First Brisket help

Redneckinthecity · October 30, 2010, 01:18:05 PM

All the chatter about brisket lately inspired me to give it a try - being from Tennessee, I'm partial to pork, but am an equal-opportunity 'que'er.

I've read Pachanga's posts and made his rub - picked up a cryovac-ed packer brisket from the butcher. Weighs about 10#. But the point on this brisket is about 5 1/2 inches thick - which looks thicker than those I've seen in pictures posted on the forum.

Should I try to trim it down?

Here are some pictures so you see what I mean.

Thanks!

RITC

Pachanga · October 30, 2010, 01:20:34 PM

That point thickness is not unusual. I've smoked thicker many times. I would leave it be.

It looks like a nice brisket with a thick lean end which is desirable.

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

ArnieM · October 30, 2010, 02:21:46 PM

I agree with Pachanga.

If really doesn't want to fit on a rack you can separate the flat and point and monitor the IT of both. If I did that, I'd go with the flat above the point. Just my opinion.

Pachanga · October 30, 2010, 03:10:53 PM

I'll bet you can wrinkle it. I fit 12 lbers in regularly.

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

I believe CRG would advise to slap and spank it a bit first.

Pachanga

Rainmaker · October 30, 2010, 03:52:40 PM

My last brisket had a hump on it like a buffalo. Still turned out great.

Redneckinthecity · October 30, 2010, 04:23:47 PM

Thanks, Pachanga. I just noticed that I misspelled your user name in a post a while back when I talked about your turkey brine. My apologies. If the brisket is as good as my turkey was, I'm even more indebted to you!

Am I correct in reading your recipe that you fill the tube on the smoker and let it go all night? I've seen others that plan for 4-5 hour smokes - longer sounds better to me (with little or no mesquite) but thought I'd ask.

Thanks, too, to the other help! You guys keep me looking better than I am!

Pachanga · October 30, 2010, 05:39:08 PM

Quote from: Redneckinthecity on October 30, 2010, 04:23:47 PM
Thanks, Pachanga. I just noticed that I misspelled your user name in a post a while back when I talked about your turkey brine. My apologies. If the brisket is as good as my turkey was, I'm even more indebted to you!

Am I correct in reading your recipe that you fill the tube on the smoker and let it go all night? I've seen others that plan for 4-5 hour smokes - longer sounds better to me (with little or no mesquite) but thought I'd ask.

Thanks, too, to the other help! You guys keep me looking better than I am!

I missed your post on the turkey flavor brine or I would have complained bitterly about a misspelled name. ;D ;D

I do think that the brine you referred to turns out well. It is a low salt brine. Habs uses a low salt brine with good results also. I will brine a 20 pound turkey for 4 days with no salt problem, just flavor.

On the smoke, I let it roll. Most do not. I use mainly apple, a little oak and hickory and a few pucks of mesquite. In a 20 hour smoke, I probably roll smoke for 14 to 16. Most of it is overnight and then the last four hours.

I am not saying this is the right way, but it works for me. Mild wood smoke is a must however. I experimented a lot and arrived at this combination.

I haven't had any complaints and my family would not be bashful about letting me know if there was too much smoke. I am smoking a butt right now using the same philosophy. I know what over smoked is and with this mild wood combo, I believe that I get a layered flavor and not an overpowering hit of acrid taste or odor.

As I have stated before, with mesquite (a West Texas favorite for stick burners) I would be cautious.

Hope the brisket turns out as well as the turkey did for you.

Good luck and let the smoke roll on,

Pachanga

Redneckinthecity · October 31, 2010, 07:39:18 PM

Hello, again.

My brisket is on and the smoke is rolling. Cabinet temp has been holding around 218 and the meat is at 140.

If my brisket gets done around 9 am or so - can I FTC it until 5 or should I take it off, cool it and reheat? I've got a cooler all set with a heating pad and old towels jic.

Thanks again!

