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We hatch tomorrow - Maiden Voyage

g8shot1g8shot1 Posts: 10
in EggHead Forum
We've been using a fairly inexpensive offset barrel smoker for many years and have turned out some great q, but we have to attend it far too much. Inexpensive digital thermometers with remote readouts help, but it's still a pain to do a decent sized brisket.

So, we have joined the world of all things egg with:
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Our maiden voyage is Saturday. We have a nice piece of brisket that is around 8.5lbs and have rubbed it, sealed it and in the fridge. We can only find Cowboy lump for now and will use that along with some soaked hickory chips. We've read the manual and watched the dvd but are still a little unsure about hitting a temp (250 dome?) and having it maintain that temp until the meat is done. Is 185-190 in the center too high for a brisket?
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Comments

  • BacchusBacchus Posts: 6,019
    Congrats on your new Egg. You will love it. Compared to a cheapie steel smoker, it is simple to reach and maintain temps. However, you do need to try not to exceed your desired temp due to the fact it can be a little difficult to lower the temp. Start low, and slowly ramp up the temp by opening the vents.
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  • vidalia1vidalia1 Posts: 6,891
    Welcome...briskets should be cooked until 195+ iternal temp...the "twist the fork" method is best for telling when it is done..good luck
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  • g8shot1g8shot1 Posts: 10
    Wow, thanks for the tips, all tips are welcome.

    We'll get it up to 190 then pull it and wrap it up for a while....

    Thanks again!
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  • SmokeySmokey Posts: 2,468
    Here is an old post for 5 hour beisket (sorry, don't have the pictures). The technique sounds easy!
    5 hour brisket
    ok, so i did the five hour brisket that i saw that team from oklahoma do on food tv last week and that we all discussed here. . .first and foremost, it came out great. . .i will discuss the couple of things i'd do differenct later. .. .buddy brett came over to review the results, and from a straight competition standpoint, we both gave it in the 7 - 8 range for taste and texture and appearance (ok he gave it 7s, and i gave it 8s, but gee, i wasn't biased). . .now the interesting part. .. .i had to pull it after only 3 1/2 total hours of total cooking cause it was reading 202+ internal, on both my polder and brett's thermapen. .. so here is what i did.
    first, on saturday night, i coated it heavily in torbinado sugar (per car wash mike's suggestion) and wrapped it and put it in the fridge. . .this was a 6.5 pound brisket btw.

    now here it is going on the egg at 250 degrees dome temp (coated with more torbinado sugar and dizzy pig cowlick rub) over inverted plate setter w/ a couple of hunks of hickory.

    here it is after 2 hours. . .ready to foil. .. it was already reading 160 internal.

    now its double wrapped and i let the temps come up to 300 - 325. . .

    after 1 1/2 hours it was reading 200+ internal, so i pulled it, and stuck it in the cooler in a towell for about 3 hours until we were ready to eat (it initially went on at noon, wrapped at 2:00 and i had to pull it at 3:30. .. we didn't eat dinner till 7:00). . .it sliced beautifully, was very tender and juicy, not a typical smoked texture, but not a pot roast texture either .. .somewhere in between. . .
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  • Cpt'n CookCpt'n Cook Posts: 1,915
    Bon Voyage!

    Cpt'n
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  • RockporterRockporter Posts: 19
    Good luck - you'll love the table. When i went from a barrel smoker to the egg - it was epiphany.

    I have done a lot of briskets - make sure fat side is up and I heartily concur that you need to start low and ramp up.
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  • ArvadaManArvadaMan Posts: 200
    I would check out Thirdeye's web site on the topic. See the link below.

    http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html
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  • mattmmattm Posts: 56
    New gger here...bought mine about 3 weeks ago. Here is my recommendation...

    Start low and ramp up to your desired temp...set your vents...put on a worried anxious face so your family will think you are straining all day...and be utterly amazed that the BGE will continue to hold your temp for the duration of your cook...take off the meat...splash some water on your face like you have been sweating profusely...and enjoy. You will be amazed at how easy it is to "low n slow" on the egg...almost effortless, but the key is to not let the family know how easy it was. Otherwise, you loose points you might need in the future!!
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  • cigarstockcigarstock Posts: 60
    G8SHOT1,

    They are right. I am a newbie myself and have received so much help from these people. I just hope I can contribute one day soon. My worst cook was still good with these people's help. Goog luck.
    Go Dawgs
    Rick
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