Brisket Competition - need advice!

manofmac

This sunday I'm joining several friends for a brisket cook-off.  The briskets are going to be judged using the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) criteria - appearance, taste, and tenderness. Taste will account for 50% of the score, and appearance and tenderness will each account for 25%. 

I've cooked a couple briskets with moderate success.  For the event Sunday I have a 9 lb point.  Figured the Point would be harder to screw up.  

A few questions:

1) mustard before rub?  I know some swear by mustard...does it make a difference in holding the rub on or to the flavor in general?  I'm not a big fan of yellow mustard but willing to give it a shot.  Any favorite rub ingredients that may make mine stand out?  

2) should I wrap part way through (TX Crutch)?  If so, at what temp is ideal?  Do you add any liquid when you wrap?  

3) The judges are all amateur friends, so I suspect there will be a greater weight placed on appearance.  Any tips for presentation of the meat?  

4) How about spraying the meat during the cook?  Anything special to use (cider, vinegar, etc)?

I have a LBGE and the event starts at 3:00pm on Sunday, so meat needs to be FTC'd and ready to roll no later than 2pm.  I'm planning to start around midnight Sat to hopefully give myself plenty of time.  

Any other tips?  I'm looking for any edge I can get!  

thanks,

Mac

NPHuskerFL

Brisket tips  
1) mustard is just a binder and not needed
2) will depend upon time constraints. If you have to wrap use butchers paper. 
3) you're smoking a point so maybe go sliced and some burnt ends for the turn in box. Remember...uniformity. 
4) no need to spray it using the egg. Whole different story on an offset or vertical w/ a draft. 

Keep the rub simple. Use what you're already comfortable with (don't experiment at a comp). Have fun and if nothing else learn from the experience. 

SoCalTim

4) If you do choose to spray, wait til the rubs sets - about 3 hrs. otherwise it'll run off.

My personal tip is to put 3 chunks of wood (together) right were the center where the brisket will sit ...

This will create a 'volcano' effect and keep the juices from the brisket puddling up in the center.

shucker

1. No mustard.   We use worcestershire in comps. 
2. Pretty much every comp team I've seen wraps in tin foil and adds liquid. That's what we do.  
3. Judges love burnt ends.  Use nice uniform pieces.  Make your presentation as neat and orderly as possible. 
4. No spritzing needed.  

I haven't met a competition brisket cook that doesn't inject.   If you can find butchers products locally go get you some beef injection.  If not,  Google a recipe with sine beef stock and beef base.  

Stick with salt,  pepper, garlic,  onion powder,  maybe a little Ancho or Chipotle chili powder for your rub and you'll be set. 

manofmac

SoCalTim said:

4) If you do choose to spray, wait til the rubs sets - about 3 hrs. otherwise it'll run off.

My personal tip is to put 3 chunks of wood (together) right were the center where the brisket will sit ...

This will create a 'volcano' effect and keep the juices from the brisket puddling up in the center.

@SoCalTim - just so I'm clear...I should place the wood directly on the grill grid and the place the brisket on top of the wood chunks?   Thanks!

NPHuskerFL

^^^^What?!  
Please explain this @SoCalTim

Edit: I did read what you wrote. I've never heard of doing this though. 

lousubcap

I've never had a pooling issue with a brisket-of course many initially require draping over a brick due to their length.  But even after shrinkage and laying flat on the grid, no issues.  FWIW-

NPHuskerFL

@lousubcap
Initially it does pool in the center but, as it goes it's reabsorbed best I can tell. As far as that goes I normally don't open the lid till I'm ready to start probing for doneness and haven't ever had soft bark in the center where this pooling would likely effect the bark. 
@SoCalTim ??

westernbbq

Pecan Chunks should be added to your fire every couple of hours during the cook, this is where SGS spider and stone setup are so helpful.  Also, cook at a low enough temperature so that the pan drippings are golden and not blackened. I wrap it, with about 2.5 hrs left to go and I always pour the pan drippings over the meat set in foil.  Seal tight and crank up the heat at this time to about 275,  you want your brisket to be finished at around 205 internal temperature.

I agree with everything NPHuskerFl and Shucker have said regarding not spritzing and no mustard.  Wooster sauce is good, and don't be afraid to pour some white vinegar on it as well.  In a pinch, a med bottle of A-1 works well for that sweet, savory, and tart flavor combo that augments beef so well. 

Also, in drip pan, use any kind of Amber Ale like Alaska or  Sam Adams Boston Lager.  Do NOT use bitter beers or IPA.   Throw a couple of chopped up red onion slices in the drip pan too.

Lastly, I dry rub a few days ahead of time and leave the brisket in the fridge, uncovered for a few days.  salt it liberally and let that salt draw surface moisture to the edges.  there will be some pooling and you can use a paper towel to soak it up.  Make sure the fat drippings are caught in a pan, with liquid in it- make sure brisket footprint is smaller than pan area. fat that drips on coals or a stone adds a bad flavor to the meat.

And, if you do the uncovered in your fridge process, make sure there's nothing in the fridge like fish or something that can be absorbed into the brisket. it won't ruin it but remember that commercial from the 70's and 80's about the fish cake?  it was an ad for metal bowls.  those were hilarious.

Good luck. 

SoCalTim

NPHuskerFL said:

@lousubcap
Initially it does pool in the center but, as it goes it's reabsorbed best I can tell. As far as that goes I normally don't open the lid till I'm ready to start probing for doneness and haven't ever had soft bark in the center where this pooling would likely effect the bark. 
@SoCalTim ??

Hey brother, I've always had brisket problems til I went to Harry Soo's Slap Yo' Daddy's BBQ class ... this tip is directly from a World Champion Pitmaster ... winner of 27 Grand Championships. @NPHuskerFL - I trust Harry.

Ladeback69

1. I use mustard and I think it helps with the bark, but it is not necessary.  

2. With a point it is not really necessary to wrap unless you have to hold it for some times.  When the point probes like butter, pull it and let it set for about 20 minutes before you make the burnt ends to let some moisture come back in to it.  Cut the cubes up about 1"x1" so they look uniformly.  I usually take some of the juice and put in the bottom of a foil pan, lay the cubes in the pan and dust with my rub again. Put them back on for about an hour to get them to have a little more bark on them.

3. With appearance, make sure you have one slice and one burnt end for each judge.  Are you going all out and laying it out on parsley? Make sure the box is clean and just lightly brush some sauce on the meat.

 4. Not necessary with the egg or a point from my experience.  Injecting can help with getting more beef flavor into it.  I have just used beef broth and the rub I am using mixed together before, but Butchers products are great to use if you can find them.

Good luck and it sounds like fun.
 

NPHuskerFL

@SoCalTim This wasn't to disagree or even debate. I was simply stating I've never heard of doing this. And was asking if you could explain what exactly would be the benefit on an egg?  Most (not all) renowned Pitmasters aren't doing their comps with eggs or eggs alone. Again just interested in the process.  

SoCalTim

NPHuskerFL said:

@SoCalTim This wasn't to disagree or even debate. I was simply stating I've never heard of doing this. And was asking if you could explain what exactly would be the benefit on an egg?  Most (not all) renowned Pitmasters aren't doing their comps with eggs or eggs alone. Again just interested in the process.  

Hey brother, no worries. Harry said consistency is something to strive for on all cooks, especially brisket. He said, no matter the pit, Kamado, stick burner, kettle etc, stick to what works and don't stray (too far away from what works for you)

So, does this apply specifically to an egg ... I dunno?, but it works for him and it seems to be working for me as I've now made 5 briskets since, that have came out better than any I've ever done since before the class.

Here's a couple pictures .. 

Re-hydrating the brisket (notice the volcano in the center of the brisket)

Just off to the left and lower bottom of picture, one of the chunks of wood.

Me and Harry Soo

manofmac

Thanks guys for all the tips.  @Ladeback69 I probably won't put on parsley or lettuce as they may come across as trying too hard with the judges.  It's a very friendly, casual competition.  

I like the suggestion of cutting the burnt ends and adding them back in some juice and rub to conitinue to cook a bit.  Only problem is I'll be cooking at my house and then transferring meat over to friend's place that is hosting, but I still may give it a shot.

Any other suggestions for a homemade injection/marinade?

Do most of you save the drippings and pour back over the meat before serving?  Do I need to worry about wetting the bark?  Or do you just use a little drippings on bottom of platter for slices to sit in?

manofmac

@SoCalTim - what are you using to rehydrate?  Are you pouring the liquid on at the end or are you about to wrap and put back on the grill for a bit?

when you refer to the volcano effect, what do you mean exactly?  Does the meat open in the top above where it sits over the wood chunks?

SoCalTim

manofmac said:

@SoCalTim - what are you using to rehydrate?  Are you pouring the liquid on at the end or are you about to wrap and put back on the grill for a bit?

when you refer to the volcano effect, what do you mean exactly?  Does the meat open in the top above where it sits over the wood chunks?

When I say 'Volcano' ... look at the very first picture I posted, you see a whole brisket (just like the one your gonna do) put 3 pieces of wood chucks together, touching each other in the shape of a triangle. Place the brisket on top. Also, if your injecting, use 2 cans of Campbell's beef stock, put it in a pan and let it reduce so the amount of liquid left will fill just one can. Use this to inject. After the brisket is done, and rested and your just about ready to unwrap and serve, put all the liquid that's in the wrapped foil into a fat separator and pour remaining liquid on brisket to rehydrate. If your not injecting skip the last step.

SoCalTim

manofmac said:

@SoCalTim - what are you using to rehydrate?  Are you pouring the liquid on at the end or are you about to wrap and put back on the grill for a bit?

when you refer to the volcano effect, what do you mean exactly?  Does the meat open in the top above where it sits over the wood chunks?

Oops, my stupid iPad double posted this.

manofmac

Ok I made my own injection of Campbell's beef broth (per SoCalTim) rendered with red onion, worshestire, apple cider vinegar and some rub.  Injected around 4:00pm fat side down, just flipped and planning to rub soon and then start LBGE.  I'll start coals around midnight and cook it fat side up at 2:25-240 starting around 1:00am.  I'll flip it and wrap around dawn.

Still trying to decide whether I should try the "volcano" and place meat on wood chunks.  I got hickory by the way. 

At what temp should I wrap?  At that point should I pour the renderings (or marinade) on before wrapping?

It was 9lbs before I trimmed, and it's a fairly evenly cut piece of meet.  Anything I'm forgetting?

manofmac

So I didn't quite meet my 1:00am start time.  Meat went on around 5:30am.  LBGE has been a pretty steady 255-260.  I decided to try SoCalTim's "volcano" tip and have three small pieces of hickory forming a close triangle on the grid under the middle of the meat.
What's the best guess for a fairly even cut 8 lb point at 260 to finish?  Should I lower temp to ~250?   

manofmac

Not a bad morning to be be smoking some meat...

OneNole03

Gorgeous morning. Looking forward to seeing end product. Everything i have read says that each piece of meat cooks differently. Mine last night about that size took a little over 7 hours at 250

blind99

I wouldn't lower the temp. I would run it at 275 and plan to be done in 5 hrs or so

manofmac

Needs to be done by 2:30 latest as I have a 30 min drive.  I wrapped it around 10:45 after 5 hrs at a steady 260.  It had hit and seemed to stall at 158 when I decided to wrap it.  Since wrapping an hour ago the temp first dropped to 151 and only now an hour later has it made it back to 158.  Should I be concerned with less than 3 hours?  I've let the temp go up a tad to 275.  

When I wrapped it I added some apple cider and flipped it is fat sat is down in the wrap.  I also sprinkled a little more rub before closing the foil.  

Notice the indention from the "volcano" effect where the brisket sat directly on the hickory chunks.

Ladeback69

manofmac said:

Needs to be done by 2:30 latest as I have a 30 min drive.  I wrapped it around 10:45 after 5 hrs at a steady 260.  It had hit and seemed to stall at 158 when I decided to wrap it.  Since wrapping an hour ago the temp first dropped to 151 and only now an hour later has it made it back to 158.  Should I be concerned with less than 3 hours?  I've let the temp go up a tad to 275.  

When I wrapped it I added some apple cider and flipped it is fat sat is down in the wrap.  I also sprinkled a little more rub before closing the foil.  

Notice the indention from the "volcano" effect where the brisket sat directly on the hickory chunks.

Looking good so far.  What I did to hold burnt ends was to first cover the pan with plastic wrap then heavy duty foil.  I then put them in a warmed up cooler and they stay hot for a couple of hours tell we ate.  Sorry I was late getting back to you about how to keep them warm and the plastic warp helps with keeping moisture in as well.

kwdickert

how did this end up? Anymore pictures?

manofmac

I came in 2nd place (out of four). All the briskets were pretty good so I was pleased.  Here are a few of the final picks 


I ended up wrapping it for the final 4 hours and because I injected there was a lot of liquid inside the foil that the meat ended up stewing in.  While I believe this helped make the meat more tender the bark suffered a bit.  Overall though I was pleased with results and definitely the best brisket I've done so far.  Thanks to all those who provided tips and guidance!  

Foghorn

That looks great.  How was the one that beat you?  Better smoke ring?