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Whole Brisket - Did I do it wrong?

Put it on last night about 1 AM.  Came off at 7.5 hours at 250.  It's a 13 lb Prime from Costco.  Is that right?  

I've seen others get good bark.  Is there a reason I don't get good bark?  I used a no salt rub (for my father who has CHF).  So I'm wondering if the no salt rub I made is the culprit.  I went fat side down.


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Strongsville, Ohio

Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
[I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

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Comments

  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Likely just light on smoke. Should taste great though. What kind of wood did you use and how much?

  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    I used 2-3 large chunks of mesquite.  Smoke was billowing out pretty good when it went on.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    Agree with @pgprescott . What was the internal temp when pulled? The time might have been short?? Hard to believe with that much rendering... Most importantly, was it good?
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
  • Bshults1
    Bshults1 Posts: 145
    When loading lump for a brisket, I like to mix the wood throughout so you're getting a constant source of smoke.  As said above, you were probably just light on the smoke.  That said, I'm sure it's still going to be delicious!
  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    I had about 200-205 temps depending on where I probed.  It's definitely done.  Next time I'll mix wood in with the lump.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,794
    I'd hit that. And that timing is almost exactly how one of mine went - when I had planned on it going much longer of course. 

    I've got nothing to add to the bark discussion. 

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
    The water pan just might be your culprit. You want a dry heat to help form the crust/bark. With the water pan you get steam which is not what you want. The stream is not a friend to your brisket. 
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,951
    edited July 2016
    You don't need much salt to create a nice bark but you do need a lot of pepper. Almost looks like a rib rub or something with that reddish hue. Of course that could be from the photo and I'm not seeing it right. A water pan is ok. I've done plenty with them and gotten good bark. I think this is a rub issue. 

    And be you don't need a lot of smoke for bark either. You can get good bark in an oven
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    The water pan was dry.  It's just a drip pan.   The rub is:

    1/4 cup garlic powder
    3 TB cracker meal
    2 TB ground black pepper
    1 TS ground white pepper
    1/2 TS dried thyme

    I'm not sure where the red hue comes from either.  That's the color.  Maybe smoke ring?
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

  • fiver29 said:
    The water pan was dry.  It's just a drip pan.   The rub is:

    1/4 cup garlic powder
    3 TB cracker meal
    2 TB ground black pepper
    1 TS ground white pepper
    1/2 TS dried thyme

    I'm not sure where the red hue comes from either.  That's the color.  Maybe smoke ring?
    That's why you didn't get any bark. That is a lot of garlic! 

    A a traditional rub for bark if you can't have much salt would be 90/10 course black pepper to kosher salt. I'm more like 60/40 with some garlic. Lose the thyme if you want a traditional barky brisket. You really only need a little salt and a lot of pepper. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167
    Looking at your rub mix I would offer that it looks light in terms of quantity for a 13 lb or so brisket.  Definitely a quick cook but if you pulled by the feel then you are home-free.  Let it FTC for a couple of hours then slice on demand and enjoy.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • This is a quote from an interview of Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller BBQ in Taylor TX. They are one of the original BBQ gods down here.

    Q: What's in your rub?

    A: get a pencil and a comfortable chair -- this could take awhile. Our beef rub consists of: nine (9) parts course black pepper and one (1) part salt (by volume). Now let's discuss Plato's Forms and why they ultimately fall short.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • This is the bark he gets with that rub. 




    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    This is a quote from an interview of Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller BBQ in Taylor TX. 
    How is their Q? I have heard mixed reviews. Some say it's the best that they have had, others say it's average. I have always wanted to try it for myself. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • SGH said:
    This is a quote from an interview of Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller BBQ in Taylor TX. 
    How is their Q? I have heard mixed reviews. Some say it's the best that they have had, others say it's average. I have always wanted to try it for myself. 
    I don't love it. Had some good and some pretty bad there. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    @The Cen-Tex Smoker, resident brisket Guru, has spoken.....it is wise to pay heed. 
    Not a big brisket guy, but using the 9:1 ratio of pepper to salt provides for a meteorite bark, thanks Cen-Tex. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @SGH My MIL lives just down the road from Taylor and we have eaten at Mueller's several times. I have always enjoyed it and thought the food excellent. I am no expert in judging bbq however. I will say I ate at Rendezvous in Memphis that is cited as a "bucket list" BBQ place - Mueller's kicked their a$$ in my opinion. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167
    And as above, pepper is the dark bark driver.  I go way light with salt with any rub concoction.  Never have kept measurements.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • @The Cen-Tex Smoker, resident brisket Guru, has spoken.....it is wise to pay heed. 
    Not a big brisket guy, but using the 9:1 ratio of pepper to salt provides for a meteorite bark, thanks Cen-Tex. 
    The 60/40 and 50/50 does too. I like it way more but I thought of Louie's rub when he said it had to be low/no salt. The bark there is incredible as you can see in the pics. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    Got it.  Next time I'll use more pepper and mix in more wood.

    With that much pepper does it get really spicy?
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    fiver29 said:
    With that much pepper does it get really spicy?
    No, it does not. You can really put it to it. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • fiver29 said:
    Got it.  Next time I'll use more pepper and mix in more wood.

    With that much pepper does it get really spicy?
    Not to me but I eat this kind of food a lot. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    SciAggie said:
    @SGH My MIL lives just down the road from Taylor and we have eaten at Mueller's several times. I have always enjoyed it and thought the food excellent. I am no expert in judging bbq however. I will say I ate at Rendezvous in Memphis that is cited as a "bucket list" BBQ place - Mueller's kicked their a$$ in my opinion. 

    I don't love it. Had some good and some pretty bad there. 
    The above responses reflect what I have heard. Some seem to love it, others don't care for it. Kind of puzzling. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • SGH said:
    SciAggie said:
    @SGH My MIL lives just down the road from Taylor and we have eaten at Mueller's several times. I have always enjoyed it and thought the food excellent. I am no expert in judging bbq however. I will say I ate at Rendezvous in Memphis that is cited as a "bucket list" BBQ place - Mueller's kicked their a$$ in my opinion. 

    I don't love it. Had some good and some pretty bad there. 
    The above responses reflect what I have heard. Some seem to love it, others don't care for it. Kind of puzzling. 
    Last 2 times I ate there it was not good. Once was at like 4 in the afternoon though and we were the only people there. Kind of tough to hold stuff for service like that. It sucked though. They should close between lunch and dinner if they are going to serve up that mess. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    SGH said:
    SciAggie said:
    @SGH My MIL lives just down the road from Taylor and we have eaten at Mueller's several times. I have always enjoyed it and thought the food excellent. I am no expert in judging bbq however. I will say I ate at Rendezvous in Memphis that is cited as a "bucket list" BBQ place - Mueller's kicked their a$$ in my opinion. 

    I don't love it. Had some good and some pretty bad there. 
    The above responses reflect what I have heard. Some seem to love it, others don't care for it. Kind of puzzling. 
    Last 2 times I ate there it was not good. Once was at like 4 in the afternoon though and we were the only people there. Kind of tough to hold stuff for service like that. It sucked though. They should close between lunch and dinner if they are going to serve up that mess. 
    I think that's the truth of it. To be fair when I ate at Rendezvous it was late - I could tell the ribs and brisket we received had been held a while. So WHEN one hits these joints may be important. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    SGH said:
    SciAggie said:
    @SGH My MIL lives just down the road from Taylor and we have eaten at Mueller's several times. I have always enjoyed it and thought the food excellent. I am no expert in judging bbq however. I will say I ate at Rendezvous in Memphis that is cited as a "bucket list" BBQ place - Mueller's kicked their a$$ in my opinion. 

    I don't love it. Had some good and some pretty bad there. 
    The above responses reflect what I have heard. Some seem to love it, others don't care for it. Kind of puzzling. 
    Last 2 times I ate there it was not good. Once was at like 4 in the afternoon though and we were the only people there. Kind of tough to hold stuff for service like that. It sucked though. They should close between lunch and dinner if they are going to serve up that mess. 
    I had a place in Htown called Roegels.  He said he uses Louie Mueller's seasoning concept (9:1) and I didn't care for it at all.  I was craving salt the entire time, which I guess wouldn't be hard to correct at the table.  
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,794
    SciAggie said:
    SGH said:
    SciAggie said:
    @SGH My MIL lives just down the road from Taylor and we have eaten at Mueller's several times. I have always enjoyed it and thought the food excellent. I am no expert in judging bbq however. I will say I ate at Rendezvous in Memphis that is cited as a "bucket list" BBQ place - Mueller's kicked their a$$ in my opinion. 

    I don't love it. Had some good and some pretty bad there. 
    The above responses reflect what I have heard. Some seem to love it, others don't care for it. Kind of puzzling. 
    Last 2 times I ate there it was not good. Once was at like 4 in the afternoon though and we were the only people there. Kind of tough to hold stuff for service like that. It sucked though. They should close between lunch and dinner if they are going to serve up that mess. 
    I think that's the truth of it. To be fair when I ate at Rendezvous it was late - I could tell the ribs and brisket we received had been held a while. So WHEN one hits these joints may be important. 

    @SciAggie, I lived in Memphis for 6 years.  Ate at the Rendezvous at least once a year when we had visitors.  I never enjoyed it.  I kept thinking that either I was missing something - or I just happened to catch them on bad days. 

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

  • cazzy said:
    SGH said:
    SciAggie said:
    @SGH My MIL lives just down the road from Taylor and we have eaten at Mueller's several times. I have always enjoyed it and thought the food excellent. I am no expert in judging bbq however. I will say I ate at Rendezvous in Memphis that is cited as a "bucket list" BBQ place - Mueller's kicked their a$$ in my opinion. 

    I don't love it. Had some good and some pretty bad there. 
    The above responses reflect what I have heard. Some seem to love it, others don't care for it. Kind of puzzling. 
    Last 2 times I ate there it was not good. Once was at like 4 in the afternoon though and we were the only people there. Kind of tough to hold stuff for service like that. It sucked though. They should close between lunch and dinner if they are going to serve up that mess. 
    I had a place in Htown called Roegels.  He said he uses Louie Mueller's seasoning concept (9:1) and I didn't care for it at all.  I was craving salt the entire time, which I guess wouldn't be hard to correct at the table.  
    I felt the same way. And there was no smoke on it. Like a peppery pot roast. And their sauce...well it's horrible. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    This was interesting.  It darkened up a bit after a few hours FTC.  Tasted great.  Was moist.  I've got a couple things to try differently next time.  This wasn't a huge fail by any means.  Just another learning along the journey.  Thanks for all the responses and Happy Fourth of July!!




    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,794
    Looks pretty darned good to me. I'd hit that. 

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX