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Brisket the "Old Fashoined way"

Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hello everyone,
I'm still a newbie with the egg & was wondering If anyone still BBQ's/Smokes briskets WITHOUT the use of an assisted ventilation/fan system(ie Stoker/Guru). Would be interested to hear your techniques & seeing photos of your finshed product if you have any. Also, were you able to get a good nights sleep(would be nice) or were you worried so much that you checked every hour or so.
Thanks so much & good Scotch to Ya!

Comments

  • Glenlivet,
    Just did my 1st brisket last weekend, turned out great.
    I kept dome temp at 225 deg. and a 4 lb was done in about 7-8 hrs. I just set up the egg the nite before than started the cooking around 7 AM. Depends what time your planning on eating and how big the brisket. Also-allow at least 1/2 hr setting time before cutting.This was my 1st but there are many helpful people here so you should get plenty of help.

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    DSC01873a.jpg
    <p />Glenlivet,[p]One of the attributes of ceramic cookers is their ability to run for long periods of time without fire tending. The more experience you get with fire control, the easier the long cooks get. The brisket above was cooked without a guru. I own a guru and usually use it during foul weather (wind, rain, cold and snow) or if I need to leave the cooker unattended for long periods of time. They are not mandatory, but are nice insurance.[p]I like whole 10 to 13 pounders, bigger ones may not fit. I start off on the low side (215°-225° dome) for 5 or 6 hours then ramp up the pit temp (250°-275°) until they are done. Those first few hours are the important ones because those low temps are where newbies run into problems, like having the fire go out. [p]DSC01859a.jpg[p]dsc01863aL.jpg[p]This one was started about 8PM and I monitored it until midnight. Between 3AM and 4AM I opened the bottom vent a hair. I got up around 8AM and waited until about 11AM to foil and cooler it. I double wrap the brisket in foil with about 3/4 of a cup of liquid inside then I do a long rest (5 hours or so) in a warmed cooler. [p]~thirdeye~[p]PS I'm not trying to discourage you or talk you out of a brisket cook but for your first few overnight cooks, a big pork butt is an easier cook. You can use a higher dome temperature like 275°, which is easier to control. The price per pound is a little less and pulled pork freezes well or makes for a great giveaway to your friends.[p][p]

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • thirdeye,[p]Can you tell me the reason for the the foil? Are those the hotspots that will do damage???[p]Bruce

  • bobbyb
    bobbyb Posts: 1,349
    thirdeye,
    Betsy came home with a 13 lber for me to cook for a fri night party. Sure hope it fits on the large. I haven't seen the tinfoil trick before, but will certainly give it a go. Thanks for posting the pictures.
    Bob

  • Buster Dog BBQ
    Buster Dog BBQ Posts: 1,366
    Glenlivet,
    I do all my cooks without a guru and have done many briskets and pulled pork. Always do them on the weekend. Usually I stay up until 2-3 then my wife gets up until around 7 and my son wakes up then. We all watch the temp about once per hours.[p]Honestly I dont mind it too much. I usually have so much going on during the week that I really enjoy the quiet time.[p]As far as the cooks. 250-275 dome until 185 then I foil and put back on until 200. Let sit until ready.

  • BluesnBBQ
    BluesnBBQ Posts: 615
    I did one last Saturday. It was about a 6 lb flat. I used a homemade rub and put it on the Egg around midnight. I had a full load of lump, with some Jack Daniels chips and a couple of hickory chunks. The meat was on a rack, fat side up and the rack was on a foil pan. I didn't use a platesetter, firebricks or anything else under the drip pan.[p]It was a rainy, windy night and I had an umbrella open over the dome. The temp stayed at 250 with no monitoring device, fans or any other technology. I woke up around 4 and 7 to check it and the temp stayed at 250. [p]I didn't use a polder or any other type of probe, but I did check it with an instant read thermometer around 10 am. it read 190. I took the meat out, put it in a foil covered tray, wrapped that in a towel and put it in a cooler for a couple of hours.[p]It was slightly on the dry side, but still very good. I gave some to my brother and sister in law that night and they loved it.[p]When I cook overnight, I always set the alarm clock to wake me up a couple of times just to check, then I go right back to bed.

  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    Big Daddy - OCT,[p]The outermost edges on the sides and front are "hotter" spots because the plate setter doesn't provide protection clear to to the edge of the grate and because the airflow takes that path, hence the foil. I have a noticeable "hot" spot in the rear of my large so I keep meat away from there the best I can. I position one of the plate setter legs back there to help diffuse the heat. [p]~thirdeye~

    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    5a1453bd.jpg
    <p />Glenlivet,
    i cook them over a drip pan that sits on firebricks or a pizza stone with a pork butt over it on an extended grill. fat side down on the brisket. 235 at the brisket level and monitor temps with the maverick, the alarm is loud enough to wake me if the fire goes out. if you drink enough at the beginning of this cook nature will wake you up 3 or 4 hours later to check on things. i usally have everything in the egg at 10pm, check on things between 2 and 3, and am up at 6:30 in the morning, ive seen temps drop doing this, but have never lost a fire or thrown one out for safety zone reasons. when up at 3, i shake the lower lump grate thru the vent and open the dome to push lump toward the cener of the egg, almost lost a fire to center burn once.

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Wow, Thanks for all the great suggestions. I will definately put these to good use. I have a 11 1/4 lb Brisket that after trimming is about 10lbs. I'm going to marinate for 24 hours then rub in a 50/50 mix of DP's Cowlick/Turbinato sugar.
    Don't get me wrong, I'm not against technology. I plan on Getting a Stoker/Guru Soon which would make things a bit easier I guess. Just waiting for the "Eggs By the Bay" event to get more info on these devices. Thanks all for your replies & pix.

  • Rich G
    Rich G Posts: 103
    Brisket_Point_Cooked_Sliced.jpg
    <p />Glenlivet,[p]Here's a pic of one of many briskets I've cooked "manually".[p]As you have heard from others, the use of "draft assist" type units is not a necessity. I enjoy playing with fire, and I have worked at knowing how to set up my cooker and dial it in for a given cook. The first few overnighters can be a bit tough (I think I set the alarm for every 90 minutes the first time.....cook went well, but I didn't enjoy dinner much due to lack of sleep.)[p]It's all about personal preference, though. I was pretty into bbq gadgets for a while, but I have eased back into a simpler approach, and that works for me. I have a buddy who loves the fact that he can check on and change temps settings over the web from his office.[p]One thing I will say is that you should nail the techniques for manual operation of your cooker. Gadgets can break, and in those situations, it's sure comforting to know that you can still get it done.[p]Enjoy.[p]Rich
  • Glenlivet,
    You can always do a small brisket or two and just start it in the morning. I have been doing this because I have not felt comfident about leaveing the egg over night.

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Glenlivet,
    you don't need any fan system for anything, brisket or butt or ribs. it may give you a little more peace of mind, but i've only had two fires die in 5 years or so.[p]i have heard nothing but accolades for the guru company and product, i'm just saying, it is a luxury, not a necessity.

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Rich G,
    Your brisket looks yummy. What is your recipe?