Brisket - The Final Frontier

QBabe

Hi Folks...[p]Ok, I'm going to attempt brisket again. My first couple of times have been less than satisfactory, but yesterday I picked up a nice IBP choice 12 lb'er from Sam's Club for $1.58/lb, so I'm going to give it a try again.[p]What I was wondering about from the "family" is 1) timing, 2) favorite rub recipes and 3) side dish suggestions. [p]If I want to serve it for dinner tomorrow night (anywhere between 6:00 and 8:00 pm), should I put it on tonight, or tomorrow morning? I've gone back through a bunch of my printed pages, but the range seems all over the place. I planned on a dome temp of about 250° and indirect setup.[p]Thanks for the help and Happy Friday!
Tonia
:~)

Chef Arnoldi

QBabe, i would use this rub:[p]BRISKET RUB:
* 4 Tbs Kosher salt
* 4 Tbs Turbinado sugar
* 2 Tbs ground Cumin seeds
* 4 Tbs Chili powder
* 2 Tbs cracked Black pepper
* 1 Tbs Cayenne pepper
* 4 Tbs Hungarian paprika
* 2 Tbs Thyme ground
and pull when internal temp reaches 195F
wait 30min then slice thin slices accross the grain.

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side dishes

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israeli cuscus (larger grain), rice pilaf, garlic mashed potatoes or twice baked potato.

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vegetables

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sweet peas, green beans cooked with broth onion, broccoly steamed & then sauteed on high heat adding butter the last few minutes to brown.[p]have a great "GOODFRIDAY"

Rumrunner

QBabe,
I've cooked a few briskets over the years and I like a plain simple rub of Kosher salt, black pepper, granulated garlic and paprika...equal parts. Lately I've been throwing in some Turbinado sugar for grins and giggles....I like it. As far as time goes, figure 1½ hours a pound APPROX and keep track of the internal with a Polder. If it's done to early, no big deal, just warm it back up or keep it warm wrapped in a towel in a preheated cooler. some people like their brisket pulled, others sliced...I can take that great taste either way

MerlinEgger

QBabe,
If you are interested in injecting it, I did one with Cajun Garlic Butter Injectible Marinade on someone's suggestion off the forum and it was really good. I concur with times already suggested. Hope you enjoy....

TRex

<p />QBabe,[p]I'm certainly not the brisket expert here, but what I've been using as a rub is Dizzy Pig Cow Lick mixed with Turbinado sugar - works really well. Also, I like to pour Coke over the brisket a couple of times during the cook - my grandmother used to do that with hams and man could she make a great ham![p]Cooking just the flats, I've found that it takes just under 2 hrs per pound at an average dome temperature of 250, using an indirect setup, to get to 200 internal. However, per some recommendations here on the forum, I think I'm going to pull my next brisket at 190 or so, and then wrap it in foil and let it sit in a cooler for another couple of hours or so. From what I have heard, this makes a noticeable difference in the tenderness and juiciness.[p]I would estimate roughly 20 hours to get to about 190 - 195 on your brisket (that's using 1.8 hrs/lb, which is what I've calculated as an average, and then subtracting an hour b/c I've been going to 200). Of course, this may vary depending on how the thickness of your brisket varies. Then, I would build into that 20 hours another 3 - 5 hours or so of cushion, in case you get stuck in that plateau for a longer than expected period of time. You can always do the foil in cooler method if you finish early, and believe me, speaking from experience when I had a crew of hungry, restless guests waiting for my brisket to finish, IT'S BETTER TO FINISH EARLY.[p]Having said all that, I guess if I were you I'd throw it on at about 6:00 p.m. tonight.[p]Again, I'm not an expert, just speaking from my limited experience. I'm sure JSlot or DrBBQ or some other more seasoned veterans can expound on what I've said or make corrections to any errant advice I've thrown out there.[p]Hope it turns out great. Good luck, and have a good Good Friday.[p]TRex
[ul][li]One of my brisket cooks[/ul]

WooDoggies

Hey Tonia..... here's your Kennett brother's suggestions. :~)[p]1) 12 lbs times 1.5 - 2 hours per pound is around 18 to 24 hours cook time plus a coupla few hours rest in a cooler before slicing for dinner.......... how about 9pm tonight?
If you have the time and the inclination, you could try monitoring the grate temp instead of the dome and cook a bit lower........ say, 210 grate? That way you'll know what temp your meat is cooking at throughout the cook.
And instead of pulling it off once the brisket reaches a certain internal temp, you could start checking for doness with a probe poke when the internal reaches 180 or so. When the probe slides in and out like butter, that puppy's done regardless of internal temp.[p]2) Dizzy Pig Cow Lick cut in half with brown sugar.[p]3) Cornbread, coleslaw, green beans, baked beans, fluffy rice, steamed broccoli or cauliflower with cheese sauce, mashed taters and gravy.......... and beer.[p]Good Luck... take pictures!
John[p]

Bordello

QBabe,
Damn, $1.58 for choice, you lucky girl you.[p]
My store told me $2.39 for select and when I look it was $2.99 for select.[p]Hope your cook goes well.[p]Regards,
New Bob

BobinFla

QBabe,
You've got some great ideas already below.[p]At the Florida Fest 2004, I used Dizzy Cow Lick and Turbino sugar. I cooked it @ about 250° to 300°, but I'd change that to no more than 225° to 250°.[p]T took it off @ about 185° internal, I'd change that and go for at least 195°. [p]I don't know if you tried thr "Breakfast Brisket" or not, but while it was good, it wasn't my best (that's why I'd make the changes above).[p]In *MY* opinion, brisket isn't any harder than a pork butt, I just need to keep the temperatures down more because I don't think that brisket is as forgiving as the pork.[p]Good luck, it will be great, judging from everything else you've cooked![p]BOB

Unknown

TRex,
I got some tips last weekend from a seasoned vet and he says pull the brisket @ 190 and wrap in foil for awhile.

QBabe

Chef Arnoldi,[p]Thanks a bunch...[p]Tonia
:~)

QBabe

Hi Steve...[p]Happy Easter weekend to ya! Thanks for the info and hopefully, I'll be reporting back with some good results...[p]Tonia
:~)

QBabe

MerlinEgger,[p]Thanks for the suggestion. I'll post how everything turned out![p]Tonia
:~)

QBabe

anonymous,[p]I got very similar tips from a good friend who's visiting family in Wisconsin. Sounds like good advice to me![p]Tonia
:~)

QBabe

TRex,[p]Thanks a bunch. I'm really excited about this cook. I've put off trying again, mainly because the prices I'd been seeing for brisket were out of site. So, when I saw such a good price, I had to try again...[p]Hopefully, it'll turn out well...[p]Happy Weekend!
Tonia
:~)

QBabe

Hey John,[p]How's my Kennett brother these days? I'm counting the days 'til May 1st and looking forward to seeing you soon...![p]Thanks for all the suggestions. This is one cook I need lots of practice on and I'll take all the help I can get...[p]I did a pretty yummy recipe for cornbread not long ago, so that sounds like a winner...plus, I get to use my lodge biscuit pan for it and that makes it even better![p][p]Now, the beer part, I'll leave that up to Mr. Hyde and I'll stick with wine or mixed drinks...![p]Thanks for the suggestions and you bet I'll take lots of pics (guess I'd better charge up that camera battery that keeps flashing at me!)...[p]Happy Weekend!
Tonia
:~)

QBabe

New Bob,[p]Thanks for the positive vibes! I'll take all the well wishes I can get! [p]Hope you have a nice weekend, and may you find brisket at a lower price soon![p]Tonia
:~)

QBabe

Hi Bob,[p]Unlike you, I've had many successes with butts, but very few with brisket, so I find it one of the most challenging of cooks. But, hopefully, I'll do well this weekend...![p]Tonia
:~)

mollyshark

QBabe,[p]I've been pretty consistent with briskets (gotta get one of those gurus so I can SLEEP). I always use Elder Ward's rub and rub it down maybe 12-24 hours before cook. I get up 2-3 times during the night to make sure temps are steady. Rarely have had a problem if I do the fire right. And my biggest is not to get impatient and yank it at 180 or so. 190-195, wrap in aluminum foil, wrap in a beach towel, and I stick it in my warming drawer for an hour. Honestly what goes into the drawer and what comes out are 2 different products. That rest period just does wonders.[p]Good luck![p]MShark

ToyCollector

Tonia,[p]One thing I did not do when I did my first whole brisket was the recommendation of making some minor slits against the grain so you know which way it runs and can cut parallel when serving. A very good tip as the grain varies direction and kind of arced through the cut I had.

James

ToyCollector,[p]Cut parallel? I've always been taught to cut against the grain.[p][p]

QBabe

James,[p]Sounds to me like he cut to mark it "against" the grain so when it was cooked, he just cut in the same direction as the marks...[p]Maybe?
Tonia
:~)