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wanting to do my first brisket, need some help

24

Comments

  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Ah...He prolly went to the back and murdered and trimmed it off himself. Makes sense now.
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • Oh I love it when the PROS chime in. 
    Question should I go back to the butcher shop and slap him from y'all. Like I said before, three different stories, guess us Canuackastans should stick with burgers huh.
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  • Don't worry about the length, foil a brick or lay an inverted rib rack under it. There are a few guys out there that do them in a disposible pan with beef stock, Worcestershire and other stuff in them and they turn out OK.
    If I'm flying out to Abbotsford I'm bringing a US brisket I have in the fridge.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136

    Oh I love it when the PROS chime in. 

    Question should I go back to the butcher shop and slap him from y'all. Like I said before, three different stories, guess us Canuackastans should stick with burgers huh.
    Brisket Burgers are great!! :D
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • Caz, seriously our beef has to be slaughtered at 30 months or less. There is a restriction on yellow fat so corn feed is limited too. You can get decent brisket but it's rare unless you have an in with a packer.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    edited February 2014
    That's the beauty of the cook-even a hosed up brisket makes for great audibles...chopped sammiches, omelets, ABT's, taco's etc-your mind is the limiter.  And believe me-living in the land of 90%+ flats I have hosed up more than my share.  BTW-where does the point end up??? :)>-
    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.
  • Update: SWMBO is looking at me weird. She is chuckling in the background, oh boy
    @lousubcap  check the thickest part of the flat to 200* is what I will try. Thanks so much. 
    Big question, what should I do now, just put the brisket on the grill, or do it the way Travis has posted?
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    An opinion and we all know what those are worth-the "How I do it" Travis method will give you effectively a braised brisket and it will be good eats.  Since this is your first brisket and you live in the GWN (even if you are in the moderate climate out west) you will avoid the challenges of the 'nekked' cook and attendant crap-shoot results.  The results alone may mitigate SWMBo's response/reaction.
    Whatever you decide-go with conviction
    :)>-
    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.
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136

    or do it the way Travis has posted?

    Boil your 2nd brisket...not your first!
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • Love the humour. You guys are great. Thank you. 
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  • Spell humor right Canuck!

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    @smokesniffer-an after-action report is a necessary contribution to the brisket continuum, at least for those of us not in Texas.  good luck and 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.
  • Do any of you have a picture of what it should look like before it is seasoned, something that I could take to the butcher and show him for the next tme.
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    Do any of you have a picture of what it should look like before it is seasoned, something that I could take to the butcher and show him for the next tme.
    Here's what one would ideally look like :)


    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    edited February 2014
    photo IMG_3849_zps06487aa1.jpg

    photo IMG_3850_zps140c62a6.jpg
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    photo IMG_3632_zps9bba053c.jpg

    photo 3bef17cc.jpg

    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • Don't worry about the length, foil a brick or lay an inverted rib rack under it. There are a few guys out there that do them in a disposible pan with beef stock, Worcestershire and other stuff in them and they turn out OK.
    If I'm flying out to Abbotsford I'm bringing a US brisket I have in the fridge.
    You are the man! ^:)^ ^:)^
    Large, small, and a mini
  • lousubcap said:
    @smokesniffer-an after-action report is a necessary contribution to the brisket continuum, at least for those of us not in Texas.  good luck and enjoy the journey!:)>-

     I will, inquiry minds will know right after the meal 
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  • Thanks for the pictures, that will help the next time. 
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  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    As LS pointed out, lay the brisket over something so it arches the center and pulls the ends in some. You may need to put a long drip pan or a couple layers of foil under one end to protect it from direct heat. This was a 16" flat in my Small:
    Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

    When it shrinks enough to fit and safely lay flat, remove whatever you put under it.
    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
  • Ok getting ready to do this brisket, going to go indirect, legs up, AF pan on green feet no liquid, and then the grill. Hickory and Mesquite for smoke. Temp is going to be set at 250*. Fat cap up or down?? I am thinking up, getting up tomorrow morning early to get the egg going. Looking forward to the end results and see how it turns out.
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    Since you are not putting it in a pan it really doesnt matter which way you turn the fat cap. I have cooked them in any position you can imagine and see no difference. There is a exception to this. When you cook on a off set that is not reverse flow it is best to turn the fat cap toward the heat source to help protect the meat. On the big green egg you can turn it any way you want since it is an indirect set up. Good luck my friend.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    You're going to get some saying fat cap down as the heat source is below the brisket and others saying they want the cap up so the rendering fat juices to baste the brisket. I've always been a cap down guy but did my first cap up brisket yesterday and was pleasantly surprised at how good the bark was on the fat cap. I'm not sure I got much basting but I can conclude that whatever side is up will have better bark than the other side.



    I'd go with a greater ratio of hickory over mesquite. No oak available?
    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
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    One word of caution. If you are not use to smoking with mesquite it is real easy to over smoke with. I would recommend not using it with the hickory as both woods are on the strong side. What ever you decide to do good luck.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • Thanks R2Egg@Q and SGH for the help with choice of wood. Got up early and didn't see these posts till after the meat was one. I used two chunks of mesquite and a few handfuls of hickory chips. I don't have any oak. I guess I am committed now. I would say that my ratio is heavier to the hickory side. hope this doesn't turn out to strong as you mentioned. I do appreciate the kind advice. In the future I will find some oak for sure. I did have some peach, would that be something to consider for the next time.
    Again, Thank You.
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  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208

    @SMOKESNIFFER.....For me, peach gives a softer smoke flavoring. For brisket I have been using hickory. I am egging one tomorrow evening and it will be my 1st whole brisket. I have only tried 4# flats and 4# points until now.

    I am confident now that the full brisket....although still only 6# will come out perfect (I hope).

    I'll start a thread from start to finish if you want to follow it (start following it) tomorrow evening.

    Hopefully, I can get my pictures to post by then.

    Donnie

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    @smokesniffer-enjoy the ride to the finish-line.  And whereever you end up, don't slice the brisket til ready to eat-it will dry out before your eyes.  Plenty of supervisory adult beverages and you are all set! 
    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.
  • @didawes! Thanks, I will be waiting for your post. I am having trouble posting pics too.
    @lousucap, hopefully one day I will be able to pass along the same kind of knowledge and skills to someone who needs the help.
    The supervisory beverages will sure help steady the nerves.
    :)>-

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  • Here a few pictures of the start of the ride. 31/4 hours in and IT is 152
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,174
    The key is patience as you roll thru the stall.  And should you somehow decide to check the temp in the point section that you have, it will very likely be hotter due to the fat content.  No worries, the point can ride along until you get the right feel in the thickest part of the flat.  Enjoy-good eats await.
    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.