Brisket Help Please - 2

FarmerTom · February 2016

OK folks, I've got a brisket. It's the smallest Costco had, but it's still 18 pounds. It's in the fridge now. (Got 2, the other is in the freezer). So what's the procedure now? How soon before I need to put it on the egg do I take it out of the fridge? And what do you suggest for a rub? I'm leaning towards a simple salt and pepper rub but not sure how heavy to coat it. Also, I've read about trimming it. How little fat is acceptable to leave? I will try to use this thread to keep pics updated, so check back please, I will probably need more help. And lastly, if I run it around 250, how long do you think this beast will take? I'm guessing I should start it late tomorrow afternoon if I need to have it off by 4 Sunday afternoon. I've read from 1.25 to 1.5 hours per pound. What do you think?

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lousubcap · February 2016

Here's a direct copy of mine from your prior brisket post-may answer some questions:

"Given you don't know the size of the crowd, find the largest prime grade floppy brisket that you can. Ask the guys in the back if you don't see what you want in the counter. Floppy is a great discriminator.
Check out the Aaron Franklin brisket you tube videos about trimming and how to slice for the finish.
If you don't have a grate thermo or you don't want to get confused, run at around 270-280*F on the calibrated dome and plan for an hour/lb and give yourself a couple hour margin to finish.
Trim ala Franklin and rub with simple salt and pepper mix. I go lighter on the salt than Franklin's ratio. BGE set-up: Indirect with an air-gapped drip pan to catch the renderings. I run fat cap down with the point to the back. Pay no attention to the point and as above, declare victory when the thickest part of the flat probes like buttah.
More info as you get closer. FWIW-"

Seriously you need to give the Aaron Franklin youtube videos a look-after that then let us know where you are.

buzd504 · February 2016

I usually trim a lot. And I don't know if it's correct, but I carve out quite a bit of the hard fat between the muscles. My general rule is that if it's hard fat, it's coming off.

johnnyp · February 2016

Listen to Lou.

YukonRon · February 2016

Cap's got it dialed in Tom. He lead me through my first, and it was killer. Just make damn sure your cooler is stocked and close by. Cap can be a challenge to keep up with. I say this with the highest degree of respect.
You got this my man, no prisoners!

FarmerTom · February 2016

I've watched the Franklin videos. Should have already done that. You're right, it answers a lot of questions. It seems I don't need to do anything until an hour or so before cook time. Get it out, trim it, rub with salt and pepper and let it come to room temp.
Some cooking questions. I don't have much for a drip pan on the XL. I've been using a large baking sheet. Sides are maybe 1/2" high. Will this make a lot of drippings? I may need to shorten an aluminum baking pan. No big deal. Also, he says he always includes a pan of water, is this necessary on the egg? And lastly, you put the fat cap down, he puts it up. I've always put it down on butts. Is this due to the difference in the way the egg cooks?

Ozzie_Isaac · February 2016

Best advice is check out Aaron Franklins youtube vids.

I leave an even layer of fat cap ~1/4" thick.

I trim as much hard fat as I can. I even cut some of the hard fat between the point and flat.

Then I use a rub of pepper and salt. I've started adding some garlic and other spices too, but salt&pepper is still one of my favorites.

I usually rub the night before and leave it in the fridge until I put it in. I've let it sit for a few hours at room temp and I cannot tell a difference.

lousubcap · February 2016

@FarmerTom - offering answers to your questions; I would trim sooner and then apply the rub. No need to rush but if you want go closer to cook start time then you are fine.
Take from the fridge straight to the BGE, no need to come to room temp. You will get a better smoke ring the colder the meat is upon entering the BGE and it doesn't make any measurable difference with cook-time.
Drip-Pan-I would go with higher sides as I just cooked Costco prime last week and the quantity of rendered fat was more than I am accustomed to finding. And no water, just air-gap the pan from your heat deflector.
Fat cap down for me as the BGE is a totally different smoke/heat environment that the Franklin off-set cookers.
Point to the back and enjoy the cook and eats.

