First Brisket

ENOegg22

I made my first brisket this weekend. It was a 13lb packer that I trimmed to probably 11. I was shooting for 225, so 250 done temp and a cook time of 12 hours.

I used BGE charcoal with hickory and pecan chips mixed in. Started the fire at 4:30am when it was about 45 degrees out. Loaded the plate setter, small water pan, and grate and let it warm up for an hour while the brisket came to room temp. My rub was cracked black pepper, kosher salt, onion powder, and garlic powder (basically Franklin style). I put the meat on at 5:30am even though the temp wasn't quite hot enough.

i checked back every hour and added a butt aroun 8:00am. I probed it when I put it on the egg and the temp rose pretty quick (145 by 10am), and I thought it might be done early. It stalled around 160-170 around 1-2pm but I had time so wanted to power through and pull it off at 195.

I got a little greedy and at aroun 3:00 it was at 192 and I should've pulled it, but I didn't. The egg cooled down to 200 dome and I lost temp into the 180's. I wrapped it just before 4:00 and it only took another hour to get to 195.

So, what I would've done differently...not cooked a butt with it (but I had company and needed a backup), wrapped in paper at 170 to cut cooking time (waking up at 4:30 sucks), pulled at 190ish rather than being stubborn (that extra 1+ hour wasn't helpful).

Here's how it turned out. The point was very good, I just wish the flat was a little more tender. It didn't quite pull apart like I wanted.

Thanks for reading!

bhedges1987

You sliced it with the grain. That could have made a difference in the quality of the flat you speak of. 

Smokin_Trout

Great job for your first one. 
about 195 you should prove it, looking for small resistance, this is the sign of tenderness. 
Early morning cooks suck! Try putting it on late at night, you can wrap it foil, towel and stick it in a small cooler. If need be heat up some bricks or rocks on the egg and stick them in the cooler also. 

HeavyG

Looks good!

I've yet to tackle a brisket but am ginning up the courage to give one a go before the end of the year.

GoooDawgs

Looks awesome! Nice work

ENOegg22

bhedges1987 said:

You sliced it with the grain. That could have made a difference in the quality of the flat you speak of. 

I don't think I did. This picture may have been taken after I sliced most of the flat. If you look at the first picture I sliced it in the direction the knife is facing, from right to left. Does that make sense? Would that still be with the grain?

ENOegg22

I might try an overnight next time, but would prefer not to. Partly because I forgot to mention that I was very surprised at how I had to adjust the vents.

I started the fire with my Looftlighter in the center only. I ran it wide open for 5 minutes and then shut it down to 75% closed on top, and maybe 1/8in open on bottom. At different times it was struggling to keep 225 some temp and I had to open the bottom about 2in. Highest it got was 300 some for a short time, but I had trouble with it running too hot on previous L&S when I had the bottom open 1/2in.

Also, without the butt I could've put a bigger water pan on the grate and been able to refill it.

Powak

Pop in a drip pan raised on tinfoil balls or rocks, etc, but no water. The egg keeps in plenty of moisture and this way you won't spend coal energy on heating water. Lump layered with smoke wood from the fire box grate up to right below the platesetter will keep you smoking for 20+ hours at 250. "Rev" the egg up a few times by open the top and bottom vents to full blast and then setting for 250 again. I sometimes have to do this 2 or 3 times to get it to lock in 250. I once did an 18# packer for 23 hours with that method, daisy wheel set to 50% and bottom 1/8" with no vent adjustments throughout the cook. Good luck and keep smokin.