I started).  Anyway, I know you know your Q and respect your opinion.  However, I actually think you may be a closet mustard user.

Unsmokedham,

I am a mustard on ham fan as a condiment but I do not use mustard as a condiment on brisket.  However, as a slather, the mustard loses its flavor in the smoking process and turns to a nice bark.  There is no residual taste that we would recognize as mustard flavor.

I posted a thread on mustard slather (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12112.0 )  relating the science behind mustard's properties and their reaction with brisket.  In it I wrote, "Mustard is made of mustard flour, vinegar and other ingredients.  Science tells us that the enzymes in the mustard flour breaks down collagen that acts as connective tissue in meats.  Vinegar is an acid.  When exposed to acid collagen is softened to gelatin.  The collagen fibers exhibit swelling and retain more water. This opens the meat up to accept the flavors of the rub.  Therefore, mustard slather reacts with meat using two distinct properties; enzymes and acids.  The slather also aids in moisture retention and flavor absorption.  This produces a flavorful, moist and tender meat.  At the same time, it produces a nice crust or bark on the meat.  This stuff sounds like a miracle drug for a Q'er."  

Science and taste of the final product convince me that this is a very good addition to brisket as well as other meats. Thousands of other smokers, much more accomplished than me, consider this a staple in their arsenal for smoking brisket.  For those who have not used a mustard slather and are confused or nervous about trying it, take a lesson from some Legends of Barbeque.

Fort Worth, Texas pit boss legend Walter Jetton put on a little barbeque for 250 at the LBJ (President Johnson)  Pedernales Ranch, Texas in 1964.  Besides calling for a pit 3 foot deep, 4 feet wide and 40 feet long, his beef stock mop contained ¾ cup dry mustard and 2 quarts vinegar (sounds like mustard to me).  The meat was brisket.  Jim Goode, another Texas legend, calls for mustard in his rub and mop for brisket.  Paul Kirk, one of the most awarded Q'ers ever, devotes an entire chapter in one of his books to Mustard slathers which are used on his competition brisket, ribs and chicken.

Use mustard, don't use mustard, rub it, slap it (I threw that one in for CRG) or cook it in a crockpot.  How you like it is how you should do it.  In the Bradley, I do not want to open the door until the temperature is up due to the slow heat recovery.  I do not use a mop until the bark sets up.  The mustard acts as a thick, long term mop to protect the meat.  I do not always use mustard but I do think it is especially beneficial in the Bradley.  As you noticed, many on this board have tried mustard on brisket.  Those who have reported back seem to have great success.

Now if you think the mustard post was crazy, here are some others you might enjoy.

Brisket Pachanga
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?t=532

Photos to go with the recipe
http://forum.
bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12061.0

I Prefer to Smoke Totally Naked - A Brisket and Ribs Manifesto
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12455.0

So your brisket doesn't fit - solution here
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=13080.0

How do you make burnt ends?
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=13179.0

Good luck and do it like you like it,

Pachanga

[MPTubbs]

If we were voting.....put me in for mustard!

I like the bark.

[unsmokedham]

Pachanga,

Well put prose even for a Texan :D. I spent many years in Houston (Johnson Space Center) and had some really good BBQ in the Lone Star state. In fact that is probably the only thing I really missed when I came out West in 86. After about 2 to 3 weeks I was going into withdrawls for some really good BBQ and good fajitas (another Tex-Mex dish I grew to love down there). I found a place here that supposedly had good mexican food and the wife and I went there. I didn't even look at the menu. Told the waiter to bring me a big plate of beef fajitas and he look at me and said "What's that?". I nearly fell out of my chair in horror. I then learned that fajitas weren't something that served around here. I thought I had died and gone to hell. And to top it off, the only place that served BBQ at all only had East Coast vinegar based pull pork style which I truly DO NOT like. So I started doing my own BBQing and having friends over. They fell in love with true Texas style BBQ.

But I guess I had limited experience with BBQ since I was unaware of using yellow mustard. Possibly I have had it and just didn't know it as I have had brisket that had a black as tar hard as rock crust on it but was succullent and tasty inside. I just never asked how they did it. I just enjoyed it. I will have to experiment and try the 'mustard effect'.

Thanks for the info. Very informative. Like I said, I'm a smoking newbie and still drinkin' from the firehose!

Gene

[classicrockgriller]

That's the nice thing about q'ing for yourself. You can try something and if it don't work for you, don't do it.

I'm the guy who does something different just about everytime I put something in the smoker and it's not

because I didn't like the last way I did it. I just want to do it another way for sh*ts and giggles.

If we all liked the same thing, This old world sure wouldn't be as much fun as it is.

[Pachanga]

Gene,

You may not be dead but it sounds like you are in food hell.  I made fajitas out of beef skirt on Tuesday.  Homemade fresh flour tortillas, molcajete guacamole, pintos, fresh tomatoes, grilled onions/peppers, queso fresco, homemade salsa, cilantro, a squeeze of lime and some jalapenos I canned.  If you want to see some of these recipes and photos go to the Iron Chef thread.  

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12056.0  

My entry was Mexican - Chiles Relleno de Pollo Adovada y Picadillo.  TenPoint sponsors a competition every so often.  Some really fine recipes and dishes are posted by by some good cooks.

I am not saying mustard is the end all and I don't use it all the time but the it works well for me and it is a key ingredient in a lot of mops.  There may be disagreements and differences on how to use it but everyone agrees that the Bradley can turn out some fine barbeque without much work.  There are several good thoughts on preparation on this board.

Let me know how it turns out.

Good luck and you are always welcome back to Texas.

Pachanga

[OU812]

If we all liked the same thing, This old world sure wouldn't be as much fun as it is.

I've been tellin my kids the same thing for years.

How true, how true.

[watchdog56]

I used mustard on my pork butt and you could not taste the difference. IN fact my brother who hates mustard and will not eat it tasted some pork not knowing I put mustard sauce on it and he thought it was great.

[ronbeaux]

If you don't want to use mustard but still want something to help hold your rub in place, try using a paste made from Beef Base and a little water so you can smear it on the surface and then add your rub. A thin coat will hold the rub in place and give it an even more beefy flavor.

Forget I said this.

[Roadking]

Ditto on what WTS and FLB have said.

Plain old salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder here.

Some say the CYM helps tenderise it also.

I do put CYM on pork butt though, mainly to hold the rub on, I like lots of rub on the pork.

There you go because it's better then oil (holds better) and you can't taste it after the cooking.

[NePaSmoKer]

If you don't want to use mustard but still want something to help hold your rub in place, try using a paste made from Beef Base and a little water so you can smear it on the surface and then add your rub. A thin coat will hold the rub in place and give it an even more beefy flavor.

Forget I said this.

Ok i forgot already  :D