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First Brisket tomorrow

JBUG99999
JBUG99999 Posts: 263
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
After tasting the brisket at the Dillard BBQ competition, and after reviewing GeorgiaBorn's videos, we have decided to tackle our first brisket on the Egg.

We purchased a 11.5 pound brisket from the meat market this morning. I trimmed it up a bit, and seasoned it with some rub we bought locally (no time to order the stuff recommended by GABorn).

We'll put the brisket on in the middle of the night and muddle our way through. We were planning on inviting a few people over to help us eat it, but then we were afraid it would suck, so we didn't invite anyone, that way it'll be stupendous! :P

Will take pictures and keep you posted!

Comments

  • EggNorth
    EggNorth Posts: 1,535
    Looking forward to you pictures. I have not cooked a brisket yet but it seems to the the meat of choice.

    I'm still not clear on what to buy. My local market has has one with a label called Brisket Point. However looking at it it looks like the flat area. Someday I will get it right.
    Dave
    Cambridge, Ontario - Canada
    Large (2010), Mini Max (2015), Large garden pot (2018)
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Julie, I'll be watching for your post. Tim
  • JBUG99999
    JBUG99999 Posts: 263
    My understanding is that it is best to avoid the processed briskets at the grocer, but to get the packer cuts from the meat market, butcher, or wholesaler.

    Ours came in a cryovac pouch.

    We plan to cook the brisket intact, and then remove the point, as GABorn suggested in his video.
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    I have done one flat brisket that is all. I will say though that it came out very well. I studied about how to egg it for 52 years so, that's probably why it came out so good. :lol: Tim
  • SSN686
    SSN686 Posts: 3,500
    Morning Julie:

    You will do fine...just don't over think it! If you do want some taste testers, let us know :) :cheer:

    Have a GREAT day!

       Jay

    Brandon, FL


     

  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
    Julie,
    Can't wait to see the pics... Here are a few tips...
    Load the Egg up full with lump- even if it is touching the plate setter, you don't want to run out...
    Start the Egg at LEAST an hour before you're going to put the meat on, put everything in but the meat, get the temp stable and cruising for at least 45 minutes -- what ever the settings for the top and bottom are, DON'T TOUCH THEM after you put the meat in - it will return to your desired temp....
    Every brisket has it's own mind - start testing at 180 degrees for tenderness - when your probe or fork goes in and comes out easy - it is done...
    Kent Madison MS
  • JBUG99999
    JBUG99999 Posts: 263
    Thanks, Jay!

    After much discussion, we decided to go ahead and put the brisket on tonight and let it go all night, rather than trying to get up at 3AM and start it then. We've the fire steady at 275 and just put the meat on. Wish us luck!

    If it's any good, we'll give a holler! Hopefully, we'll see some beginers luck!

    Any idea how much it will shrink up? The one in the video seemed almost half its original size. I sure hope this one doesn't shrink that much!

    We're hoping to do our first Pork Butt next weekend, if we survive this. The guy at the local grill shop is trying to sell us this attachment that goes on the end of an electric drill to pull the pork. I was planning to get a set of the Bear Claws. What do ya'll use???
  • SSN686
    SSN686 Posts: 3,500
    Morning Julie:

    I wouldn't expect it to shrink by half (maybe a third).

    We use our hands to pull the pork...I saw a video of that attachment you are talking about and didn't think much of it. I would rather take my time and make sure I get any leftover fat/stuff out and not mix in with the pork...just the way we like it!

    Have a GREAT day!

       Jay

    Brandon, FL


     

  • JBUG99999
    JBUG99999 Posts: 263
    Thanks, Jay! It doesn't look like we lost as much in size as the video, maybe 1/3.

    The alarm went off on the remote thermometer about an hour ago. I checked the temperature in a few places, and it wasn't quite there, so I let it go another half hour or so. I just pulled it and it's resting now. We should know more in 3-4 hours! All fingers and toes crossed that we don't have a giant piece of shoe leather!!!!!

