Brisket Strategy???

msloan

hello guys.......i'm getting ready to do my first full brisket this weekend on the egg.  i have a "choice" 13 pounder.  i have been reading until my eyes are crossed with various strategies I have found on this site.  lots of great info for sure.  I am trying to put together a synopsis of what seems to be the most mentioned formulas.......here is what I think i shoudl be doing based on what I have read;

1)  trim the brisket trying to leave roughly a 1/4 inch of fat on it.

2)  50/50 on whether to inject.....but if I do try to make sure to inject with the grain.

3)  keep the rub simple focusing mostly on pepper and salt...maybe a little garlic and cayenne. not necessary to prerub with mustard or anything else.

4)  plan on the meat taking roughly 1.5 hours per pound, indirect @ 250 on the smoker.

5) no water pan

6)  use wood chunks of choice but post oak and hickory seems to be mentioned most often.  maybe some pecan and cherry?

7)  use an aluminum catch pan to capture the juices to reuse on slices once cooked.....but try to keep the pan off the plate setter to prevent burning of the    juices

8)  cook to an internal temp of 165 and then possibly foil with a bit of beef stock and butter inside the foil....but some folks prefer not to foil.

9)  try to pull off the smoker somewhere between 195-205....check in multiple places that your temp probe can slide in and out like butter.

10)  let rest for roughly 1 hour if possible prior to slicing.

11)  when slicing be sure to slice against the grain.

12)  look at possibly dipping the slices in the remaining juices that have been captured.

13)  sauce optional


let me know if you guys think that is a decent brisket checklist?  one question I do have is that with a 13 pounder could I look at bumping up the temps to keep the cook time more reasonable?  if i wanted to cook a 13 pounder in 12-13 hours what temp would you recommend?  and would I be risking any harm to the process by cooking it a little hotter and faster?

thanks in advance for your help and time!

MCRyan

I watched the Dr. BBQ video on the Egg homepage and used that method on my first try about a month ago.  It turned out to be the best brisket I've ever had in my life...  and I live in Texas.  I subbed the coffee he used in the video with a hard cider drink I had in the fridge.  It worked and was phenomenal.  

I started cooking my second one this morning.  If it turns out as good as the first, I believe I'll have it down.  All this coming from a guy who has destroyed several briskets in my lifetime; none ruined on the Egg though.  The way the Eggs maintains temp makes it ridiculously easy.  The way the meats moisture locks on the Egg is killer too.  Good Luck!

Philly35

@MCRyan‌ let us know how it turns out! Im interested to see if ya kill it twice!

saluki2007

1)  Correct

2)  Have not injected.  For your first one, I would not.  Get a "true" taste for your brisket and then adjust as you see fit.

3)  Yes.  My first couple were just salt and pepper and then adjust as you see fit.

4)  Good starting point, however every piece of meat cooks differently.  Some go a lot longer and some go a lot shorter.

5)  I do not use a water pan anymore

6)  I use a mix of oak and hickory.  I would definitely use a "lighter" smoking wood.

7)  Yes.  I use smashed aluminum foil balls to create an air gap between pan and plate setter.

8)  I prefer not to wrap.  You will lose some of the oh-so-fabulous bark.  If you are in a time crunch, then you can wrap it up and crank it up to 300-325.

9)  Yes

10)  Yes  If you finish early you can FTC it for several hours.  Once you are ready to eat, only slice what you are going to eat.  Once you start slicing it will begin to "dry out".

11)  Yes

12)  You can

13)  Definitely sauce on the side.

lousubcap

@msloan-WRT your question about bumping up the temperature, you can run at around 270-290*F on the dome and that will shorten the cook time.  But as has been mentioned, each hunk cooks at its own pace.  Make sure your dome thermo is calibrated and enjoy the cook.  Remember the point and flat have different grain patterns when time to slice and eat.

msloan

thanks guys!

TexanOfTheNorth

Cook time is what usually frustrates the most when doing a brisket. They all seem to cook at different rates. Your time estimate is probably a good starting point but you really won't know how long it will take until it's done. Keep in mind that you can FTC your finished brisket for up to 4-5 hours if you finish early.

msloan

ok thanks!