SoCalTim · February 2016

I'd like to share my best brisket tip with you. Just before you put the brisket on the grate, put three pieces of smoking wood directly in the middle and put the brisket right on top. . When you do that, it'll look like a small volcano. The reason you do is, is that juices from the brisket will run off instead of puddling right in the center.

FarmerTom · February 2016

Do you have your grate on top of the plate setter legs or do you raise it higher? There's not much space there to leave an air gap and have a drip pan with sides of any height.

SmyrnaGA · February 2016

I've only cooked with choice and in a LBGE, not an XL. On the large, it's not possible to fit all 18" over the platesetter. I add a pizza stone to cover the opening opposite a leg to give me 18" of indirect heat. For the XL, just make sure none of the meat is hanging over your platesetter. The last one I cooked was a tad under salted. 18 lbs of beef = 18x the amount you would season a 1lb steak. Unlike Mr. Franklin, I rub salt on first before the pepper so I know the salt is even. I start probing at 192 IT and then every 20 mins after. I never knew what "butta" meant, so I probe the point as a reference and compare that with the thickest part of the flat.

I don't use a drip pan, but, I've only cooked choice...

blind99 · February 2016

My favorite drip pan is homemade. Two pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil laid crosswise and roll up the edges. Very easy cleanup at the end.

YukonRon · February 2016

I use a cheap, large round aluminum serving tray from RD. I buy 6 at a time for about $7-8.00. Wash and reuse until they no longer are functional. Fits on the XL place setter perfectly.

FarmerTom · February 2016

For a brisket cook, do you raise your grid off of the place setter legs or does it rest on the up-turned legs? There's not much space in mine to put a drip pan with an air gap under it unless it's a very short pan. Am doing my best to recreate your (YukonRon) and lousubcap's setup since you are about as local to me as can be. I appreciate everyones help here and am trying to do this first one right.

Ozzie_Isaac · February 2016

@FarmerTom I don't have a PS, but I do brisket with my grid at felt level. I have about 2" between my grid and stone.

lousubcap · February 2016

I cook on a LBGE and I go with platesetter legs up. I put three nuts on the PS to create the air gap and the empty drip pan sits on them. My drip pan is about 1 3/4" deep. Cooking grid goes on top of the PS and there is sufficient room between the top of the pan and grid. FWIW-

Ozzie_Isaac · February 2016

@FarmerTom , @lousubcap hit an important point. Make sure you have an air gap between your drip pan and your stone. If you do not you will burn the fat drippings really bad and get an bit of an acrid taste to the protein.

FarmerTom · February 2016

I just measured the plate setter to grid space on my XL. Platesetter legs up, standard stainless grid on top of it. 1 3/4" space between. The legs on this new XL are considerably shorter than on my M. Additionally, there is 1" from the grid top to the felt line. The drip pan I have is 1 1/4 " deep. I think I will use it and line with wide HD AF and maybe flair the edges some to be sure and catch all the drippings.
I think I need to raise the grid some. If I put spacers to raise the drip pan 1/2" from the plate setter, there will be no clearance between drip pan and grid. How much gap should I have to allow air (heat) flow between the drip pan and grid?

Webass · February 2016

I do brisket on my LBGE. I use Walmart large aluminum oval turkey roasters for my drip pan @$1.88. The sides are nice and high and I press down the grate so it'll sit on the PS legs. Being the cheap person I am, I'll usually wash after use and get a couple of cooks out of each. I also use lug/large nuts to create space between my PS and the drip pan and put in a little water so the drippings don't burn up. I put a loose piece of AF on the PS to cover any openings where the brisket is exposed. I trim well before so I can take my time, bring it out of the fridge, season with S & P, and let it get to room temp while I'm prepping the egg. I use my Digi Q at 250 and let the stabilized temp go until I'm seeing the blue smoke, usually 45min-1 hour.

Post pics!

DoubleEgger · February 2016

You're overthinking this Tom. You'll be fine. Just put that brisket on and rock and roll.

FarmerTom · February 2016

I realize I'm asking a lot here, but some have warned against a first time brisket for a must have meal. Trying to eliminate as many possible issues as I can. I know there will be factors I could improve on, I just don't want there to be too many of them.

DoubleEgger · February 2016

You've got this. It's not difficult.

Thatgrimguy · February 2016

Start checking it at 185 for tenderness then check it every 30 min after. As soon as it probes smooth pull it and rest for 2 hours.

jpakma · February 2016

I did a Costco prime brisket a couple of weeks ago and it was great. I think it was done earlier than when a lot of people cook to 195-203 internal temp. I cooked to 203 but it was probing like butter around 188. Probably should have pulled and FTC'd until meal time. It's a fun cook and it should be great.

lousubcap · February 2016

You can get by with 1/4" spacers and that will give you enough room or you can press down the edges of the drip pan (if a soft sided foil pan) or both.
Also, make sure none of the brisket is exposed to direct heat from the lump.

FarmerTom · February 2016

I think I now have most of this planned out. I do have a BGE branded Maverick, I have always had the grid probe attached to the underside of the dome therm, but may move it to the grid this time, being sure to have it over the platesetter. I guess what has me the most concerned is estimating cook time. 18 lb. packer, I'm guessing will end up around 16 lbs. or so. Got to take one set of instructions and go with them, lousubcap says 275, so that is what I'm going to do. Doesn't mean I don't trust anyone else, but everyone has their own methods that work for them and I gotta pick one and he has been quite helpful. So this one's on you lousubcap. I need to leave home with a wrapped and rested brisket at 6 pm Sunday. Is midnight tonight early enough to go on the grill, or should I back up to 10 to allow a little more time? I think I can keep it warm for 4 or 5 hours easier than trying to push it through in a hurry.

lousubcap · February 2016

Since I am under the gun, you are correct in figuring you can hold the brisket for several hours as opposed to rushing to finish. Now for the wild-card: the friggin cow always wins. 275*F for me is on a calibrated dome thermo-that's all I run with so if you are going to use your maverick and grid then there's something to consider.
That said, I have seen them run anywhere from 0.75 hrs/lb to 1.1hrs/lb at the 270-280*F dome temp. I would make sure you are stable and go with somewhere around 10 PM start. If running quicker than anticipated in the AM you can slow it down aiming to finish in the early afternoon.
BTW-how long from when you leave at 6 PM til you slice (on demand) and serve?
And since I'm here-cut a notch across the grain on the end of the flat before you start the cook so when you end up with the meteorite you know the direction to slice.
Enjoy the cook.

FarmerTom · February 2016

lousubcap, I checked the calibration on my dome therm and both probes on the maverick a bit ago. All within a degree of 212 in boiling water. I have always worked from the dome temp also, so I will attach my grid probe back on the underside of the dome therm. I'm hoping the maverick signal will transmit into our bedroom. It's a straight, unobstructed shot from the woodshed where the egg now resides through a window by the bed. Perhaps I can get a wink or two of sleep. I have faith in you, YukonRon says you'll steer me straight. Oh, and leave at 6, usually eat around 7. I have a very good, non Yeti or RTIC cooler that I think will hold the temp well. I've wrapped butts heavily in foil and towels and still had them steaming much latter.

lousubcap · February 2016

You've got this-the true keys to success are:
1. A good trim of the hard fat ala Franklin.
2. Rub of your choice.
3. Air gapped drip pan.
4. Stable fire at your desired cook temp with plenty of lump.
5. Waiting for the "feel" in the thickest part of the flat to declare victory. And not worrying if some of the flat doesn't probe as it should.
6. Paying no attention to the point.
7. Giving the cow around a 15-20 min rest if you FTC (stop the carryover cook).
8. Recognizing that the cow drives the cook.
9. Enjoying and adapting to the cook as it evolves.

Never running out of adult supervisory beverages is a fundamental prerequisite.

theyolksonyou · February 2016

Just cook the Effin brisket!

FarmerTom · February 2016

theyolksonyou That's easy for you to say. I'm sure you've cooked a ton of em. If it were just for us, I'd throw the damn thing on and learn from it. But I've got a bunch of folks counting on brisket to eat. And I have a fridge full of beverages. Not sure how many corrections I'll be capable of once it hits the egg.

Brisket Help Please - 2

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