Time for some truth....about me

Oldman · July 13, 2005, 02:52:05 AM

I've never smoked a brisket. The woods I have currently on hand are Oak, Pecan, Hickory, Apple, Maple and Alder. Whick would you suggest?

On the 15th this Brisket will have been aged just about 1 month. I changed my mind about what I was going to do to it. 6 pounds will be brisket. 6 pounds is going be that pepper style beef I came up with.

Now my plan is simple. Given my Mother and Wife don't care for spices. Just going to salt and black pepper it. I'm going to score the fat just to the level of the meat. I figure the box temp at 200 F degrees. (I be testing out "our" new toy also.) Start smoking it at 5am on Saturday. It will be close to room temp. when it goes in. I figure taking the meat to 180 F then FTC for a couple of hours in a pre-heated box. That should take it to 190 F or abouts.

Anyone see anything wrong with this plan? Please advise.
Thanks!

Olds

Arcs_n_Sparks · July 13, 2005, 03:00:21 AM

Oldman,

I'd give you the green flag....

Arcs_n_Sparks

Phone Guy · July 13, 2005, 04:58:13 AM

Make sure you get some good sauce ready. Also I always like Bacon, it keeps it moist. Don't forget to FTC with a little juice. But just plain smoked brisket is great also. Sometimes the simpler the better.

Habanero Smoker · July 13, 2005, 06:42:01 AM

I like hickory on my brisket, and most beef cuts. I usually blend in mesquite (1 mesquite for every 3 hickory). Pecan would also be a good choice. I have never tried oak - I have to put that on my list of woods to try.

Your plan looks good to me. I have tried several rub mixes on brisket, and can't find anything that tastes better then just plan kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, applied about 30 minutes before placing in the smoker.

Let me know how scoring the fat works. I usually trim the fat to 1/4" to 1/8" thick. Just my personal preference. I don't like to much fat on my meat after it has been cooked.

Oldman · July 13, 2005, 10:51:52 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I have never tried oak - I have to put that on my list of woods to try.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Oak has always been my main stay with grapfruit/ orange woods next. Of course it is what my grandfather taught me on. <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Let me know how scoring the fat works. I usually trim the fat to 1/4" to 1/8" thick.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">This one is already trimmed pretty good.

Olds

psdubl07 · July 14, 2005, 05:04:57 PM

Olds, I usually use Oak or Hickory, or a combo of those two on my briskets. I've also used Alder and even mixed in some Mesquite because the beef can take it.
After 4 hours of smoke or so, I prefer to put a spritz of apple cider/cider vinegar on and wrap in saran, then double foil for the rest of the cook. Take to an I.T. in the 187-190 range.

Never done an aged brisket, let us know how it turns out!

nsxbill · July 14, 2005, 06:28:27 PM

I know your brisket will already have a unique flavor from your cure, but I would not forget the benefit of bacon raining from above. I would be more prone to getting into some of the mesquite on this, maybe Pecan or Oak. The Brisket can tolerate a little harsher flavored smoke, as you will see.

I love this sliced up paper thin on soft rolls...Damn..can't do that anymore, but I can reminisce!

The brisket really benefits from the FTC and the sitting overnight in refrigerator to meld in that flavor! OUCH.

Will look forward to your report!

Bill

There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.

BigSmoker · July 14, 2005, 07:40:24 PM

Not enough people use Oak wood. I like it with beef really well. Don't see anything wrong with your plan at all. You did say it's pretty well trimmed. Might want to add the baconon the top shelf to be safe. I bet that boy will be good.

Jeff

Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

psdubl07 · July 14, 2005, 10:32:36 PM

I agree, Oak is perfect for beef, and it's not used near as much as hickory and others.

Jeff btw, check this thread when you get a chance:
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2044

Oldman · July 15, 2005, 03:51:13 AM

Oh without a doubt over the years Oak has always been my choice for beef. Then grapefruit or orange for milder items like fish and pork.

Olds

manxman · July 15, 2005, 09:32:17 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Not enough people use Oak wood.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Virtually all commercially smoked food available in the UK, whether it's cheese, salmon or red meat, is oak smoked so to me using hickory, apple, alder etc. has been a nice change.[:D]

Still tend to use oak more than anything else though, followed by apple.

I still have a couple of wood's to try although mesquite and special blend have never appealed, suppose I should give them a try one day!!

Manxman.

MallardWacker · July 15, 2005, 05:47:44 PM

Olds,

For shame no brisket as of yet.....however I will forgive for this reason alone, that is that Bean Recipe.. Did it 2 weekends ago AGAIN, and again nothing was left and I still got those raves.

You are correct on the the spices, I use a simple Italtian Seasoning---all it is some salt pepper garlic and the like. I've tried rubs on brisket, don't like them. When it comes to beef I'm not for a lot of funky spices.

Pecan is my favorite but no Oak as of yet....

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know. But...

Oldman · July 16, 2005, 12:33:11 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Pecan is my favorite but no Oak as of yet....<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Pecan is good...I used it on my pepper beef. Oak IMO is the center of balance. It has the best of everything... but it is not for everything.

For duck (I hate duck, but my wife loves it) it is sweet orange wood. I got some apple for this as Bradley does not have sweet orange wood. Going to try it with oak.
For butts it is grapfruit wood. (In the Bradley it is a mix of Oak and Hickory.)
For mullet (a fish) it is Oak.
For mackerel (a fish) it is Hickory.
For most beef cuts it is Oak.
For double smoked hams it is Oak and Maple.
Buckboard style bacon it is Oak.
For grilled pork steaks it is 40 minutes Oak and then on a gas grill.
For onions it is Oak.
For chickens it is Oak.

Now I don't alway hold fast to these above rules of mine. However, when I stray from them I always seem to go back to them... [:0]

Olds

mamba · July 17, 2005, 03:32:32 PM

I'm not sure you'll get another 10 degrees out of it after FTC. I've been getting 3-5 on average with my briskets. Not saying it can't happen, but just know there is a chance you'll come up short. I think the bacon is a must. I didn't buy into that until recently and will not go back. I can also tell you that foiling for the last couple hours really, really makes a tender brisket. But, you won't have the hard crusty outside so go with your favorite outcome. I like Hickory but Oak is good stuff as well.

You'll have to let us know how many degrees you get out of it.

Oldman · July 17, 2005, 06:20:01 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'm not sure you'll get another 10 degrees out of it after FTC. I've been getting 3-5 on average with my briskets
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Are you pre-heating the cooler with much boiling water? I use an immersible water heater that I had from years back when I use to re-dye carpets on location. It will boil the water. Plus I wrap my cooler in heavy towels and not the meat. Sometimes I use a "lift" under the meat so I can leave 5 inches of boiling water in the cooler.

This is why in my mind FTC is not a true passive oven. Don't get me wrong; FTC does great things. However, IMO if you pre-heat your cooler and then set it on top of heavy towels and wrap it in much-0 heavy towels then you have a true passive oven.

Olds