brisket question

[pensrock]

I have a question for all you expert brisket smokers.

Today I am doing my first brisket and the IT is going faster than I expected. My question is, is it best to cut up while hot/warm? Or is it ok to put into fridge and cut up later before reheating?

This is what I did so far:
8-1/2 pound market trimmed, rubbed and then wrapped and in the fridge for about a day.
Taken out this morning and allowed to sit till the smoker was at 220 degrees F.
Put into the middle of smoker and smoked for four hours using Hickory. (Sorry WTS no mesquite on my first one.)  :)
Allowed to stay in smoker for another hour then moved to preheated kitchen oven, set to 220 degrees F.
Brisket was foil wrapped and juiced up before going into the oven.
It has been in the oven for seven hours now and the IT is 175-179, I plan to go to 190-200.

I think it will be ready to come out in a couple hours then FTC for another couple hours. Probably about bedtime when finished. I do not plan to eat any till dinner tomorrow. So should I stay up and carve it or put into the fridge and carve in the morning/afternoon?

Also does it sound like my method for smoking my first brisket is proper? I've read several posts about brisket and think this should be fine.

Thanks everyone for all your help,
pens

Out of the smoker ready for apple juice and foil wrap, then into the oven.


Oh yea, I also did some baby backs for dinner tonight, they came out great! Used Icemans great sauce and rub.

[westexasmoker]

Pens that looks great!

You can definitely put in the fridge and slice and heat tommorrow, it comes out even better reheated!

Your times look pretty good to me the longer the better, I don't go for an IT, and I'm conviced you can't overcook a brisket!

You were in the BS for 5 hours and in the oven so far for 7, total of 12 so far, with a couple more to go and FTC for a couple more...total cook time 16 hours!  I think you'll be great, carve the next day and reheat!  Can't wait to hear how it came out!  If you don't like it.....should of used mesquite  ;D  :D   ;D!

Oh yeah the ribs look to die for!!

C

[Pachanga]

I don't claim to be an expert but I can say definitely do not preslice.  I only do this if serving 50 to a couple of hundred people and then only if I don't have enough help with experience to slice on the spot.  Preslicing and then reheating changes the texture, looses moisture and flavor.  Cool, wrap in foil, add a little apple juice and refrigerate.  Reheat, to desired temperature (170 - 180), let it rest about 15 - 30 minutes in the foil, then slice.  Be sure to remember to slice across the grain and that there are two distinct muscles in a brisket whose grain runs in different directions.  Below is an excerpt from directions I give people when I give them a brisket.

Wrap an additional heavy duty foil sheet around brisket and place on a foil lined cookie sheet for easy cleanup.

If you have some apple juice, open the packet and moisten the brisket with three or four tablespoons.  Rewrap tightly.

Preheat oven and heat as directed.

If frozen, reheat at 250 degrees for about  2 ½ to three hours.  However, it is better to thaw the brisket before reheating.

To thaw, place on the counter at room temperature for several hours.  If thawed, reheat at 225 degrees for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.  You may have to increase temperature to 250 after 1 ½ hours depending on the size of the brisket.  This is the preferred method.

Internal temperature should be at 170 to 180.  It is better not to get any higher than this.  It will dry the brisket.  The temperature will continue to increase due to hangover heat so you can take the brisket out as low as 165.

If you do not have an internal temperature gauge, listen for a sizzle.

Before slicing, move a little of the fat aside on the flat (the skinny end) and determine which way the grain runs. Use a non serrated sharp knife and cut the brisket across the grain.  As you get further into the brisket there are two distinct muscles separated by a fatty layer.  The grain will run in a different direction through this second muscle. Separate the two layers with your knife and turn them so the grain runs the same to slice the second piece all the way through the first piece.


You mentioned that this is a trimmed brisket.  I only smoke packer cut briskets with a full fat cap.  There is a big difference in the final product.  Packer cut is the same style brisket all BBQ joints in Texas use.

I wrote a long piece recently in General Discussions started by Olds titled We need your brisket recipes (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7823.0) which outlines my method in the Bradley and explains my method for testing for a "done" brisket.  It works well for me but then again, your results look pretty fine to me.

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

[FLBentRider]

That brisket looks great pensrock!

[pensrock]

Thanks for the replies and encouraging words.

I'm ready to begin FTC now so once out of the FTC and cooled I'll wrap and put in fridge till I'm ready to use it.
Can't wait to taste it.

I just finished preparing a king salmon and a steelhead to do this weekend, I'm using Kummoks method. It has always come out great before so I'm doing it again.

[Habanero Smoker]

Pensrock;

Nice brisket.

Pachanga;
Thanks for the reheating instructions.

I notice that you wrap you brisket in just aluminum foil for long storage (more then a day). I was wondering, do you have any problems with the salt contained in the rub, and acid from the smoke causing the foil to corrode. I often find pit holes that have been eaten through the foil. I have to place a layer of plastic over the meat first.

[Pachanga]

Habanero, (gotta love that name)

Foil degradation and pitting.  That's a great question and one I have never considered.  I guess that's because I have never encountered any problem with foil wrapping.  No pitting at all or discoloration of particular notice.  I wrap my brisket in two sheets Reynolds Heavy Duty when they first come out of the smoker and (after taste testing) throw them in a cooler for a few hours.  I pull them out and let them cool on the counter.  I open the foil, pour in a little apple juice.  Now I close the foil up as tight as possible and sometimes add another layer of foil, then into the freezerl.  I always add one more layer before before reheating and pour a little more apple juice on top of the brisket.

