Brisket

Unknown

Any suggestions on a good way to cook a brisket on the egg?

Tom

wirefire, I've never doe one but I have done a considerable amount of research. The main thing I found was to cook it at 225 until the internal temp. gets to 205. Check out www.bbqforum.com. Then go to bbq search and type in brisket. Good luck, Tom

Kip

wirefire,
Check out Elder Ward's world class brisket in the submitted recipes section of this forum. It is incredible! Try the beans also.

Nature Boy

Howdy wirefire,
Yum, brisket. [p]Not sure what size brisket you have, but rub it down with a good beef rub, and maybe throw in some turbinado sugar to help with your caramelized crust. Let the rub melt in for a spell...1-4 hours is good. [p]On the cooker, I get a good hot small fire going (maybe 2 cups of lump). I let it get screaming orange....maybe 15 minutes. The thermometer shoots up to 600 from the flames. Then I spread out those coals, add a couple big fat chunks of my favorite wood...cherry is killer on brisket....and cover the whole thing with fresh lump up to the top of the firebox. (CW inspiration long ago) then I lay on the bottom grid (like a weber grid or upside down platesetter) with a shallow drip pan...then elevate the cooking grid a few inches over the drip pan (either with BGE's extended grate, firebricks. Basically all you need is a heat shield to protect the meat from the direct drying heat of the fire.[p]Then I just close the lid, and close the bottom vent to 1/4 inch or less, with the top wide open. At this point I just let the fire get established and let the smoke thin to a light stream of grayish/blue smoke. Isially about 30 or 40 minutes. If the thick brown stuff is billowing out, you don't want your meat in there yet. Least I don't. I shoot for an even 225 at the cooking level. Maybe 230. Depending on my setup, sometimes that means 270 dome, sometimes 250. 250 is a good dome temp to use if you don't monitor your cooking level.[p]Once the smoke has thinned, and you are working up somewhere near your target temp add the brisket, and close up for the long haul. Slap on the daisy...I leave it wide open, or slap a MickT #5 on there. Lately I have been flipping the brisket half way through. End to end and over. That way if one side of the cooker is hotter, it evens out in the long run. Sometimes I don't flip. Up to you. Depends how it looks to be cooking. Main thing is don't be opening your cooker all the time![p]So smooth and steady is the key now. The internal temp will stall in the 150-170 range. Sometimes for many hours. Just keep your cooking temps up where you want them, and ride it on out. Just from what I have seen, 5-7 pounders take about 10-12 hours. 8-12 pounders seem to be in the 12-15 hour range. Keep in mind that the higher grades of brisket (choice, then prime) can cook quite a bit faster due to more fat and less connective tissue.[p]Once your internal temp reaches 170, you can get away with notching the heat up a bit....maybe 280-290...as the plateau/collagen breakdown is pretty much complete. When you get to the 185-190 internal range check for tenderness. For example stick a fork in it, and observe how easily it slips back out. If the meat seems to be tugging on the fork, cook to 195 and check again. I do my tender test by sliding the polder in and out. That way I am not poking any new holes.[p]One you hit the tender point, pull it off and wrap in foil in a warm cooler for 30 minutes to several hours. I have heard adding some sauce or beef broth to the foil package helps keep it moist...but I have not tried that yet![p]When ready, slice against the grain, serve up with your favorite sauce and enjoy some righteous beef flavor. Prepare for some unbelievable smells when you open the foil to serve![p]Hope that gives you a few idears. It gave me a chance to spout off at the mouth, as I have been quiet lately! Beers to you.[p]Go Terps.
Chris

ravnhaus

wirefire,
Here is a link to my take on the brisket.
[ul][li]Brisket[/ul]