RITC

SoCalBuilder · October 31, 2010, 07:54:05 PM

Red - Had my first brisket today. A little over 9 lbs. and I had the temp set at 225. Not sure I ever hit that until the end. I FTC'd for about three hours and couldn't stand to wait any longer. This evening the daughter and son-in-law came over for a taste. They have become very willing guinea pigs. I wrapped enough for tonite in foil with a little apple juice, in a 225 oven. Can't tell you how long it was in there, but it was hot and moist. My bark was not crunchy, but still firm. I don't have the experience to know if that is desirable or not. I used a mustard slather over the rub which obviously kept it moist. Next time I may go without and see what happens.

Enjoy the smoke!

GusRobin · October 31, 2010, 08:02:56 PM

Quote from: Redneckinthecity on October 31, 2010, 07:39:18 PM
Hello, again.

My brisket is on and the smoke is rolling. Cabinet temp has been holding around 218 and the meat is at 140.

If my brisket gets done around 9 am or so - can I FTC it until 5 or should I take it off, cool it and reheat? I've got a cooler all set with a heating pad and old towels jic.

Thanks again!

RITC

not an expert but i would imagine it will depend on how good your cooler is and how long you can keep it above 140. You can always reheat it in a crock pot. Even if it is at 140, be prepared for a long stall when it hits about 160.

Redneckinthecity · November 01, 2010, 05:10:47 AM

Thanks for the late-nite advice. I'm afraid my question was premature. Been hung up around 154 with the probe in the point for a while. It got cooler here last night than I expected and when I just went to replace water and check on things, cabinet temp was only about 190 and either there's a lot of fat pooled on top or I had a bad case of black rain in the night. Didn't want to keep the door open any longer than necessary, so I guess we'll just see what's in there when the magic temp arrives. Doesn't look like it will be so early that I can't FTC till dinner....

GusRobin · November 01, 2010, 06:10:08 AM

Is your vent open? One cause of black rain is too much moisture. I cook with a wide open vent. Others don't , but it probably should at least be 1/2 to 3/4 (probably more like 3/4)

Redneckinthecity · November 01, 2010, 06:24:09 AM

I've never had problems with black rain before - I, too always run with it open and last night, with the bigger aluminum pan full of water, I made sure it was about 7/8 open. My real concern is that the cool outside temp and the relatively low cabinet temp was conducive to the black rain. I didn't want to spend too much time inspecting it to definitively determine - I'm hoping it was just some of that thick fat cap that had bled through the bark and kind of pooled on top.

We'll see later today and I'll post some more pictures.

Pachanga · November 01, 2010, 10:08:09 AM

Quote from: Redneckinthecity on November 01, 2010, 06:24:09 AM
I've never had problems with black rain before - I, too always run with it open and last night, with the bigger aluminum pan full of water, I made sure it was about 7/8 open. My real concern is that the cool outside temp and the relatively low cabinet temp was conducive to the black rain. I didn't want to spend too much time inspecting it to definitively determine - I'm hoping it was just some of that thick fat cap that had bled through the bark and kind of pooled on top.

We'll see later today and I'll post some more pictures.

I'll bet you nailed it on the fat cap bleeding through. The bark will crack and puddle a little before it sets up around the IT temp you mentioned. It will set up in the 170's.

Good luck and keep it smokin',

Pachanga

Redneckinthecity · November 02, 2010, 06:15:01 AM

Update: No black rain - definitely just some of the fat bleeding through the bark. I thought it turned out pretty good. It was a bit dry and a little salty. Wife was unimpressed at my 24+ hours of effort. Kids and in-laws seemed to like it fine (but maybe they're just nicer). It cooked in my DBS for 19 hours; I took it out at 190 and FTC'd with a heating pad. I stuck a thermometer after about 4 hours and it was ~ 150.

In hindsight, I'm guessing that the cooler cabinet than desired overnight (about 190), combined with a 5 hour FTC hold with a heating pad probably just rendered too much fat.

The saltiness I'm going to attribute to the bullion that I used in Pachanga's rub recipe. Got plenty of leftovers and I'm going to try to revive it with some apple juice in foil.

Thanks for all the help.