A Big Thank You and a First Attempt at Brisket

Viper4194

Hi Everybody!  I purchased my first BGE about two weeks ago (a medium).  This site has been an invaluable resource as I've gotten used to working with it/testing out recipes.  So I just wanted to pass along a big thanks for all your help.  Now to the most important part, the food!  After my first couple cooks (spatchcock'd chicken, pork chops) I decided to give the old brisket a try.  Picked up an 8.5 pound flat at my local Costco (I'm in New York City), no dice on full packers there.  I kept it simple with my first "rub" just doing the Franklin salt/pepper rub.  




Woke up at about 5:15am this past Saturday and got the Egg going to approximately 250 degrees.  Threw her on at about 6:00am.  Got to an IT of 160F little past 9am.  I cooked it fat cap down (one could read for hours over that debate) and used an empty soda can wrapped in tin foil get it to fit on the Egg (thanks to that thread that showed how to do that). I was able to remove the can when I wrapped as the brisket had shrunk.

At 160F I pulled it off to wrap.  I was shaking in my boots a bit when I took it off and it seemed stiff as a board, thinking I did something stupid to screw it up already, but I forged on.  Wrapped it in tin foil with about 1/2 cup of Beef Stock.  Put it back on until it got up to about 195F.  Did the toothpick test at that point and seemed a little stiff.  Waited to about 199F and it was good to go.  Wrapped it in a towel, threw it in the cooler for about 4 hours (probably a bit longer than I had planned but guests were late to the party).

When I unwrapped it about 4 hours later it was still nice and hot and here are the results.....and I seem to be having a problem uploading more than one photo in a post so I'll reply to my own post with the finished photo.

I'll note that I used Royal Oak lump with about 3 chunks of hickory in the smoke.  Only issue I seemed to have was it was an exceptionally nasty day here on Saturday and I was getting a little fluctuation with the heat due to the high winds.  I was in/around 240-260 (I was trying to maintain 250).  If I do it again, I'd try to get a little lower (maybe closer to 230-240) as the brisket, while delicious, could've used just a little less toughness.

Viper4194

Ladeback69

Looks good and looks like you have a little bit of a point there in your sliced photo.  Looks nice and moist.  Looks like you got it down.  Happy Egging.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

That is a score right out of the gate. Nice work.

Lower temps do not mean it will be more tender. You were fine right where you were. 10 degrees either way is not going to hurt it. 20 won't either. Just let it settle in somewhere close to your intended target and let the egg do it's work. Flats are a little harder to get tender. You can do it but it takes some practice. Fortunately, we don't really even have flats here so I don't have to worry about it. I have a feeling you got all you were going to get out of that piece of meat. I am anti Costco brisket. I've never made a good one so it has to be the meat right? 

look around and see if you can grab a Meyer all natural or a CAB (choice or prime). I think you will have better results with those brands but that's just me. There is always Snake river Farms too. They are a little pricey but they are worth every penny. They can really vary from cut-to cut and the brands I listed above have been very reliable and consistently good over many years for me. I have a Meyer all natural prime pastrami on the large as we speak. They are fantastic. 

bgebrent

Welcome.  Nice work.

lousubcap

Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.
Home-run right there.  Congrats on jumping into the deep end of pool in short order.  The window of opportunity with a flat is tight as noted above so congrats on the cook.
You went with the feel which is the only true finish-line indicator.  If it felt right (probes like buttah) when you declared victory that's the best you can do.  Nice ring as well-

Viper4194

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

look around and see if you can grab a Meyer all natural or a CAB (choice or prime). I think you will have better results with those brands but that's just me. There is always Snake river Farms too. They are a little pricey but they are worth every penny. They can really vary from cut-to cut and the brands I listed above have been very reliable and consistently good over many years for me. I have a Meyer all natural prime pastrami on the large as we speak. They are fantastic. 

Thanks for the feedback Cen-Tex.  Unfortunately cuts of meat around these parts aren't nearly as stocked as where you are.  This was a choice cut so I was at least happy to see that.  I will look into SRF as they seem to be top notch and ship to NY but you're right about the cost.  Good luck with that pastrami!    

bikesAndBBQ

Nice smoke ring. My first, and only, brisket had almost no smoke ring. My first was far from perfect but I loved it. I did the simple salt and pepper rub too. 

RajunCajun

Nice job!  Briskets get exponentially easier after you get the first one out of the way.  What is the empty soda can technique you were referring to?  I must have missed that one.

GrillSgt

Looks great. Nice job. 

BJM2932

Nice Job.  I'm hoping to do my first brisket in the near future too.  I'm still trying to track down a whole packer in my area of PA.  If my next lead doesn't work out, I think I will just go ahead and get the biggest flat I can find.  

Viper4194

RajunCajun said:

Nice job!  Briskets get exponentially easier after you get the first one out of the way.  What is the empty soda can technique you were referring to?  I must have missed that one.

Thanks.  I had read if you have a brisket that won't lay flat on the grill cause it's too large you can put a soda can/upside down bowl under the middle of the brisket to lift it up slightly which brings it in from the sides allowing it to fit.

QingEsq

I've done the search for packers in SePA too.  The best options that I have found are RD and Shady Maple. Super Wal-Mart's have them to as do a few local markets.  Happy to give you more info if needed.

BJM2932 said:

Nice Job.  I'm hoping to do my first brisket in the near future too.  I'm still trying to track down a whole packer in my area of PA.  If my next lead doesn't work out, I think I will just go ahead and get the biggest flat I can find.  

GATraveller

Looks good from here. Nice work and welcome

MotownVol

As you are already discovering, cooking comes easy on the BGE.    The meat comes off so moist and delicious.   You just can't go wrong with that green cooker.