Questions for Pachanga

[Robert Rose]

I read the post the other day for your Brisket Rub and it sounds real good and plan to try one your way soon. I am no culinary master by any means and some of the ingredients in the rub are not familiar to me and I haven't been able to find them. First is the ground bay leaves. Do they sell them already ground or do you grind them your self? If you grind them how do you do it or what do you use? Next is Ground savory. Can't find it anywhere here, does it have another name it may go by? Also can't find white pepper. I am planning to use sea salt for the tender Quick.
I'm a rookie at this cooking game and don't very good imagination when it comes to cooking, but I do like to eat. My brother has a brisket rub that we use now and I wanted to compare your to see which I like best, expecting that yours is going to be the winner though.

Thanks
Robert Rose

[GusRobin]

What do you plan on doing with this brisket? The reason I ask is because Tender Quick is usually used for curing/brining meat for pastrami or bacon. I don't believe it is a 1 to 1 replacement with salt. If you are just making a smoked brisket you don't need cure.

Where do yo live? most of those are common spices in the "McCormick" section of the spice section in the local supermarket.

[Ka Honu]

Pachanga is the brisket master but until he gets here you get to listen to us acolytes.

As Gus said, there's no need to use a cure for smoked brisket.  I think Pachanga has it in there to assist in making a pseudo smoke ring (since with a Bradley there's no wood combustion and therefore no true smoke ring).

As a suggestion, if this is your first smoked brisket consider going "nekkid" (or, if you prefer, "traditional") with salt, pepper, and (optionally) granulated garlic only.  That way you'll get a good idea of what the meat itself brings to the party and be able to adjust later according to your personal preferences. After many years, I still smoke almost all of my briskets this way.

Also, if you have them available, buy USDA Choice or better for brisket.  There's a definite difference in cooking time and result.

[Robert Rose]

My brother and I have smoked several briskets before using the rub that he has come up with and it is a good rub, but when I read Pachanga's recipe it sounded real good to me and I decided to try it and see which I like best. This will be my first brisket in the Bradley though. My brother has a wood smoker that we have used for several years and we smoke exclusively with mesquite in it since my place has about 2 acres of mesquite trees on it. The brisket will be smoked and sliced for eating. Not really a pastrami fan although if we get a deer lease for next year I am planning on making some summer sausage with the meat form the deer we kill. You can see I am optomistic when I say we will kill something. LOL The only places I have to buy the spices here is Wal-Mart and HEB so my selection is limited. That is why I asked if some of the items might be called by a diffrent name.

Robert

[Habanero Smoker]

As Ka Honu stated the tender quick is to promote a "smoke ring". So that ingredient is not needed.

White pepper is only black pepper with the outer husk removed. Some say they like the flavor better, because it is not as bold; removing the outer layer removes a lot of flavor; and the process itself may weaken the flaovor. It is mainly preferred over black pepper when you are making white sauces, or other dishes you don't want the black specs of black pepper distracting from your dish. So you can substitute black pepper.

I have seen Ground Bay Leave in Wal-Mart, under the brand name Badia. If you have a ShopRite they may carry it.

[Pachanga]

Merry Christmas and Here is to You All having a great 2013.

As my two friends have stated, the Tender Quick is a feeble attempt to get a cheater smoke ring on the brisket using the Bradley.  This is really just for aesthetics; leave it out or put it on.

I grind my own Bay Leaf in a coffee grinder; the cheap two bladed kind that are sometimes marketed as a spice grinder.  You have to hake it and move it around a bit but it will eventually become powdered. I believe it to be an underused spice due to its form so I change it.  Someone on the board gave a link many moons ago to mail order source but I still grind it. 

Habs has it right on the white pepper; again no big deal, go black.  I have an extensive spice drawer and cabinet.  I keep this in stock so it is handy for me.

Same on the summer savory.  I think it is a great dried herb.  I buy it when I can find it but it is certainly not a deal killer; don't worry about it. 

The particular rub you are talking about has a lot of ingredients in it and is more of a suggestion than a "must replicate" rub.  A lot of people are advocates of just pepper and salt (aka Dalmatian rub around the pit) and there is a lot of merit in that method.  Then you ask "Fresh cracked? Large cracked or fine? Sea salt instead of Mortons?  Crystals or fine? How about a touch of garlic; garlic salt, powdered, fresh or caramelized?" and thus the slippery slope to a multiple ingredient rub begins. 

I like a complex bark, however, as the famous Hawaiian Blue Writer implies, "it is about the meat and what it brings to the party."  The bark should be a condiment to the meat with the meat flavor as the star of the show.  That condiment, its flavor and strength is up to the chef and his or her palate.

I think the mustard slather adds a lot to the bark in depth, appearance and flavor.  (see below)  I always use it.

The primary ingredient for me is technique.  There are more ways than one to smoke a fine brisket; mine works for me.  I have not had any complaints from those that have tried it.

Here is most of what I know about brisket.

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

Mustard Slather on Brisket and other Meats
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12112.0

I Prefer to Smoke Totally Naked - A Brisket and Ribs Manifesto
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?775-I-Prefer-to-Smoke-Totally-Naked&p=1176#post1176

To Mop or Not to Mop – That is the Question
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=14240.0

Calling All Mop Recipes
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=14446.0

So your brisket doesn't fit - solution here
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?770-Brisket-Too-Large&p=1170#post1170

How do you make burnt ends?
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?800-Brisket-Burnt-Ends&p=1202#post1202

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

[Robert Rose]

Thanks for the reply. I'm unable to find some of the items but guess I will go with what is available. I may try after ti 1st of the year if i ever get rid of this crud that has my chest feeling like an elephant is sitting on it. Thanks for the info.

[Tenpoint5]

Thanks for the reply. I'm unable to find some of the items but guess I will go with what is available. I may try after ti 1st of the year if i ever get rid of this crud that has my chest feeling like an elephant is sitting on it. Thanks for the info.

Check out Allied Kenco in Houston they should have everything you need

[Robert Rose]

Houston is about 7 hours drive from me. Don't think I'll be doing much shopping there.