First attempt at a brisket

CAWjr

Today I am attempting my first brisket.  Not a big one.  I picked up a 4 pound Choice flat/tip at Costco.  My wife wants to eat around 6PM, so I just put it on at 11AM.  I put a dry rub on it this morning & let it sit out while I got the egg ready.

I started the egg & got it up to about 450* & let the VOCs burn off.  I then sprinkled some apple chips on the lump, put in my plate setter & grate, and lowered the temp to about 225*.  I then put the brisket on once it got down to temperature.

And now we wait!

tazcrash

Best of luck. I have my first brisket going as well. Same dinner eta.

lousubcap

@CAWjr-all briskets have a cook time of their own-but I cook flats and generally see around 2hrs/# at 250*F (+/-) on a claibrated dome thermo.  You may want to dial up the temp (275 or so) to reach the finish line on time.  If finished early you can always wrap in HDAF and pack with towels in a cooler.  Also go with the "probe slides in out like butter in the thickest part of the flat" finish test-usually 190-205*F.  Good luck and enjoy the journey-flats are always an adventure and never the same cook.

CAWjr

@CAWjr-all briskets have a cook time of their own-but I cook flats and generally see around 2hrs/# at 250*F (+/-) on a claibrated dome thermo.  You may want to dial up the temp (275 or so) to reach the finish line on time.  If finished early you can always wrap in HDAF and pack with towels in a cooler.  Also go with the "probe slides in out like butter in the thickest part of the flat" finish test-usually 190-205*F.  Good luck and enjoy the journey-flats are always an adventure and never the same cook.

Thanks for the advice.  I think my egg heard you!  I went out & it has jumped up to 275*.  I tried to adjust it back down, but I may just let it stay there rather than trying to get it back down.

lousubcap

Just took another look at your pics-I'm not a fan of clean-up detail after cooks so I use a cheap aluminum pan (usually lined with AF) as a drip pan on the platesetter.  Use your BGE feet and/or some balled up AF to elevate it off the setter and it will help keep the setter cleaner and reduce the burning of the cook drippings.

CAWjr

Just took another look at your pics-I'm not a fan of clean-up detail after cooks so I use a cheap aluminum pan (usually lined with AF) as a drip pan on the platesetter.  Use your BGE feet and/or some balled up AF to elevate it off the setter and it will help keep the setter cleaner and reduce the burning of the cook drippings.

I opened it up to insert the thermometer & I totally see what you mean.  Unfortunately the only cheap AF pans I have right now are the large buffet style ones.  I will have to pick up a bunch of the smaller ones because I can already see how the drippings are going to make a mess of my platesetter.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

@CAWjr-all briskets have a cook time of their own-but I cook flats and generally see around 2hrs/# at 250*F (+/-) on a claibrated dome thermo.  You may want to dial up the temp (275 or so) to reach the finish line on time.  If finished early you can always wrap in HDAF and pack with towels in a cooler.  Also go with the "probe slides in out like butter in the thickest part of the flat" finish test-usually 190-205*F.  Good luck and enjoy the journey-flats are always an adventure and never the same cook.

Thanks for the advice.  I think my egg heard you!  I went out & it has jumped up to 275*.  I tried to adjust it back down, but I may just let it stay there rather than trying to get it back down.

don't sweat it. Very small adjustments of the daisy will result in 20 degree swings. If you feel the need to adjust, make sure you do it in very small increments and give it an hour to fully stabilize. 275 is no big deal to cook a brisket if that's where it lays. If that is your dome temp, it will be closer to 250-260 at the grate so you are fine.I suggest you don't start chasing temp with all kinds of adjustments. Every cook has it's temp so if it settles in anywhere close to your desired temp, just leave it and enjoy your day.

CAWjr

don't sweat it. Very small adjustments of the daisy will result in 20 degree swings. If you feel the need to adjust, make sure you do it in very small increments and give it an hour to fully stabilize. 275 is no big deal to cook a brisket if that's where it lays. If that is your dome temp, it will be closer to 250-260 at the grate so you are fine.I suggest you don't start chasing temp with all kinds of adjustments. Every cook has it's temp so if it settles in anywhere close to your desired temp, just leave it and enjoy your day.

That's definitely the attitude I am taking.  As long as the temp doesn't go over 300*, I'm not sweating it.

tazcrash

FWIW, mine' sweating it, sitting at 160

CAWjr

FWIW, mine' sweating it, sitting at 160

Mine is sitting at 170

lousubcap

Here's a link that explains the stall-enjoy!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-goldwyn/physicist-cracks-bbq-mystery_b_987719.html?icid=maing-grid10

 

CAWjr

The temp has jumped up to 180 now.  I think I may be through the stall already.  I'm amazed at how much the brisket has shrunk in size too!

lousubcap

I've seen a stall around 180 for a few hours but if you have made it through then you should be in great shape for the 6 PM finish time-don't let time be the driver though-too much invested.  Make sure it passes the "probe goes in and out like butter in the thickest part" before declaring victory-enjoy the finished product.

CAWjr

I've seen a stall around 180 for a few hours but if you have made it through then you should be in great shape for the 6 PM finish time-don't let time be the driver though-too much invested.  Make sure it passes the "probe goes in and out like butter in the thickest part" before declaring victory-enjoy the finished product.

It may have actually stalled twice.  It stayed at 170 for a couple hours & now it is sitting steady at 181.

njl

You can also either just line the platesetter with foil, or fold your own catch pan from HDAF and place it on the platesetter.  Let us know how it turns out.  I've done two on the egg, and though they were edible, I wasn't really proud of either.

CAWjr

You can also either just line the platesetter with foil, or fold your own catch pan from HDAF and place it on the platesetter.  Let us know how it turns out.  I've done two on the egg, and though they were edible, I wasn't really proud of either.

I like that idea better.  The purpose is really just to keep the platesetter clean, and AF is a lot cheaper than the catch pans.

I am hoping that it turns out well, but just in case, I have a rack of ribs cooking in the oven as a backup.  If it is less than great, you can only get better as you try & try again.

CAWjr

OK...the temp hit 195 & kept climbing.  The bamboo skewer was not sliding in like "butter" so I took it off the egg, wrapped it in foil, and put it in a small cooler.  I will let it sit until we are ready to eat & then slice away.  If it's done, great.  If not...well, we still have ribs!

lousubcap

At the risk of stating the obvious, slice against the grain and be ready to consume-it dries out very quickly.  Just vary the width of your slices depending on the relative tenderness.  It will have great flavor-enjoy and next time-BGE the ribs along with it.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Listen to the cap. He knows of what he speaks.

tazcrash

And how did yours come out?

CAWjr

Well, a few good lessons learned.  Regulating the temperature was difficult towards the end & the meat seamed to stall at both 170 & 180.  My rub contained way too much salt & I put it on too thick.  The brisket never got to that "butter" texture & was tough when I first cut into it & only got more dried out after that.

Overall, I give my first shot at a brisket a 6/10 rating.  It was certainly edible & the friends we had over said it was not bad.  It just wasn't tender either.

But isn't that the fun of the Egg...now we get to try this all over again another weekend!

CAWjr

Oh, and I also pulled the trigger on a Maverick ET732 halfway through the cook.  The digital thermometer I have now is from brookstone & is way too limited for this kind of cooking!!