back after absence with a few questions!

swissy · April 24, 2007, 09:08:15 AM

Hey fellow Bradley Smokers!
Been over a year since I posted - wife's health has kept me too busy to do much else. But, thinks are looking good and I'm getting back into the smoking of great treats!

However, a couple of questions regarding meats (I'm primarily a smoked salmon maker) -

When doing brisket, I see many people talking about having bacon on the rack above. Is this a slab of uncut bacon, or will already sliced, but not separated, bacon do ok? Or is everyone laying the slices of bacon out individually?

before putting the rub on, does anyone use a meat tenderizer? one of those kinds that has sharp blades you push into the meat. Will this help or hurt the smoking process? I kind of think it would allow the rub to penetrate better, but what about the cooking process? Or would it work on some and not others? Or do you only want the rub on the exterior for making of the 'bark'?

I've got some butts in right now... and man do they smell gooooooood!

Wildcat · April 24, 2007, 12:10:25 PM

Hi swissy! I do not use bacon. No need. I simply use salt, pepper, garlic and onion. Mine have turned out perfect and mother-in-law always wants another within a few days.

manxman · April 24, 2007, 02:30:15 PM

Good to see you back posting swissy, nice to hear that things are picking up for you and your wife.

I don't use bacon when doing brisket but it all depends on the fat cover in the first place, and by doing the meat low and slow in the BS that seems to be sufficient for tenderising. :)

However, it could improve rub penetration so it might well be worth a try. ;)

Habanero Smoker · April 24, 2007, 02:39:50 PM

Glad to see you posting again, and happy to hear that things are working out for your wife.

I also do not use bacon. I want my brisket to tastes like beef, so like Wildcat I only use salt, pepper, and add garlic and onions powder.

The low and slow method of cooking will make the brisket tender enough. What makes the brisket moist is the collagen breaking down to gelatin, and coating the protein fibers. This coating also prevents further loss of moister from the protein. Having said that and not being sure about the following statement, it's just an assumption on my part. My guess would be if you puncture the meat with holes you will allow the gelatin to escape, thus resulting in a dryer brisket.

swissy · April 24, 2007, 04:59:33 PM

Thanks guys! I might try the tenderizer someday, but not till I get better at this! And what proportions do you mix the rub stuff? Right now I am trying the Sweet Mesquite rub I found at Costco (I love that place!) with a little dash of my pork butt rub mixed in. My wife said it was much better than the BBQ place here in town (which recently closed... hmmmm) but sadly right now I'm on a liquid diet for some blood tests and health workups so I have yet to taste it. But all but a serving for her was vacuum sealed (with our new commercial quality sealer... yea!) with some of the drippings and frozen for later consumption, when I'm able. But DAYUM does it smell good...

And I picked up some more butts today at Costco and while preparing them I noticed they are not a solid chunk of meat... more like they are butterfly cut or maybe de-boned rather poorly? Anyone seen this, or think it will affect the smoking? I kinda think it will allow more rub flavor since I can now get rub into the middle of the cut, then roll it back up and smoke it. I may even tie it up in the roll with some string to make sure it stays. But I'm going to smoke it overnight tonight and take in for the guys at work - pulled pork for 18 hungry firefighters!! And they are sure to be gentle with their comments about it too ::) LOL

West Coast Kansan · April 24, 2007, 08:15:12 PM

Welcome home to the forum. As above, I would hold off on the tenderizer. ;) The more surface the better smoke IMO so that butt and the extra rub should be a good deal. ;D

I will often put bacon over the brisket depending on the fat layer. I think it is a preference thing. Certainly not necessary :) Keep the temps low and give it time to smoke and all should be well. 8)

swissy · April 24, 2007, 08:48:03 PM

man o man!!
Just pulled out two hunks of butt... after 16 hours. Good LORD do they look and smell good. I'll have to work on photos, but the smell I don't think I can do anything about! ;D

We'll see how these new ones with the funky cut do... I'll report tomorrow after they're done. Probably about 10-12pm Alaska time!

Thanks for all the info and help... it's nice to be back. I've missed smoking meats. A few fillets of salmon here and there just doesn't cut it anymore!

Wildcat · April 25, 2007, 04:33:27 AM

West Coast Kansan · April 25, 2007, 08:22:08 PM

Quote from: swissy on April 24, 2007, 08:48:03 PM
Good LORD do they look and smell good.

oh yea - Good LORD do they look good - oh yea oh yea - Good LORD do they look good - oh yea oh yea - Good LORD do they look good - oh yea oh yea - Good LORD do they look good - oh yea

hillbillysmoker · April 26, 2007, 11:08:28 AM

gorgeous food porn and I'll bet the taste test was even sweeter than the pictures. way to go.

DocBJB · April 27, 2007, 07:40:38 AM

Reading this post made me hungry enough to try to make some pulled pork this weekend.
I have a question regarding temperature fluctuations. If I put it in the OBS in the late evening and plan on cooking it overnight, what would happen if the remote temperature alarm wakes me up earlier than I was expecting...say for example 3-4 am and the IT reads 190. I have read how long it takes to slow cook, so I was wondering...if that happens, would it be ok to drop the temp slider control down just a bit and maybe open up the door for a minute or so to cool it down...and then hopeully let the IT settle down to the 170's-180's for several more hours before sliding the temperature control back up a bit so that the IT will then climb back to 190. Then FTC for an additional 3-4 hours.
Does that sound about right.
Thanks,
DocBJB

Malc · April 27, 2007, 07:56:59 AM

I have a question, as well. This may seem like the strangest thing to hear from somebody on a barbecue forum, but I have only tried brisket once. It was a Smokey Bones restaraunt(national chain of barbeque places for those who don't have one nearby, not bad on some things, very average on others.). I was not really a fan of their brisket, but again, I had nothing to compare it to. I hear a lot of people raving on here about how good brisket is. Should I try one in the BS, or should I take my initial reaction as the right one? Maybe if somebody has tried Smokey Bones they could let me know if that was a good representation of what it should be, or not? Thanks.

Malc

Habanero Smoker · April 27, 2007, 12:43:06 PM

Smokey Bones' chicke and ribs are good, as well as their sauces, but their brisket is terrible. It's salty and tastes like they pump it with a brine. Try your own, you won't be disappointed.

Wildcat · April 27, 2007, 02:30:14 PM

Habs is right on point.

Doc - I would take it out, FTC for about 4 hours, Pull it and then if you have it, vacuum seal and into fridge. When you are ready, take the bag(s) and drop them into boiling water until hot.

iceman · April 27, 2007, 03:10:50 PM

Have to agree with Habs on this one. Try one in a Bradley!!! :P ;D