That said, I don't use a lot of salt; one tablespoon salt and one tablespoon beef flavored granules on a 10 to 12 pounder.  I rely on a lot of other ingredients to add flavor.  I know that salt carries flavor into the meat but I also know that it brings water to the surface. I have gradually lowered the salt content over the years and I am more satisfied with the results. I recently posted my recipe on the following thread: http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7823.0 ; At one time, however, I used more salt and do not remember any foil problem.  As far as smoke, I am probably using the same smoke as you and I smoke through most of the cooking process with the vent open at least 5/8.

I like your solution and will use it if I encounter this problem.  In fact, your plastic wrap is probably a better overall preservative.  I do, however, enjoy the simplicity of just going from freezer to counter to oven.

Good luck and slow smoking.

Pachanga

[Habanero Smoker]

Thanks for getting back. I also use Reynolds Heavy Duty, and not that much salt, I'm sure most of it is caused by the acids formed on the meat's surface from the smoke. It doesn't matter what type of smoked food meat, vegetable or fruit. I'm just going to have to keep the plastic wrap handy. :)

[pensrock]

Well I have eaten some of my very first brisket today and all I can say is wow! It is delicious!  :)

Thanks to everyone for posting their various methods. Without reading your posts I know it would not be as good as it is.  :)

In addition to what was eaten.... I vac packed two packages to freeze and have another in the fridge for this weekend. I also kept all the smaller bits to add to my ADT's this weekend.

Brisket coming out of oven going to FTC.

[westexasmoker]

Looks great pens...gonna love the adt's (your insperiation) keep plenty of cold brew to wash it down!!

C

[Habanero Smoker]

Great job; especially for you first brisket.

[geofite]

Pensrock;



I notice that you wrap you brisket in just aluminum foil for long storage (more then a day). I was wondering, do you have any problems with the salt contained in the rub, and acid from the smoke causing the foil to corrode. I often find pit holes that have been eaten through the foil. I have to place a layer of plastic over the meat first.

Lasagna cell

A "lasagna cell" or "lasagna battery" is accidentally produced when salty food such as lasagna is stored in a steel baking pan and is covered with aluminum foil. After a few hours the foil develops small holes where it touches the lasagna, and the food surface becomes covered with small spots composed of corroded aluminum.

This metal corrosion occurs because whenever two metal sheets composed of differing metals are placed into contact with an electrolyte, the two metals act as electrodes, and an electrolytic cell or battery is formed. In this case, the two terminals of the battery are connected together. Because the aluminum foil touches the steel, this battery is shorted out, a significant electric current appears, and rapid chemical reactions take place on the surfaces of the metal in contact with the electrolyte. In a steel/salt/aluminum battery, the aluminum is higher on the electrochemical series, so the solid aluminum turns into dissolved ions and the metal experiences galvanic corrosion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion

[NePaSmoKer]

Looks great pens............................ ;D

nepas

[pensrock]

Thanks everyone, I know I'll be doing many more of these babys.

WTS,
Finally got some habs and think for the filling I'll put cream cheese, chopped brisket, shredded NY XSharp cheddar, chopped garlic and of course the habs.

geofite,
I did wrap the meat in foil, while it was in the oven and FTC. After it cooled I put it into the fridge till the next morning. The pic shows the meat just before going to FTC. I had no problems with holes in either the foil or the foil pan. I have in the past seen what you are talking about but it always seemed to happen if I cover tomatoe sauced food such as Lasagna with foil and it touches the food. I always thought it had something to do with the tomatoes, never had a problem with any other foods.

[geofite]

Thanks everyone, I know I'll be doing many more of these babys.

WTS,
Finally got some habs and think for the filling I'll put cream cheese, chopped brisket, shredded NY XSharp cheddar, chopped garlic and of course the habs.

geofite,
I did wrap the meat in foil, while it was in the oven and FTC. After it cooled I put it into the fridge till the next morning. The pic shows the meat just before going to FTC. I had no problems with holes in either the foil or the foil pan. I have in the past seen what you are talking about but it always seemed to happen if I cover tomatoe sauced food such as Lasagna with foil and it touches the food. I always thought it had something to do with the tomatoes, never had a problem with any other foods.

Then it could be acid in the foods that causes the pitting that could have been causing Habs' pitting. Perhaps using apple juice or vinegar spray in sauce and tomatoes in sauces on the meat caused the pitting of the foil? I found this post about acid foods effects on foil, so perhaps this is the reason why it pitted?

Aluminum foil often reacts to acidic foods such as tomatoes, and other higher acid vegetables. This is why we don't recommend placing aluminum foil directly on acidic foods as it can react with the food causing pitting of the foil and blue/black spots on the food.

While this is not dangerous, it is not pleasant to see and eat. The blueish color should be scraped off as it may cause an undesirable flavor.

It is safe to keep food wrapped in foil -- just not acidic foods. We recommend cooked foods, whether wrapped in foil or other packaging, only be kept in the refrigerator 3-4 days. If you want to keep cooked foods longer, they should be frozen.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Food-Safety-Issues-767/food-preservation.htm