    As far as the pork butt goes, it sounds like we are on the same page. We were concerned about the same things. We'll probably do it by hand, or maybe use bear claws, as well, so we can pull out any fat/icky stuff. We'll definitely be doing the pork butt next weekend, even if this brisket doesn't turn out quite the way we had planned....
  • bubba tim
    bubba tim Posts: 3,216
    Hi Julie...Good luck with "taming the beast". It is a fun journey leaning to cook brisket. I have a page that talks a little about it to help eggheads get started.

    http://bubbatim.com/Bubba_s_Brisket.php

    Lets us know how you did. :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:
    SEE YOU IN FLORIDA, March 14th and 15th 2014 http://www.sunshinestateeggfest.com You must master temp, smoke, and time to achive moisture, taste, and texture! Visit www.bubbatim.com for BRISKET HELP
  • JBUG99999
    JBUG99999 Posts: 263
    Thanks for the tips, Bubba Tim, we'll try some of those things next time!

    Our brisket turned out pretty good. Not award winning, but it'll make a few decent meals for us. (Sorry, Jay, it's not good enough for us to brag about, maybe next time.)

    Here are some pictures of our first brisket.

    This was taken after I trimmed the hard fat off and rubbed it down...

    3fbed490.jpg

    This picture was taken between 4 and 5 this morning. The remote thermometer said 195 and I used the instant read to check the temperature in a few places to make sure it was done. (The instant read isn't properly calibrated, but I know how much to add! :whistle: )

    c556886f.jpg

    I let it rest for thirty minutes, and then I removed the point...

    58656554.jpg

    Then, I cut some of the fat off the point and added some more rub and returned it to the Egg for burnt ends...

    93a90254.jpg

    After 3 1/2 hours of resting in the cooler wrapped in foil and towels, I sliced it up...

    307ac68f.jpg

    When I put the point back on for the burnt ends, I added some more wood, so the point has a nice smoked flavor. The flat, doesn't have a lot of smoke flavor. It's good, but it's not over the top good. We'll try a few things differently next time and see if we get a better smoke ring. I think we'll try Bubba Tim's au jus injection, as well. I did inject some beef broth, but I think the au jus would be more flavorful. I only used about a cup, so maybe I'll try to inject more next time, as well.

    We had a hard time keeping the temperature down for the first half of the cook. It stayed close to 275 for quite awhile. I think that was our biggest mistake. It was done at about 9 hours in, so it went too fast, I guess. It's fairly tender, but not really fork fall apart tender.

    Thanks everyone for your tips and suggestions! I don't know that I would have even attempted this without your help!
  • JBUG99999
    JBUG99999 Posts: 263
    I forgot to mention that neither of us are crazy about the black bark some people love. We actually tried to keep the outside lighter....
  • SSN686
    SSN686 Posts: 3,500
    Morning Julie:

    I don't see anything wrong with that brisket...looks very tasty to me...were you able to pull a slice apart by hand with only a little tug? I've eaten some as a judge that I could NOT pull apart by hand, barely able to bite through it (scored a 5, but probably should have been a 4).

    Where are the pics of the burnt ends?

    Have a GREAT day!

       Jay

    Brandon, FL


     

  • JBUG99999
    JBUG99999 Posts: 263
    Yes, you could pull it apart, but it wasn't tender per se. Especially if you try to compare it to what we had up at the Dillard competition. J&J BGE team was disappointed that their brisket was tough (we thought it was great!), and ours was definitely tougher than theirs.

    Ours doesn't taste bad, but it's not as flavorful as I had hoped. The seasoning on the outside is great, but the meat isn't as tasty as what we had in Dillard, either. Bubba Tim suggested an au jus basting sauce that probably would have helped immensely. (I may pick some up to serve with dinner!)

    I don't know anything about the scoring, is 5 bad? Out of how many points?

    DOH! (Slapping my own forehead!) I didn't take a final picture of the burnt ends. They are all cubed up and chilling in the freezer for sandwiches next week.
  • JBUG99999
    JBUG99999 Posts: 263
    WOW.

    The brisket tasted MUCH better this evening for dinner than it did this morning when I sliced it. The flavor was MUCH better and it had a much more pronounced smoke flavor.

    It wasn't tough, but I did use a knife for mine (the hubby did not, but he's stubborn like that).

    I was REALLY impressed with how improved the flavor was this evening. And, it was a complete down pour here, so I just heated it up in the oven for a few minutes, so it wasn't any extra smoke from the Egg.

    I'm really glad the rest of the brisket was safely ensconced in the freezer, because the vultures probably would have eaten the rest of it tonight! (I separated it into three meal portions, including the burnt ends.)

    I would have shared, had I known the flavor was going to improve over time. Next time, Jay!

    Is that normal? Have ya'll noticed that with yours, or was I just lucky???