Unchartered waters.....Brisket Virgin

bo31210

This weekend is the weekend!    Picked up this today at Wally World and for the price I figured why not.    Choice packer for 2.46/lb.    Going to read up on them tonight and figure out what to do tomorrow.    Will be asking questions over the weekend.   Thanks in advance 

JohnnyTarheel

Looking forward to your success!

blasting

@bo31210   Good luck.  Besides this forum, this video series helped me a lot with visuals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmTzdMHu5KU&list=PLJXFUkVvL7g4-ic-vMvL0VYovXzAQ3EUu

lousubcap

Give this link a look as it has some great info about brisket cooks:
Educate me, please. 
Enjoy the cook and eats.

Tinyfish

Should be good.

logchief

Standing by for the finish line.  Good luck

LKNEgg

I still remember my first time like yesterday.....

bo31210

Update.   Brisket trimmed (I think). This is the first one I ever trimmed. Starts at almost 11 lbs and estimate I trimmed 1-1.5 lbs off.    Not sure if I am even in the right area with what I have done.    In fridge now and going 50/50 salt and pepper.  Plan to put on around 8 or 9 this evening. 

Mosca

Before I did my first brisket I was nervous as heck, and I read everything I could for days and weeks beforehand. Because who wants to waste all night and half a day cooking something that comes out lousy, amirite? No one whats to think about having hamburgers at the ready when everyone is preparing for burnt ends!

After having done a few, I am here to tell you that it is almost foolproof, and that much of the hand-wringing that you read about cooks gone sideways is a minuscule fraction of the total cooks: 99.9999% of brisket cooks get devoured without ever having been posted about on the internet.

Briskets are easier than pie. Flop that sucker on the egg, keep the temperature low, take it off when it is tender, cambro it for an hour or two.

Everything else is just minor variation on the major theme. Rub with just salt and pepper, or use something more complex. Crutch it in pink paper, or white paper, or foil, or not at all. Fat side up or fat side down. Each will be a little different, each gives excellent brisket. The window for success is huge.

lousubcap

Don't know your BGE size but if the brisket initially is too long, then jam it on to itself or drape over a foil protected brick til shrinkage takes over.  Whatever your set-up make sure to foil protect any part that overhangs your heat shield.  You may also want to wrap the thinnest part of the flat in foil for a few hours to slow down that section of the cook.  
Great eats await.  Enjoy the cook.

bo31210

Great insight guys!   Thanks I am sure I will have questions as it progresses. @lousubcap Wrap the tip of the flat after smoking a bit or before and let it catch up?

lousubcap

I usually go with before and let it catch up-but either approach will work.

bo31210

Here's the set up I am thinking. Please fell free to correct me if I am going down the wrong path.    I have an AR with the woo.    Woo inverted with deflector on top (wish I had gotten the R&B setup).   Will figure out something to shield the overlap.   Rockwood loaded with hickory chunks mixed throughout (fist sized).   Any thoughts?   

bo31210

Update:   Placed brisket on around 730 or so last night at 250 and let her ride all net through the rain and I let the Digi Q have storm watch.  Checked when I got up a little bit ago and temp steady at 250.   Food probe was showing 195 in the flat.   Checked temp in several places and it probed easily with temps from 195 to 203 depending where you probed. Pulled and FTC for a few hours.    Fingers crossed and will slice and try for lunch.  Pics below are after, during, and before.

theyolksonyou

Just make sure you slice across the grain on both flat and point and you'll be golden. 

BIll-W221

Looks great !!!!!

smokesniffer

You will be addicted shortly after eating that brisket, there's no stopping you now. Nice work.

bo31210

Ok. Sliced and done.   Flavor is good.  Very beefy (but what should I expect).  I think the appearance and color is good.   Pics below   And max likes brisket it seems

dmchicago

Looks amazing!

enjoy. 

BIll-W221

I'm thinking that brisket is spaniel approved !!!!!

logchief

Looks like you lost your virginity in a big way. Bet it was good for you. Nice job, great looking piece of cow

JohnnyTarheel

Awesome job.  I need to get my nerve up to try it..

bo31210

@JohnnyTarheel   Give it a try.  Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  The hardest part to me was trimming it.   

lousubcap

Great result right there.  Congrats on the cook.
And @JohnnyTarheel - Sometimes the whole brisket cook is wrapped in its own mystique.  Keep it simple-give the search function here a look or add egghead forum to any google query and you will overload on info.  
Follow Aaron Franklin's "brisket" and "Payoff" videos for trim and slice.
Beyond that, salt and pepper (add some garlic powder and paprika if you want).  Notch across the flat grain run so you know how to slice after creating the meteorite then on (fat cap down for me), point at the back , indirect at around 260-280*F on the dome (figure about an hour/lb).  
Start looking for the finish-line (thickest part of the the flat probes like buttah) around 185-190*F or so and go til you get the feel.  That's it-Cliff's Notes version.
BTW-pay no attention to the temperature anywhere else besides the flat and only to decide when to start checking for the finish-line.  FWIW-

SciAggie

Looks like you did a fantastic job. 

JohnnyTarheel

@lousubcap thanks for info and encouragement to try it.  I will bite the bullet soon and try it...