Beef Brisket?

Unknown

Just decided to pick up a 10 lb beef brisket to try on the egg, but since I've always been more of a pulled pork guy I really don't have any experience with it.[p]How would you guys approach cooking a brisket on the egg?[p]Thanks !

Celtic Wolf

Ben,[p]From the left.. [p]Get a good Rub.. Cowlick will do wonderfully... If you need to be told where to buy Cowlick you will get your BGE License pulled...[p]Setup the egg for an indirect cook at 250 dome. place the duly rubbed brisket in the egg fat cap down. In about 12 hours check it.. Only to see if you are anywhere close to 200 degs internal. if not, wait and hour or so and check it again.[p]It should take between 1-2 hours per pound depending on the amount of fat and connective tissue in the brisket. This time will also be affected by whether or not you got a Flat or a Packer. If you got a flat it will take less time, but in the 1-2 hour per pound range.

Unknown

Ben, here is the way I cook them:[p]I rub the brisket in heavy salt and not-so-heavy pepper only, i.e. that's all I use for a rub.

I cook it indirect at about 225* at grid level (dome temp will normally run higher than at the grid). [p]When it reaches 165* to 175* internal temp in the flat, I double foil it and finish cooking it foiled, cooking at about 275* or 300* (the higher cooking temp is fine when it's in foil and it will get done quicker.) I normally put it in the oven, it doesn't matter if it's in the egg or the oven since it's covered with foil.[p]When the internal temp in the flat reaches between 190* and 195*, I take it out of the oven, leave it in the foil, wrap it in newspaper and an old towel or blanket and put it in a warm cooler. I like to keep it in the cooler at least an hour or two, it time permits. [p]A half hour before time to eat, I open the foil and let it rest for at least a half hour before slicing to permit the juices to restabilize. [p]Always slice perpendicular to the grain of the meat and cut slices about the thickness of a #2 wood pencil.

P.S. If you have some beef broth, pour a few TBS in the foil when you foil it and it will be more moist. If you don't have time to let it sit in the cooler before you want to eat, just open the foil when you take it out of the oven and let it rest for a half hour before slicing. Time in the cooler just makes it more tender, but it will be ok if you by-pass this step. As a side note, the selection of a "good" piece of meat in the beginning makes a difference. I normally try to find a choice grade instead of select, but some select briskets will cook up ok. Good luck; a brisket it the ultimate challenge for lots of folks.[p][p]

Unknown

Thanks guys!

galoot

Chuck/Tx,
I had heard that a brisket is a challenge, but not why. What makes it more difficult? What to look out for or avoid when doing one? I don't have a dog, so it has to work!

Unknown

Smoke2much, for various reasons people find it harder to cook a brisket than a butt. I think the main problem people have is temperature control. If you let the cooker get too hot, a "spike" as the bbq people call it, it will dry the meat out. Sometimes, if you cook them all the way on the cooker, unfoiled, they will also be dry. I think this usually happens when you don't have a good piece of meat to start with. You need to learn to pick a good brisket. Butts, on the other hand are much more forgiving of temperature ups and downs. It's actually pretty hard to mess up a butt. If you cook enough briskets, you'll see what I'm talking about. My advise is to not walk off and ignore your cooker while cooking a brisket and to finish it in foil; you gotta keep a close eye on the cooker temperature the whole time and if the temp. starts climbing, anticipate where it's going and start adjusting the vents without delay. Cheers.