1st Brisket Cook

Naked Whiz has a nice write up on brisket.
So does Thirdeye, http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html ,and WessB http://www.wessb.com/Cooks/brisket/brisket.htm I find this helpful when I'm picking one out. http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisketselect.html

. Setup: plate setter-legs up; drip pan slightly elevated off of the plate setter, grate, and brisket. I know it sounds like a waste, but pouring a couple cans of beer in the drip pan at the start wouldn’t hurt.
. A whole "packer trim" brisket, which includes the flat and the point (smaller, fattier section), cooks up better than a smaller cut.
. Some people believe that choosing a more limber brisket at the meat market will render a more tender brisket after it is cooked.
. You can cook at higher temps to push the brisket through the plateaus faster, but low-n-slow is the way to go for tender results. You want about 225* at the grate, which is about 250* dome.
. Check for doneness at 195* internal by sticking a two tined fork into the brisket and twisting the fork. If it twists easily, the brisket is done. Don’t worry, 200* is not overcooked.
* A MINIMUM of 30 minutes rest time wrapped in heavy duty aluminum foil in a warm cooler (an hour or more is better) is just as important as any other part of the preparation. Do not skip it!
. The grain of the beef runs in different directions in the point and flat. Separate the two before slicing, and always slice thin and across the grain.
. For burnt ends, cut the point into 3/4 inch cubes, put a light coat of rub on them, put them in an aluminum pan with some of your favorite BBQ sauce, and then put them back in the Egg for another hour or two.




This is a good recipe that I got from ‘Smoke & Spice’ - by Cheryl & Bill Jamison.

Braggin’ Rights Brisket

The medieval alchemists, who sought to turn base metals into gold, should have tried barbecuing a brisket on a wood-burning pit. The transformation of the meat is on the same magnitude of magic and much more successful.

Wild Willy’s Number One-derful Rub:
3/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1/4 cup coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 TBS chili powder
2 TBS garlic powder
2 TBS onion powder
2 tsp ground cayenne

8-pound to 12-pound packer-trimmed beef brisket

Basic Beer Mop:
12 ounces beer
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS Wild Willy’s number One-derful Rub

Tomato-based barbecue sauce (optional)

The night before you plan to barbecue, combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Apply the rub evenly to the brisket, massaging it into every little pore, reserving at least 1 TBS of the rub. Place the brisket in a plastic bag and refrigerate it overnight.

Before you begin to barbecue, remove the brisket from the refrigerator. Let the brisket sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 200° F to 220° F.

In a saucepan, mix together the mop ingredients with 1/2 cup water and warm over low heat.

Transfer the brisket to the coolest part of the smoker, fat side up, so the juices will help baste the meat. Cook the brisket until well-done and tender, 1 to 1-1/4 hours per pound. Every hour or so, baste the blackening hunk with the mop.

When the meat is cooked, remove it from the smoker and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then cut the fatty top section away from the leaner bottom portion. An easily identifiable layer of fat separates the two areas. Trim the excess fat from both pieces and slice them thinly against the grain. Watch what you’re doing because the grain changes direction. If you wish, serve tomato-based barbecue sauce on the side.


A few notes:
This recipe specifies fat side up. That's fine in an offset cooker, but the heat in a BGE is coming up from below, so put it in fat side down. Another point I believe they missed: Is basting the fat really going to do much for the meat?

Instead of 200* to 220*, use 225* grate or 250* dome.

Allow at least 1-1/2 hours per pound. Up to 2 hours per pound for a small brisket.

After removing from the Egg, double wrap in foil and place in a warm cooler for at least 30 minutes. An hour or more is better.

BIG OMISSION!

Buy choice grade or better!