Brisket & Ribs - Busy Egg Weekend

sprinter

I've had a brisket in my freezer for longer than I care to remember (4-5 months anyway) so I figured I should introduce it to the egg. I thawed it out over LAST weekend and started to prepare it early last week. On Monday I took it out of the cryovac, cleaned it up a bit and put it back into the fridge, uncovered, for a few days of dry age time. Never tried this on a brisket but thought I'd give it a go. On
Thursday I took it out, rubbed with a nice Q Rub and put it back into the fridge, again uncovered. Saturday AM I put it on the egg, indirect at 225 and cooked it for about 17 hours. Brisket was about 8 pounds and it could have taken a few more hours but it was at about 180 so I decided to pull it. I dont think the dry age process did anything to it as it didnt taste any different than other briskets that I've done, but it sure was good, just like the other briskets I've done.[p]Sunday I had 4 racks of pork spares that I wanted to cook. The wife got me a new rib rack for Christmas that was just screaming to be tested. They went in the fridge with some rub on them Saturday AM, started cooking them on Sunday about 2:30PM. They went on direct about 225-250, turning occasionally. Took them off about 6PM and they were great. I sauced them over the last 30 minutes and also took them out of the rack for this time period and just laid them flat on the grill. I also used some dried hickory nuts and shells as smoke. I picked up a big bag full of them out of my folks yard last fall and let them dry for about 6 months. This is the first time I've used them and I have to say I really like them. They are a lot sweeter smelling than the hickory wood or chips that you can get at the store for smoking. I put them in a smoke can that I have, otherwise I think that they would have burned up pretty quickly as they're not real dense wood. The can gets them hot and allows them to smoke but doesnt let them burn.[p]So, overall a successful egg weekend. Brisket will be for sammiches this week, ribs are gone except about a half a slab.[p]Troy

DavidR

sprinter,[p]So, how tender was the brisket? I'm having a big problem with my briskets turning out tough in the flat.

sprinter

DavidR,[p]It was as tender as I like them to be. I could turn a fork in about 75% of the brisket, the thicker portion was not quite that tender but very "pullable". I dont like to get either pork or brisket too well done as it starts to take on a mushy texture to me. I like it a bit more firm and not real stringy or real well done. Hope this helps.[p]Troy[p]PS: How do you cook your brisket, how large etc.? Maybe I can give some help on making the flat a bit less tough. Not by any means holding myself up as an expert but I've cooked a few and have had some pretty good success.

DavidR

sprinter,[p]I use those 10 to 12 lb. packer briskets. (the ones with the untrimmed fat caps) I use a dry rub, and coat it with mustard, and let it set in the fridge about 24 hours before. I ccok it indirect at around 225* over a water-filled drip pan that's inside and inverted plate setter. I stick the Polder into the flat, and I don't lift the lid until the internal reaches between 200* to 205*. I noticed that you lifted yours out at an internal of 180*. Do I take it that if you overcook it, that it will become tough again?? If it does, then that doesn't make any sense to me.[p]i appreciate your help.

sprinter

DavidR,[p]Not sure of the overcook thing, I can see where it would start to dry out again at a certain point but get tough again, cant say. I just like to take mine out a bit early, 180-185, somewhere in there, that way its through the plateau and the connective tissue is pretty well gone but the meat has not started to get soggy.[p]The last 4 briskets I've cooked I've had the butcher cut the flat from the point, basically cut the thing in half. That way I can take the point out of the egg early and let the thick flat portion go as long as it needs to. OR, if I only want to cook a smaller brisket for whatevery reason, I have smaller pieces to be able to do that with. I stack the point on top of the flat, both fat cap up, and let them cook that way. I dont use a polder or anything, I just fork test them or use a cheap instant read thermometer.[p]Other than that we use the same setup and cooking process. I've found that by having two pieces of brisket you get to remove the thinner portion when its done.[p]Hope this helps.[p]Troy