First Time Virgin Brisket Smoker :-[ Advice Needed

[EnglishGuy]

Yes, another brisket thread, but with pictures!

First things first, I've never had smoked brisket before. This isn't entirely true, because I have had it sliced very thinly in a sandwich here in London. So, I'm starting from scratch having never really seen or tasted one.  To make life easier, I checked out when the butcher was cutting up his next cow, and put in an order for an untrimmed, but deboned whole brisket, and then I thought I would consult you guys. The whole brisket cost US$110 which you might think expensive, but it is the best butcher around here. Its a high class one, they've been trading for 250 years, and their meat never lets me down - this meat will have been hung on the carcass for about 3 weeks. I thought I would freeze two of the larger pieces, and smoke one of the large ones, and the left-over triangle (for my American secretary where I will take it into work on Monday (cold, she can use it for sandwiches, or re-heat it).

So, here is the whole brisket:-



I thought I would cut it into Bradley tray sized pieces, which gave me three tray sized pieces, and one triangular size piece left over:-




Now, having only really read about brisket, I was expecting a layer of fat all over it, but as you can see, some pieces have only a thin layer of fat:-






The questions. 

1. Should there be more fat on top (there is a lot at one end)?
2. Bearing in mind what I have, how should I go about smoking it?


I plan to smoke it for 4 hours in the Bradley and then either finish it off in the main oven, or in the Bradley. I'll have to read the book, but for a beginner, what would be the best way to marinade it. I can tweek the method as I get more familiar with it.

If there should be more fat on top, I can simply get some beef fat from the butcher, and he will hammer it out to size (probably won't cost me anything)

[Wildcat]

I am by no means an expert, but it looks like you have the same amount of fat that I get when I purchase.  I have not marinated a brisket yet.  I like to rub with olive oil, then rub with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic.  I then smoke for 4 hours and then continue to cook at 210F or less until meat temp reaches 185 to 195F.   After that I wrap in foil with a liberal spray of apple juice, then wrap in a towel, then into a cooler for 2 to 4 hours.

Let us know what you do and how it comes out.

[Gizmo]

You can trim some of the fat off the areas where it is over 1/4 in thick, cut it into little wedges, then pierce the leaner meat with a pearing knife and stick the fat wedge into the hole.  I also have not marinated or brined a brisket but always rub then let sit in the fridge over night.  Last weekend I injected for the first time and am repeating the same today.

[La Quinta]

WOW English...that is one killer chunk of meat! A good butcher is so important! I'm not that experienced with brisket except to do Habs pastrami (which is awesome) but Gizmo's fat stuffing idea sounds right on to me! Please post pics when it comes out! :)

[EnglishGuy]

Cool, I'll try the fat injection method.Thanks for the suggestion.

I do have a large hyperdermic-type syringe which gives me an idea about injecting rendered fat half way through the cooking process.

[Gizmo]

I been thinking about that as well.  Haven't needed to yet as the briskets are usually really wet inside when I slice them.  The two I took out for today, after letting them rest for an hour in the foil pan, when I pulled out the probes, juice squirted out.  I almost don't like putting the probes in knowing that when they get pulled out, it is like punching a hole in the dam.   ;)

[EnglishGuy]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember, I've never tasted proper BBQ brisket before. Its now just come out of the Bradley at 11pm (its dark here, and I'm ready for bed). I just had a nibble on the end, and this is awesome; truly awesome!

Quite a lot of shrinkage, but I figured that would happen.

I'm off to bed in a minute, but I pulled both pieces of brisket out of the smoker and put them in the kitchen oven, wrapped in foil, on a very very low temperature (185F recorded on a internal thermometer).  Will leave them overnight and see what they are like.  I splashed some apple juice in the foil 'pillow' to keep them moist.


Hmmmm, brisket for breakfast!!!!!!  ;D

[Wildcat]

Congradulations.  You are now hooked.  ;)

[EnglishGuy]

Yes, I'm hooked!

Just had some tonight, and it was awesome.  I should have trimmed some more of the fat from it, but I don't think it would have made much difference apart from the cleaning up.

Four and half hours in the Bradley, and about 14 hours in the kitchen oven (at about 210F - decided to raise it a bit since the last post) until the internal temperature reached about 160F. I'm REALLY pleased with my first effort.

[La Quinta]

Oh yeah baby...:)

[Gizmo]

Four and half hours in the Bradley, and about 14 hours in the kitchen oven (at about 210F - decided to raise it a bit since the last post) until the internal temperature reached about 160F. I'm REALLY pleased with my first effort.

Looks awesome EnglighGuy!

I am surprised about the IT of 160F.  Usually folks take them up past 170 as the 160 to 170 range is where the meat usually plateaus for several hours, 4 to 5 can be typical, and the collagen starts to break down.  That would have reduced the amount of fat you see in the middle.  Something you could try on the next one and see which one you prefer, although if the results are what you are looking for, don't need to change what isn't broken. 

[Wildcat]

My thoughts as well Giz.  Great looking piece of meat there EnglishGuy!

[iceman]

Wonderful looking EnglishGuy. Just wish I was off work and at the house near the fridge.

[Ontrack]

I haven't tried brisket that "rare" either, but it sure looks great. If you like it, then that's all that matters. Congratulations! :)

[Consiglieri]

Nice work.  You have me thinking about a brisket project this weekend (had planned on pulled pork).