latest brisket

SeahawksEGGHead

I'm planning my latest brisket, picked up a USDA choice 12 pounder from Wal Mart yesterday.  I'm waffling on what rub to use and would appreciate any feedback.  Also, it seems like everyone I talk to has been able to smoke a tender, juicy brisket with seemingly no effort.  I've been through half a dozen briskets and only gotten one right.  So my plan is this, very little trimming, rub it all up, overnight smoke on the egg between 225-250, straight through no crutch.  Temp probe in the thickest part of the FLAT, when temp reaches 190, start probing it for doneness (buttah).  I'm planning on 1.5 to 2 hours per pound.  After trimming, I'm guessing I'll have an 11 lb hunk of meat, so planning on about 16-20 hours, sound about right?

I'll be using primarily mesquite wood (since I have a huge bag of it, and I've since learned to use milder smoke on pork and chicken).  I'll make sure to post pics of the progress, so if it turns out horrible, maybe someone will have an idea based on my photo records.

fence0407

Salt and Pepper rub is what I've used and it turned out great. I've heard that Mickey's Coffee Rub is an excellent choice for a brisket. Although I've never tried it on a brisket, I've had it on chicken and it was excellent. 

Good luck on this one and look forward to seeing the end results!

minniemoh

It took me a few tries to get one that I felt turned out good and moist. Everyone happily ate the others and complimented but they weren't what I was striving for. In my opinion, you have a good road map laid out. I look forward to your results. Good luck!

SeahawksEGGHead

forgot to take some pre-egg pics.  Maybe some finished products will do.  It's been on the egg for almost an hour, the temp hasn't broken 200 yet, and it seems to be dropping below 174.  I know I got my fire going before I put in the configuration.  Hoping I haven't screwed up a bit piece of meat.

cajuncook

Take it easy on the mesquite. It can be too strong.

lousubcap

Key to any low&slow is to have the fire/ temperature stabilized before loading the hunk of meat. So what does "stabilized" mean...different things to different people.  For me it means the calibrated dome temp has not really moved for 45-60minutes (with all the gear except the target meat loaded).  Then once you open the dome and load it up, the temp drops but then could rebound above where you started depending on the fresh air shot while loading the BGE.  But all will return to "stable" if you don't adjust any vent settings. 

Just don't chase the temperature-if it settles in within +/- 20*F of where you want to be, let it run.  Stable is much more important than a dead-on cooking temp for the L&S operation.  Just an opinion...

Ladeback69

My first and only brisket on the egg cooked at a pound per hour at 250 to 265. It come out good, but thought I could do better. Good choice on putting the probe in the flat. Is a full packer and if so are you separating late to make burnt ends?

SeahawksEGGHead

don't chase the temp is some very good advice.  I've tried to do that with the egg before, and it's no good.  I have it set to where it ought to be, and patience is the key.  I will be making burnt ends with the point tomorrow morning.  TFC the flat, put the point back on for the burnt ends.  Gonna be a good dinner tomorrow night... I hope.

DMW

No....no burnt ends from the point, its the best part sliced!

SGH

@SeahawksEGGHead‌
I concur with @DMW 100%.

hapster

50/50 mix of sea salt and ground black pepper, get a stable fire in the egg at 225-275 dome, using oak for smoke and let her ride till the flat is probing like butter. Start checking tenderness at about 185 IT in the flat. Once the flat tests great, pull and keep in foil for a couple hours before slicing...

Pics: or it never happened )

HDumptyEsq

@SeahawksEGGHead. Turkeys! >:)

Redskull

try this out, I use it on most everything I smoke.  Have fun & just experiment until you find the taste you are looking for.  Good luck EGGhead...

SeahawksEGGHead

After a small raccoon incident last night, I checked the egg before I went to bed.  It had reached 280, so I slid the vent closed just a smidge and went to bed.  This morning I woke up to a 190 egg.  Opened her up a smidge again, now we're resting comfortably at 245, with the flat holding around 156.  I still have about 4 hours before I can reasonably start probing for doneness, but it looks like I'm right on track.  Smells wonderful.

SeahawksEGGHead

and @Redskull, I also roast my own coffee, so I can't bring myself to buying Folgers.  The rest of it looks good though.

SeahawksEGGHead

a little frustrating, trying to keep temp on these long brisket smokes.  I have a probe on the grill, and it fluctuates a lot more than I'm comfortable with.  Temp drops from 235 to 197 in 20 minutes, difficult to get back up.  I'm stalled at 158 for the last 6 hours at least... this is why brisket is my bane.

lousubcap

So does your calibrated dome thermo respond the same way?  You can overload on too much thermo info...Just an opinion...

SeahawksEGGHead

yeah, dome temp responds the same.  I don't know if my fire is going out, or maybe its something about the elevation in Colorado, but it is a bit frustrating.  Right now I have my vent all the way open, daisy wheel about 1/3 open and I'm holding at about 203.  Looks like I'm coming through the stall as my meat temp rose about 2 degrees in the last few minutes.  17 hours into it, I'm just coming through the stall... my wife is never gonna let me smoke brisket again, unless this turns out really well. 

Ladeback69

DMW said:

No....no burnt ends from the point, its the best part sliced!

That's why I asked if it is a full packer. Yes burnt ends are best from the point, but my wife has asked if I could do with the whole brisket and I did, but sauced flat ones to keep them moist and it kind of worked.

SeahawksEGGHead

no pictures of this one.  It was getting late so I decided to pull it.  When I did, I realized I had been probing the point, not the FLAT like I wanted.  You would think I would know the anatomy of a brisket by now, but no.  Turned out pretty well after 21 hours on the egg.  Yep, chunked up the point, threw them in a foil pan with some sauce and put them back on.  Man, what an exhausting effort.

SGH

@SeahawksEGGHead‌
Hey we all make mistakes my friend. But that is how we learn and better ourselves. Keep on cooking my friend.

thailandjohn

Here is a post I did a few days ago Most people, including me, feel that Brisket is the most difficult piece of meat to BBQ. People say, if the point is done the flat is dry.....here is what I do if the flat is a little on the dry side.......I slice the flat, lay slices overlapping on the tray then slice and chop the moist point and lay on top of the flat slices. The fat will moisten up the flat slices.....turns out great every time. No sauce is needed, only if you feel it needs a little kick. I serve with a sweet sauce and a vinegar ketchup sauce on the side......I do wrap in butcher paper to rest, I like at least a 2 hour rest

Cowdogs

SeahawksEGGHead said:

 Man, what an exhausting effort.

Cook at 250-275.  I think more briskets are ruined on the BGE by people try to stay at 225.

SeahawksEGGHead

I have a suspect for the temp problems.  There was a nasty rain storm during the brisket cook.  I figure the ash/soot became moist and partially clogged the air vents.  That's my suspicion anyway.  The leftovers were very good, I have to say. 

YEMTrey

I have done quite a few briskies, I'm firmly in the camp now of no rub, just salt and pepper.

Also, no more burnt ends, I slice that shiznit up now.