Trying first brisket

pretzelb · March 2014

Started at 6 am with a 6.7 lb flat. I was debating cooking a full cut at same time but since this my first attempt I backed down. I just did simple salt and pepper rub before I put it on. Using oak chunks for smoke. The XL had held at 250 very well. The vents are practically closed. After 5.5 hours I checked and it was 140. In going to check again after a risk of 7 hours. I might wrap in foil and add coffee but not sure.

Mkadilla · March 2014

Since you mentioned coffee, I used this recipe yesterday with success.

http://www.biggreenegg.com/features/brisket-flat/

lousubcap · March 2014

@pretzelb-welcome aboard and enjoy the journey. Flats are fun but can be a challenge. They are the predominant brisket cut I see for a great majority of the year...You will likely see a stall in the 150-160's that can last for many hours. My general rule of thumb is to plan for about 2 hrs/# at 250*F on the dome for a flat so use that to sort out your cook vs feed/eat time. The Texas crutch "aka foil" will speed that up. Below are several good reads for the future. All that written-each is it's own hunk of beef and will behave accordingly. You likely know this but slice against the grain and don't slice til ready to eat as it can dry out "before your eyes". FWIW-

http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html
http://www.bubbatim.com/Bubba_s_Brisket.php
http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html

Enjoy the cook and the eats!

BigGreenCraigdotcom · March 2014

Don't freak out during the plateau. A brisket hits a plateau around 140-5 degrees. Some people raise their temperature to keep the internal temp climbing. The plateau is actually good for the brisket. The fat really starts to break down and distribute moisture during the plateau. Just maintain your Egg temp and the brisket will take care of itself.

pretzelb · March 2014

Thanks for the tips. My main problem is I try to follow several tips at once. I watched the Franklin videos and the one at the BGE site and read up here. So I might wrap, I might not, and I might add the coffee or not. I'm not in a rush per se but I like the idea of wrapping to help it stay juicy.

I checked again at 7 hours and it was still in the 140s. I'm going to keep it at 250 but I'm not sure how often to check back again later. I'm not trying to rush it but I don't want to miss it hitting 160. I will probably test temp at 8.5 hours.

lousubcap · March 2014

Ride one horse to the finish-line and remember the ride and results-then adjust for the next cook. Brisket is one of those cooks that doesn't do well with a script but eggsperience over time. Regardless, the eats will be most eggcellent!

pretzelb · March 2014

At 9 hours wrapped in foil with some coffee. At 11 hours it was only about 160 - oh boy, this is going to take a long while. I wish I had one of those remote probes so I could avoid opening and checking.

Keep forgetting to take a picture. Dang.

ElCapitan · March 2014

pretzelb said:

At 9 hours wrapped in foil with some coffee. At 11 hours it was only about 160 - oh boy, this is going to take a long while. I wish I had one of those remote probes so I could avoid opening and checking.

Keep forgetting to take a picture. Dang.

Yeah, I bought a cheap probe with a wire and closed the gasket on it. It worked until I got my BBQ Guru which is awesome for Brisket cooks. I start the fire at 10 or 11 on a Saturday night and we are having brisket for the evening Sunday. It usually finishes around 3 or 4. But I cook at 225.

pretzelb · March 2014

Well, after 13.5 hours I pulled it off to rest for 30 minutes even though I didn't think it was done. I have read how brisket is not easy to cook, and how the stall can confuse people, but I still didn't expect this from the 6.7 pound flat cut. Tomorrow I will check my dome thermometer to make sure I was at 250. I didn't expect over 2 hours per pound especially when I foiled for the last 3 hours. I'm so glad I didn't try to do two at the same time.

So for those in my shoes looking to do their first brisket here are my summary notes. The taste was really good. I can see why a simple rub of 1/2 salt and 1/2 pepper is enough. Even with foil and coffee for 3 hours the meat was dry. I might try a pan of water from the start next time. The meat was on the tough side but that is my fault for pulling it before I knew it was done. I guess the only way to fix that is to assume 2 to 3 hours per pound plus 1 or 2 with FTC. I have a fear of starting a cook before going to bed but in this case it might be the way to go. And as a side note, my wood chunks might have been too far from the start of the fire. Next time I think I will make sure to put 1 chunk in the fire at the start and the rest near the outer edges (I need to look at the lump/coals tomorrow to see what happened).

I still have the 10+ pound full cut monster in the fridge so I will have to get my courage to try that soon. I'm too tired to think about that now.

lousubcap · March 2014

Thanks for the summary-and those comments apply to many a cook regardless of "time on the pond." Back on the horse for the next round and enjoy the process! (Calibrated dome thermo is a key piece of the puzzle).

ElCapitan · March 2014

I pulled one too early and it was dramatically worse than one that I did that was done. You wouldn't even think they were the same type of meat.

Anyway, read this if you want some insight.

Naked Whiz brisket tips

smokesniffer · March 2014

Thanks for posting. I just recently finished my first brisket as well. People here on the forum will give you a helping hand, they are awesome at that. Gear up for that 10 pounder and let us know how it goes. Encouraging words I got from the folks here where, "Enjoy the ride" It is all about the journey.

pretzelb · March 2014

Well the first day let down is turning into the leftover fan favorite. The family is enjoying the leftovers (mostly fajitas) so much that I am on the hook to cook the next one soon. My 86 year old father is enthralled with burnt ends even though he has only read about them. I think I will invest in a ThermoWorks so I can at least keep tabs on the temp without peeking. One thing I am enjoying is going out to check the temps and smelling the subtle smoke. I never imagined I'd like that.

QDude · March 2014

Thee Maverick ET732 does a great job for keeping a tab on the meat temp. I'm not sure why people use water in the egg. In my opinion, water is not needed in the egg for any cook. (But I could be wrong!)

I just bought a Pitmaster IQ110 that helps keep the egg temp constant. Wish I had bought it sooner as it gives me great peace of mind with long cooks, especially on overnighters.

PA Dutch Egger · March 2014

Check out Dr. BBQ video on YouTube for his brisket method. Used it last time and came out well.

Trying first brisket

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