I'm afraid of my brisket!!! HURRY

lecather

Thank you thirdeye for posting that ... it smells wonderful - do I really have to pull it offa the Egg? Its been on there since about 11:00am BUT some of that time was spent relighting the Egg and getting temp up to 250

thirdeye

That's up to you.... I'm afraid being so close to the coals and in the direct heat will eventually cause problems. Especially once it starts to sweat a little fat. Premature drying will also be an issue. Also some folks don't like the flavors that come from fats dripping into the fire.

I suppose you could let it get a little more color, and/or you could put some foil under it for a little relief from the direct heat. You could also try a roasting pan if you have a rack that will get it off the bottom (a disposable foil one is the way to go) Even some balls of foil will keep it off the bottom of the pan.

This is still an indirect set-up , but will give you the idea.

Panhandle Smoker

Thirdeye is da man on his briskets and his info is great. I would make a run to the dealer and get a plate setter to finish.

lecather

ok I have a roasting pan I'll go put it in it with some foil balls under neath - will take another pic

glc203

I would. You probably got it nice and smokey.

lecather

Ok the brisket is now in a roasting pan with 3 foil balls underneath it. Internal temperature is 180 on one side and 170 on the other. It LOOKS good and smells wonderful. When I was poking the thermometer in the juces were clear. It looks done to me already!! Could this be?

Ok its back on the Egg in its pan on low! Have the daisy almost closed completely and bottom door 1/4" or so.

I have hope!

lecather

Thirdeye are you still there?

thirdeye

Sorry, I was in the workshop.... I think the pan will help. You probably should have lined the pan with foil..... For some reason I thought it would have been darker by now. It still has a way to go, you are looking for something in the 190°'s in the flat. And it may need some high 190°'s to be tender. Kind of pay attention to tenderness when you slide in the thermometer. You test tenderness with your thermometer or ice pick in the flat, in this direction, not coming in from the side.

lecather

workshop? for Eggers? I am SO out of the loop (obviously!!!) Is this something for everyone - or??

Mike in Abita

lecather

That's a pretty substantial pan there. Do you have a smaller grid to place right over it and put the brisket on it?

Close your bottom vent down to about a 1/16" maybe the thickness of a credit card and you will have an easier time maintaining temps.

lecather

ok just pulled it off the Egg as the Egg had once again gone out - was at about 150 when I went out. Wrapped it up good in foil but it seemed so small so I weighed it - its only 4.7 lb!! I know I cut some fat off but don't think I cut 4 lbs of fat!! No idea at this point if I have a briquette or something that will taste good but its in the oven on just below 200 for an hour?

Not sure I'll do another brisket anytime soon but thank you all so very very much for your help!!!

thirdeye

Between waste and shrink, you always loose 40% or so on a brisket.

I would get that oven temp up to at least 250°. Remember your target internal temp will be 195° or so...If the oven is at 200° you have close to a 1:1 ratio, so it will take forever to get there. Check it in an hour. I'm hoping you will report some natural juices in the foil.

When it is done, and ready to rest It's possible you won't need to add any additional liquid to the pouch. If you do, you can add 1/4 cup of beef broth, a splash of wooster, and 1/2 teaspoon of cider vinegar to the pouch.

Mike in Abita

Sorry this cook didn't turn out so well. Read Thirdeye's site about brisket, get a platesetter, practice temp control, and you will be able to make brisket that will amaze your friends and relatives. My father tried and tried to master brisket, some of his results were edible, others, well let's just say the dog got fed well those days. Once the dog even refused to eat it. For what it's worth I had three failures before I got one to work. That one was enough of a shot in the arm to keep me going, then I finally nailed one. I can still hear my dad boasting about how good it was. I miss my dad.

Keep practicing and you'll get it. Stick with the whole briskets, until you find a method that works for you. I wouldn't throw that out even if it isn't up to snuff. Shred it and put some into beans, make chili with some, stuff some of it into ABTs.

lecather

ABTs?? and thank you so much I will try this again only better prepared!!! Thank you all for providing so much wonderful information .... and for what its worth -if it tastes half as good as it smells I'm IN for doin' briskets!

lecather

Thirdeye thank you again so much I will give a final report

Mike in Abita

Atomic Buffalo Turds. A Jalapeno split in half, seeds removed (or not). Stuffed with cream cheese and pulled pork, brisket, cocktail wiener, shrimp, etc. Then wrapped with bacon, sprinkle with rub, and cooked at 350 dome raised grid, until bacon is done.

lecather

OK OK - OMG - LOL - I am SOOOOO excited!!!!

its 6:20 pm and the heat is OFF! Baby is resting now with an internal temp of between 190 and 195 ANNNNDDDDDDDD .... the thermometer glided in !!!! Could it be I brought this off actually??? oh and there are juices in the foil and leaked into the pan too

Smell continues to be wonderful!!!

lecather

ok now how did you know I absolutely adore jalapenos? I will definitely try some of these with my darling first brisket!!! Hope I'm not premature but I'm thinin' I gotta winner here.

Have to say people rave about my sittin' or beercan chickens so hopefully some of that good fortune will follow me to my briskets too

thirdeye

That's what we wanted to hear. Make sure you save that juice, it can be drizzled on or used for dunking. It can also be added to any BBQ sauce to really wake up the flavor.

Be sure and send a picture when you slice it.

lecather

Ok will do ... how do I slice - just exactly as the picture you posted? Sorta at a slant or ??

thirdeye

Your goal is to slice across the grain. When the brisket is raw, the grain direction is really obvious and I mark mine with a V notch (at the yellow arrows). Then I know to slice perpendicular to the notch.



Even when it's cooked you can get a peek at the grain direction in the flat. Look close under the letters s,l,i in the word slicing.... you can see a glimpse of grain lines. By looking at the slices themselves you can tell the grain too. Here is an example of each. If you get off a little, just adjust the knife angle.



The point is a different story, the grain changes in it. The good thing is it will be more tender so you don't have to be right on to get a good slice. Here is a picture showing the flat (on top) and some of the point. Try to plate some of each.

lecather

I'm over the moon! It came out GOOD! Sooooo good! I can see where there is room to play with more juices, etc but for my first (and very disjointed) attempt I am well pleased and hooked on briskets! I'm over the fear - looking forward to my next one and plan to make it a Christmas season tradition! Thanks everyone!

Pics to follow - I'll e-mail them to Thirdeye

Mike in Abita

Glad it turned out good. No reason to email photos. Just go here. http://photobucket.com/ It's free. Upload your photos from your PC. Once on Photobucket, hover your mouse over the photo you want to post and right click on the IMG Code, copy that code. It's the last code in the series. Come back to the forum, and paste the code directly in your post. Like this.



You can go back and grab other photos as well. Just start a new line and copy and paste again.




Keep copying and pasting till you have all the photos you'd like to share.

thirdeye

Here they are. That was a good save.

In the picture of it whole, the seam between the point and flat was very obvious. That is a good sign...as was the juice on the cutting board. Overall, how did you like the seasoning and how was the tenderness?

lecather

Its a very good tasting brisket. I know it was my first so there is room to improve. I want it a little juicier next time and I'm sure the more indirect cooking will deal with that but its pleny moist enough. You are right it was a good save but only THANKS TO YOU and all the other Eggheads!

I'm definitely doing another one soon!

Unknown

hey Pete>even i was giving your old lady a floggin>it wasnt very good :S

Unknown

probally tasted like an old shoe liner>reminds me of your skanky wife

lecather

celtic bum your name fits - get out of my thread! no trash allowed!