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Brisket Revisited

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Red Dog
Red Dog Posts: 21
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Thanks for all the recommendations from my May 2 question on brisket. After reading all input I find that I have an 8lb flat with little fat. Started the egg at 4:30 this am and put brisket in at about 5. Dome is 200 but was about 230 when I added indirect set up and water and brisket. I have no one invited for dinner tonight as I'm not confident that this will be a success - so no pressure there. This flat is only 2 inches thick and about 13 inches long. How can it take around 12 hours to reach 195? For those who recommended this is a journey and not a destination I am taking many notes. I always have for all my cooks until I get a consistent result. I guess I'll have to start a new book just for the brisket! Thanks again.
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  • DynaGreaseball
    DynaGreaseball Posts: 1,409
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    Hope you have better luck on your brisket than I had on my first one. There are some great brisket cookers in here. One or two of them aren't even from Texas. But even the good ones will tell you that this cook isn't an exact science. I've done one or two that were only acceptable, and I've made shoe leather out of the remaining 7 or 8. The best luck I had was with the largest one. Seems to me the little flats just dry out by the tme they've reached 200°. I think they should be pulled at about 190°. Not as tasty, but not as dry either. Don't get discouraged because the plateau takes so long to get through--it'll get there. Have fun.
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  • Red Dog
    Red Dog Posts: 21
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    Thanks for hearing the "other" side of he story. I'm 2 hours into it and have maintained 200-225. Haven't plugged in the internal temp gauge yet. Heavy rain and lightening. Long way to go. Have family recently moved to Boone NC. By the way - Good Morning!
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  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
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    I normally pull my briskets around 185 meat temps. Stick a fork into it and twist. If the meat seems tender...pull it!
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  • Red Dog
    Red Dog Posts: 21
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    Thanks, I will try that.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    How much water are you using and why?

    GG
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  • Red Dog
    Red Dog Posts: 21
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    Well - some things I read called for a drip pan half filled with water to help keep it moist. Seemed reasonable! While on the subject - at 3 hours the internal temp was 162; at 3 1/2 hours it was 166; at 4 thru 5 1/2 hours it was 167. Then the temp went down to 165 at 6 hours and 164 at 6 1/2 and 7 hours. Dome has remained steady at 250 since the 3 1/2 hour reading. This is good plateau stuff - right?
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  • Red Dog
    Red Dog Posts: 21
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    Forgot the quantity - about a half filled 9x13 aluminum pan.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Last first, yup, sounds like you are in the plateau.

    Water in smokers comes mostly from propane smokers or water smokers. The propane just dried out the food and adding water close to the burner is supposed to add moisture to the meat.

    If one thinks about this, we have a hunk of meat that has EVOO or mustard then coated heavily with seasoning. Now we heat up the smoker and hope the water will add moisture through the seasoning, EVOO or mustard and in through the meat.

    Also, water takes more energy to heat up. In my water smokers the water evaporated so something was going on in there.

    When I tried it with the egg not much water evaporated and I switched from water to some apple juice to help moisture. From that I went to thinking the liquid would help reduce the burning of food renderings to using a dry drip pan raised off so there would be no scorching.

    The egg itself doesn't need liquid to produce moist food, which is part of the beauty of the egg.

    Now if I am cooking under 280° grid. I use a dry drip pan to catch drippings. Depending on what I am cooking above 280° at grid level gets to a light simmer temperature. For turkey's or pot roast at times I will use liquid in a drip pan, usually broth.

    GG
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    That's about what I use to use when I first got my egg.

    In time I think you will find you won't use a water pan much if at all.

    GG
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  • Red Dog
    Red Dog Posts: 21
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    Well - thanks again. Your logic makes sense and I will consider all you have said. I usually include water when I do a butt as well. Maybe next time I'll try it dry. This brisket didn't get a mustard or any rub. Again, I probably should have but wanted to keep it simple this time. May have been a mistake. The plateau is changing!!! In the last 40 minutes the internal temperature has gone up 2 degree to 166.

    You have been too kind!!
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  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
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    I agree, water in the drip pan only sucks heat and the egg maintains a sauna environment anyhow. I suspend a sheet of aluminum foil in my drip pan so it hangs above the pand bottom or suspended. That keeps an air gap below any liquids and keeps them from boiling off. Let us know how everything turns out.
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  • Red Dog
    Red Dog Posts: 21
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    I may try that. The brisket came out very nice and I will try it again. Tender, not too dry, good texture. Thanks.
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