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First Time Brisket Advice

I'm thinking about trying a whole brisket for the first time tomorrow night, overnight.  Any suggestions?  

Comments

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168
    Since all I cook are flats (and some of them can take a protracted period of time) you will have to wait for the EGGsperts-although there is a fast brisket following (try googling that topic for info).  Regardless, it will be well worth the effort-my favorite BGE challenge.  Enjoy the journey!
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • I've done several briskets over the years. By no means an expert. Best results I've had have been injecting with an au jus. Thirdeye, Playing with fire and smoke is a great resource. I don't wanna say it...I hate to say it...I wish I didn't have to say it but Cen-Tex has a handle on them that sounds right. I have to go gargle now

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Thanks.  Any suggestion on time/temp?  I've seen some say ~280 dome at 1 hr/pound?
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    About 275 dome is what a lot of people do, but time is just a general guide with any smokiing and especially low and slows. Cook to tenderness, not time. Tenderness will come somewhere between 190 and 205 degrees in the flat.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    280 - 300 F thereabouts is good.  Try picking up a choice full packer if you haven't bought it yet.  All you need is salt and pepper 50/50 rub and cook indirect to 190-205 range.  Pull right when the thickest part of the flat is tender.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Thanks everyone.  I'll put pics on here once I get going tomorrow.
  • For Dizzy Pig users, what rub do you prefer for your brisket? My guess is basic or cow lick.
  • Good luck!  Don't sweat it.

    A lot of guys just rub with salt/pepper, and some add minced garlic to that. 
  • just saw all this. Glad to help if needed. seems you are in good hands but I'm glad to confuse you even further if you want. It will be great. Enjoy the cook.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Thanks everyone.  The egg is filled and we're ready to fire it up later tonight.  

    The brisket is 14.5 pounds, whole packers cut.  I'm going to rub it with a very light layer of mustard (thanks, Cen-Tex), and then go with Dizzy Pig's Cow Lick.  I may or may not inject it with a few shots of low-sodium beef broth to ensure that it stays moist (I'm open to being persuaded one way or the other on this one).  The fire has a number of chunks of cherry in it.  

    Made a BBQ sauce this afternoon (the basic KC from the BGE cookbook) to be used with the brisket, if necessary, and to cook the point in for burnt ends.  



    This has also turned into equal part beer tour.  Here is the first stop:



  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168
    About all I would offer in the interest of learning from the journey is to keep a few notes about the particulars.  That way you can establish a base-line and then change one variable at a time til you find a combo that works best-no worries some of us have been at it for quite a while and while close there is always something that can be adjusted for improvement-or the strike-out.  :)>-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • You are giving the mustard props to the wrong guy. I don't use mustard but lots of people do. I don't inject, wrap, spray, use mustard, or make burnt ends. I'm all good with people who do though.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • That's one of the things I like most about the Forum -- I use it as my personal journal for experiments like this.  My first butt was an utter disaster, but I've gotten much better, mostly thanks to the kibitzing of those on here.  We'll see how the brisket goes.  (Though, if I keep it up with the 9.0% alcohol beers, I can't expect much!)  
  • Is there a consensus on injecting with the Egg?  I've read a lot who do, but not sure if they use the Egg.  Has anyone had a negative experience with it on the Egg?
  • Is there a consensus on injecting with the Egg?  I've read a lot who do, but not sure if they use the Egg.  Has anyone had a negative experience with it on the Egg?

    9% beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. It also goes very will with brisket cookery......................you won't have any negative experience with injecting. I just don't do it. No reason not to try it; I'm just very traditional when it comes to brisket.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    I like Cow Lick on brisket. Are you adding any turbinado sugar or brown sugar? Here's DP's recipe using Cow Lick: http://www.dizzypigbbq.com/recipesBrisket.html
    Personally, I found 50/50 with turbinado to be a little too sweet & it creates a bark that is kind of like carmelized sugar. I've cut back on the turbinado and have used a little brown sugar instead with the Cow Lick and found it more to my liking.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168

    9% beer is about the highest end of "leaded" beer.  I wouldn't last long with that as a constant

    :)
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • lousubcap said:

    9% beer is about the highest end of "leaded" beer.  I wouldn't last long with that as a constant

    :)
    There are many at 12-14%. Those Belgian Monks like to get weird with it. I can only have one.....or six


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • So I went heavy on the Cow Lick, but I didn't add any turbinado sugar.  The KC sauce that I made is really, really sweet, so if we need any sweet, it can come from there.  

    I also abandoned the mustard and injection.  Instead, I put on a little spray of water/apple cider vinegar before putting the rub on.  No injection.  The Egg has always kept stuff moist enough for me.  We'll see.

    I think the Smashed Pumpkin was the only 9% that I had around tonight.  Here is beer tour stop #2:


  • Wally, Sounds like you have a great plan and good luck. If it doesn't work out so well, then you learn for the next time. Best news is you get to eat your mistakes and you get to complete your beer tour. And is that the Monon Bell in your avatar pic?
    Clarendon Hills, IL
  • That absolutely is the Monon Bell, Bob, and I'm proud to report that it's sitting in its rightful home at Wabash College.  Next Saturday is the game.  First time since 1994 that both Wabash and DePauw have come into the Bell Game off a loss...  How are you familiar with the rivalry?

    The brisket is on and the temp is hovering around 280.  

    imageimage

    And, we've reached beer tour stop #3:


  • I have a really good friend who played there way back when and is in the Wabash Hall of Fame. Also, one of my son's good friends from high school is a senior there and the starting Nose Tackle/Defensive Tackle. Hope to see you put it to Depauw next week.
    Clarendon Hills, IL
  • Just remember, the thicker parts will always be a little more moist than the thin parts of the flat. Eat all the point and thick part of the flat first and when you get to where it starts be a little dry, chop all that up and sauce it and eat that on sammies. It will be the best bbq sammich you have ever had
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • The brisket is humming along, right about 150.  The dome temp has held steady around ~270, so I'm going to hit the sack.  Updates in a few hours!  
  • So, as a few of you noted, we all learn things on every cook. What I learned this time is that brisket for breakfast is vastly underrated.

    Woke up and internal temp was around 210. The fire very slowly built all night and the dome was at 360. I pulled it off, cut the point off, and immediately wrapped it in foil, a towel, and popped it in the cooler. Point is back in extremely low for burnt ends.

    I had a taste of the very end of the flat and it was phenomenal. Hopefully it will hang on in the cooler through church and we will have lunch ready when we get home.
  • That sounds almost exactly how all mine end up.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • Excellent beer choices............

    The quote is as you all know from Ben Franklin. Except the 9% part.
    Is there a consensus on injecting with the Egg?  I've read a lot who do, but not sure if they use the Egg.  Has anyone had a negative experience with it on the Egg?

    9% beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. It also goes very will with brisket cookery......................you won't have any negative experience with injecting. I just don't do it. No reason not to try it; I'm just very traditional when it comes to brisket.

    LBGE
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Wish I had a BrewDog Tactical Nuclear Penguin right about now.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • So, as a few of you noted, we all learn things on every cook. What I learned this time is that brisket for breakfast is vastly underrated. Woke up and internal temp was around 210. The fire very slowly built all night and the dome was at 360. I pulled it off, cut the point off, and immediately wrapped it in foil, a towel, and popped it in the cooler. Point is back in extremely low for burnt ends. I had a taste of the very end of the flat and it was phenomenal. Hopefully it will hang on in the cooler through church and we will have lunch ready when we get home.

    it will hold . sounds like you got a winner on your hands. great job
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX