Work brisket competition

Powak

Me and a couple other fellas at work are planning a brisket smoke off. These guys are just getting into briskets and love messing with butcher paper and temperature increase cooks. They’ve also been talking about applying rubs with no binders and if using a binder using olive oil instead of mustard. I wanna rock their socks off with a fork tender brisket point. I’ve cooked briskets 3 ways: straight 250 all day - no wrap, 250-275, wrap in tinfoil with a little coffee when the internal hits 165 and I’ve done a mickeys turbo brisket. All 3 ways yielding great results especially the 250 all day - no wrap and the turbo. I’ve also had the best luck with 10-14lb packers. This cook I’m going to be using roughly a 6-7lb point. Any suggestions for which way i should go to turn out a fork-tender slicer?

AnothaStolenGenrator

Have you heard about the Travis method?

lousubcap

At the serious risk of losing my brisket card here is the link to the above mentioned method: Nothing but serious answers here:
Brisket..... How I do it.  
However, every time this link gets viewed a brisket cook goes south.  So weigh that heavily in your next move! 

caliking

Are you planning a test cook prior to the event?

TechsasJim

Rub binders on brisket?    I’m from Texas and that isn’t a thing.   Salt and pepper and done.   

Since you’re using the point for this it should be great at a 250* cook.   

Just my thoughts.   I did one recently and it was fork tender    

Let us know which route you go and how it works out—best of luck!

loco_engr

burnt ends ok in the contest?

pgprescott

Use a hot sauce or some of that hot “W” sauce as a binder in lieu of mustard. It won’t be spicy per se but the flavors will remain. It is all the rage now to go above 300 at least at the front end which contracts the long muscle strands in the flat resulting in a dramatically plumped up brisket. Some just rock on at the high temp while I’ve seen others lower it back to the 250-275 range. Not sure I’d do this method without at least one or two practices to gauge the timing. Obviously, I’d go fat cap down on an egg if doing that hot and fast method. If the top gets a little firm, you can soften it back to normal in a wrap. I would definitely wrap any competition brisket. Lots are doing tallow in the butcher paper and now I see them doing rendered bone marrow. I would also inject with a commercial injection(butchers,Kosmos , etc). Allow for a healthy rest (couple hours). Buy a prime or better. Just be aware it will finish faster than a choice. 

not very old school but one bite bbq. 

P.S. I’ve heard that most all the famous BBQ joints in Texas use more than salt and pepper even if they claim otherwise. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Photo Egg

I have not tried this…
But for my next brisket point, I was planning on smoking the point at 250 till temp starts rising after the stall. It should have a good bark by then and rendered much of the fat. Then wrap with standard thickness bacon with more seasoning and continue cooking at 275 till probe tender and bacon looks good.

caliking

Photo Egg said:

I have not tried this…
But for my next brisket point, I was planning on smoking the point at 250 till temp starts rising after the stall. It should have a good bark by then and rendered much of the fat. Then wrap with standard thickness bacon with more seasoning and continue cooking at 275 till probe tender and bacon looks good.

Soooooo... exactly when are you planning on trying this? Ya know, in case you need some eating help

WeberWho

It sounds like a fun competition. I'm far and I mean far from knowing what I'm doing with a brisket. I'd probably stay away from foil especially after you've set your bark. 

Powak

AnothaStolenGenrator said:

Have you heard about the Travis method?

I have not! What’s that?

Powak

WeberWho said:

It sounds like a fun competition. I'm far and I mean far from knowing what I'm doing with a brisket. I'd probably stay away from foil especially after you've set your bark. 

My only gripe with foil is I’ve found myself more often than not foiling too early even if the bark looks perfect winding up with a brisket without as much bark as I’d like. But they’ve always turned out juicy and tender when I’ve foiled.

Powak

TechsasJim said:

Rub binders on brisket?    I’m from Texas and that isn’t a thing.   Salt and pepper and done.   

Since you’re using the point for this it should be great at a 250* cook.   

Just my thoughts.   I did one recently and it was fork tender    

Let us know which route you go and how it works out—best of luck!

Do you think injecting’s necessary? And if I did could I do that too without wrapping?

AnothaStolenGenrator

Powak said:

AnothaStolenGenrator said:

Have you heard about the Travis method?

I have not! What’s that?

It’s how he does it.

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1138233/brisket-how-i-do-it/p1

Langner91

Inject FTW.  Wrap at 160°F IT.  Start probing when it hits 190°F IT.  When it is done, it is done.  Buy the best brisket you can afford.  

Your buddies will never cook another brisket, they will just pay you to do it.

RyanStl

For competition you want to be careful as can be. I would inject, go low and slow, wrap, and rest.  I've never seen the need for a binder. Rub sticks without it 

RyanStl

I would also do a full packer which will give you the best shot of selecting the best to enter for judging. Don't forget to get a high quality cut.

TechsasJim

Powak said:

TechsasJim said:

Rub binders on brisket?    I’m from Texas and that isn’t a thing.   Salt and pepper and done.   

Since you’re using the point for this it should be great at a 250* cook.   

Just my thoughts.   I did one recently and it was fork tender    

Let us know which route you go and how it works out—best of luck!

Do you think injecting’s necessary? And if I did could I do that too without wrapping?

I have never injected a brisket either.   I do make sure to keep the brisket out and is as close to room temp as
possible before I put it on.   

I do not wrap in butcher paper but I do wrap in Saran Wrap and put in a cooler full of towels pillows after it hits temp/toothpick.  Let it hang out there for an hour or two.   Meat butter

Powak

Langner91 said:

Inject FTW.  Wrap at 160°F IT.  Start probing when it hits 190°F IT.  When it is done, it is done.  Buy the best brisket you can afford.  

Your buddies will never cook another brisket, they will just pay you to do it.

THAT’S what I’m talkin about!! When you inject do you apply rub too? And can you wrap with tinfoil or is butcher paper only?

Foghorn

When you wrap in butcher paper, your bark will not develop any further but will not soften - and moisture gets preserved in the meat.  When you wrap in foil, the bark softens.  That's why I prefer to wrap in butcher paper.

I agree with doing a whole packer from a high quality source (prime, certified angus, or wagyu).  The angus has become my favorite of those actually as it has more flavor.

lkapigian

Don’t try something you’ve never done for a comp ( or for company ), not the place for trial and error , a practice run ( or two or three) is in order for new things ….a “ peoples choice” comp is fun and forgiving and you will be judged not on 1 bite but what you could make a meal of….wrap when bark is set, not by temp…don’t spritz until set as you will wash out seasoning ( I almost never spritz) MSG is your friend…..basic stuff for all protein and cook offs 

my weekend cooks are always “ Practice “

Powak

Foghorn said:

When you wrap in butcher paper, your bark will not develop any further but will not soften - and moisture gets preserved in the meat.  When you wrap in foil, the bark softens.  That's why I prefer to wrap in butcher paper.

I agree with doing a whole packer from a high quality source (prime, certified angus, or wagyu).  The angus has become my favorite of those actually as it has more flavor.

AH!! That’s why then. Is butcher paper applicable to turbo briskets too? Or is that just for tinfoil?

Foghorn

Powak said:

Foghorn said:

When you wrap in butcher paper, your bark will not develop any further but will not soften - and moisture gets preserved in the meat.  When you wrap in foil, the bark softens.  That's why I prefer to wrap in butcher paper.

I agree with doing a whole packer from a high quality source (prime, certified angus, or wagyu).  The angus has become my favorite of those actually as it has more flavor.

AH!! That’s why then. Is butcher paper applicable to turbo briskets too? Or is that just for tinfoil?

I would think it would work at any temperature at which it doesn't catch fire.  I've used it as high as 325 - but not by design.  The temp just got away from me...

I didn't know what temp would burn butcher paper - so I googled and it seems to be in the 450-500 range.  But I have never - by design - cooked a brisket at anything over 290 so I'm ignorant about turbo brisket.

WeberWho

Powak said:

Foghorn said:

When you wrap in butcher paper, your bark will not develop any further but will not soften - and moisture gets preserved in the meat.  When you wrap in foil, the bark softens.  That's why I prefer to wrap in butcher paper.

I agree with doing a whole packer from a high quality source (prime, certified angus, or wagyu).  The angus has become my favorite of those actually as it has more flavor.

AH!! That’s why then. Is butcher paper applicable to turbo briskets too? Or is that just for tinfoil?

Butcher paper will help your brisket breathe during the cook. 

Worth a watch. He does a good job explaining the 3 different techniques with a brisket. 

https://youtu.be/_Ldg73DumjI

Griffin

Ask a brisket question here and you'll get a hundred different answers. LOL

My advice, after you decide your method, practice it a couple of times before hand.

And just because nobody has mentioned it and to throw one more out there to make it more confusing, try the foil boat method. (Look for Chud's BBQ on YouTube.

RyanStl

Griffin said:

Ask a brisket question here and you'll get a hundred different answers. LOL

My advice, after you decide your method, practice it a couple of times before hand.

And just because nobody has mentioned it and to throw one more out there to make it more confusing, try the foil boat method. (Look for Chud's BBQ on YouTube.

Because there really isn't a right way, just the way you like.

About the question do you use rub if you inject. Answer is yes, they are independent. However, I would rub after injection because if you are like me you will get the injection everywhere 

Mark_B_Good

The one thing I added to my recipe (based on the advice of others here) that made a HUGE difference.  I reinjected with broth prior to the foil wrap (when it hit 160F) ... normally I inject broth prior to the cook, and I did that ... but that second reinjection before the foil wrap ... holy smokes did it come out tender and juicy ... everyone who ate it couldn't believe the taste and tenderness.

One thing though, I have found beef broth to turn the brisket too salty ... so I have now switched to vegetable broth ... and it is PERFECT. 

Langner91

Powak said:

Langner91 said:

Inject FTW.  Wrap at 160°F IT.  Start probing when it hits 190°F IT.  When it is done, it is done.  Buy the best brisket you can afford.  

Your buddies will never cook another brisket, they will just pay you to do it.

THAT’S what I’m talkin about!! When you inject do you apply rub too? And can you wrap with tinfoil or is butcher paper only?

I inject with LOW SODIUM beef broth, and still salt and pepper for rub as normal.

I use aluminum foil.  The bark is a little softer, obviously, but "bark" isn't my favorite part of the brisket, anyway.

Good luck!

Legume

This is gonna sound stupid to some, but I’ve had great luck and lots of compliments when I paint the brisket with a vinegar and sugar slurry as I wrap it.  The fat and juices melt into the slurry and it all gives you a bbq sauce-like bark that is incredible.  Don’t cook above 275 and unwrap and set the bark at the end, like is done with 321 ribs.

EzraBrooks

Griffin said:

Ask a brisket question here and you'll get a hundred different answers. LOL

My advice, after you decide your method, practice it a couple of times before hand.

And just because nobody has mentioned it and to throw one more out there to make it more confusing, try the foil boat method. (Look for Chud's BBQ on YouTube.

+1 for foil boat. For me it produces the best product and it is extremely consistent. Once I started doing the foil boat I have nailed every cook whereas before it was hit or miss.

lkapigian

Legume said:

This is gonna sound stupid to some, but I’ve had great luck and lots of compliments when I paint the brisket with a vinegar and sugar slurry as I wrap it.  The fat and juices melt into the slurry and it all gives you a bbq sauce-like bark that is incredible.  Don’t cook above 275 and unwrap and set the bark at the end, like is done with 321 ribs.

Interesting