Just got my LBGE

hondabbq

I picked mine up on the weekend and im going big for my first attempt. Im doing a brisket. I have my meat ordered from my butcher and picked up some Mesquite chips. Charcoal is loaded. depending on what the weight of the meat is, I am going to start it at 6 am saturday. Last chance for any helpful tips to make my first go at this a successful one.

jimreed777

go big or...go     back to your gas grill

friscoag

Lots of threads to look at.  One thing I do that I think helps is if the brisket goes to the end of the grate, to foil the two sides of the grate.  This website has some pictures of what I mean and has some good info.  I do strongly suggest fat side DOWN.  I also use Pecan Wood Chunks in a column from bottom up and I cook at about 260 dome temp.  I do wrap (Texas Crutch) during the stall to help it done quicker, plus to grab the juices.  Once you get through the stall, I go back out onto the grate, but keep the juices you collected to dip the meat in once you slice.

Have fun with it, just remember what you did, to try something a little different each time.

BakerMan

IMHO I would cook some burgers or chicken one night this week to get the hang of temp control if your new to the Egg.  A brisket is a big expensive piece of meat.

Here is my standard link for temp control for new Eggers until you develop your own method
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/1145428#Comment_1145428

 

I found this site very useful for brisket my first time.Kind of a brisket 101
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html 

Good luck, post pics!

yellowdogbbq

+1 BakerMan.  The Naked Whiz website is another great source of information.  It can take an hour or so to stabilize the egg =get it up to a constant temp (250-300), so keep that in mind for finish time.  Also, calibrate your dome thermometer if you haven't all ready.  Good luck and let us know how it turns out. 

hondabbq

I did do some sirloin pork chops and some boneless breasts to day to try it out. I got the temp set relatively quickly. Being the first time I could have taken it up a bit higher to get a better seal. I call that a learning curve.

ChokeOnSmoke

If you're going to throw it on at 6am and you want it for dinner, I'd wouldn't go over an 8 pounder or so.  My 8-9 pounders usually take about 11-12 hours at 250 grid temp.

hondabbq

Its just under 12 lbs before trimming so I assume Ill get it down to about 10.5 lbs.

I was planning on doing it at 270 or so to try and alleviate some of that time. Its my first one so I guess we will wait and see. Myabe ill have to order pizza becasue I have some guests coming over and I told them no gurantees on getting dinner. LOL.

xraypat23

Don't trim too much! honestly, don't trim at all. All that fat acts as a shield from the heat, trim it after it's cooked! Every time i trim a full packer i'm unhappy with the results.

yellowdogbbq

Consider putting it on Friday night, then pull it Saturday when its done, wrap in foil, cover with towels and place it in a cooler. 

hondabbq

yellowdogbbq said:

Consider putting it on Friday night, then pull it Saturday when its done, wrap in foil, cover with towels and place it in a cooler. 

This is my first brisket, and only my second time using the BGE. Little nervous about putting it in and walking away overnight. I know in my head and my culinary expereince tells me it will be fine, just on the edge about doing it.

hondabbq

xraypat23 said:

Don't trim too much! honestly, don't trim at all. All that fat acts as a shield from the heat, trim it after it's cooked! Every time i trim a full packer i'm unhappy with the results.

 

 

Everywhere I read it says to trim to 1/8th of an inch. Now im definitely confused.

hondabbq

What about the method in the BGE cook book on page 307?

Says to preheat to 275, cook direct for 30 minutes per side and then change to indirect for 6 hours at 225. This is for a 5 lb brisket so the low and slow times will increase.

yellowdogbbq

The egg is amazing at holding temp but I understand your concern.  Do you have a Maverick or other remote thermometer?  They are a good way to monitor your cook and have alarms to wake you if the temp drops or goes to high.  The last one I did was 7 pounds and took 11-12 hours to finish so I think your 12 pounder will take some time.  I always go indirect, never tried the direct method for 30 minutes a side. 

hondabbq

I have just a probe thermometer for final temping, but no Maverick just yet. I will be getting one soon. Seems to be a necessity for butts and briskets. I may just bite the bullet and do it at like 10 pm and get up at like 2 or 3am and check it out.

Well if its a bust, I have spend the same money on worse things.

yellowdogbbq

A couple last minute tips -
check your dome thermometer in boiling water (adjust as needed)
fill the egg up with charcoal to 2 inches or so below the ring
Light 1 hour before putting on the brisket to stabilize (with plate setter in)
Catch the temp on the way up at 275-300 dome
Put in chunks or chips of smoking wood, then drip pan on plate setter
Open up a cold one and relax
Finish at 195-205, probe with thermometer (should slide in like butter=done)
(http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/03/brisket.html =another great info site)
Have fun and I'm sure it will be great.

hondabbq

I cant get my temp below 310!!!!!!!!!!!

Daisy wheel is practically closed, vent door is only open 1/4 "

I dont want to go to bed and have it go out. I have been working on this for 1.5 hours.

Tjcoley

Pull out the dome probe, boil a pot of water and put the end of the probe in the water.  Make sure it is reading correctly.  If not, you can use a pair of pliers to hold the nut on the back and turn the dial so it is correctly calibrated.  

How high did your temp go?  It takes a long time to bring it down if you overshot due to the heat holding capability of the Egg.  May need to give it time to adjust.

Every Egg is different, but vent at 1/4 inch and daisy wheel open just a little mine settles in at 250 - 270 dome almost every time.  

hondabbq

Thermo is calibrated prior to cooking.

I opened the lid and emptied the drip pan. I put about 2 cups of water in it. I assumed it was the steam that was raising the temp so not a true reading. It is still over 300. Does your brisket have evaporation? Mine has steam coming off of it. I never got over 310 degrees. I had it all set at 275 then put int he wood chips and place setter, drip pan, and brisket. now its over 300. I had it set but I dont know what changed.

 

nolaegghead

Takes a long time to cool it down.  Better start low and move up. 

The big mistake here is closing it too much and letting it go out.  You could choke it totally down top and bottom and it would take an hour to drop 10 degrees (well, maybe less with 10 pounds of cold brisket in it).  Anyway, you don't want either one closed...it'll cool down slowly and go out.  Open a crack.  You can control the temp with one damper...top or bottom.  The other one could be wide open, and you can still maintain 250.

Tjcoley

Putting in the place setter and brisket usually will lower the temp, due to the large mass that needs to be brought up to temp.  May be the burning wood chips while dome was open caused a spike, which should come back down after a bit with a closed lid.  Just opening the lid gives more oxygen to the fire and may also cause a temporary spike, depending on how long it was open.  Leave it alone for a bit,and see if it stabilizes, and don't open the lid til morning.

nolaegghead

I agree Tjcoley - open the lid for a few minutes and the temp can skyrocket.  If it was stable before, it should be after at whatever setting you had it at.  When you light for a low and slow, just light the top of a pyramid of lump, you get too much started, it'll flare up when you open it, and you just don't need much fire to maintain 275.

hondabbq

It looks more like steam coming out of the top instead of smoke. Is that normal?

 

Tjcoley

+1 @nolaegghead - don't close down the vent (either top or bottom) completely or you will wake to a cold Egg.  Even minor adjustments take time to stabilize.  

hondabbq

Might be a rookie mistake.

I did light it with 2 firestartersat the 9 and 3 position. I had it stabilized and then added the platesetter, drip pan with water, and brisket. Withthe 2 firestarters, is it possible I have too much coal lit for the low and slow? When I opened the lid to add the above, coudl I have flared it up? It seems to be taking forever to come down.

nolaegghead

Yeah, steam is normal.

hondabbq

When I did open it alot of steam was present in the egg. and the brisket was steaming.

Just checked the temp again and it is still at 310. 20 minutes since I checked last.

Man this sucks. I was up at 5am for work today and its now 1130 pm and I cant,dont want to go to bed until this gets rectified. Sooooo tired.

nolaegghead

You'll be cool.  Just crack the bottom 1/8" and leave the top daisy about 1/4 open.  310 is fine, the temp will slowly drop and hopefully it'll be in the mid 200s tomorrow morning.  Get up early and check on it.

hondabbq

It is coming down. Just a hair over 300. Might be a while before I go to bed at this rate.

Thanks for the help.

I guess the rookie panic set in.

Tjcoley

2 firestarters should not be a problem, and actually may help prevent the fire from going out.  Lighting in one place, and having it burn straight down could cause more of a burn out. Doesn't matter how many spots are burning, the air flow will control the temp.  If you've been stable at 310 for a while, do a MINOR adjustment on the bottom vent - just close it a crack more.  Give it half an hour and see what happens.   

Tjcoley

I will warn you, I'm EDT, so an hour later and the Tito's have been going down nicely.  As the night goes on, the advice may get a little shaky. All right for now, but if we don't get this under control soon you will have to depend on @noalegghead, so you will be in good hands.