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Brisket Confusion

QDude
QDude Posts: 1,052
I have a brisket flat with a rub on the XL right now and I am debating whether I need to spray it every hour with apple juice or not.  I also am questioning if I need to foil it.  What sayeth the experts here?  Thanks for your advice!

Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

XL BGE and a KBQ.

Comments

  • @QDude, I'm only getting my LBGE in a couple of weeks so, I cannot add any "first hand" advice with respect to doing a brisket on the egg. From what I've read, the egg does a much better job of maintaining a "moister" cooking environment so that spraying or mopping is not as important as it might be on a more traditional smoker or cooker. As for wrapping; you'll see all sorts of opinions on this --- wrap or not wrap, foil vs. butcher paper, etc. Finally, remember to allow a couple of hours for the FTC after you take the brisket off of the meat.

    Hope everything turns out even better than your expectations!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I'm not a big fan of spraying with the egg. I'm not much of a brisket expert either. Flats can end up very dry so I would foil towards the end of the cook. If you have any decent beef broth or stock I would reduce a box of it to about a quarter and pour it over the flat and foil to finish the cook and rest.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    I agree with LS... Keeping your dome closed is a bigger benefit than juicing IMO.

     Your flat cooking method could be determined by the fat content. Some times you will be lucky enough to get a flat (that wasn't trimmed properly) with the fat from in between the point and flat. Flats like this will  usually produce a juicy end product with out much trouble. If it is on the lean side you may want to try a braised or modified braised method (travis method) in the future.

    Flats in my experience are unpredictable. I end up foiling 100% of the time with them. You can go with the foil and juice, stock, beer, soda, or whatever. If your end result is dryer than you like you can chop it and mix it with sauce, or my favorite the drippings. The good news is that even my driest flat made an excellent sandwich. Good luck.
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    I wouldn't spray it. I've had better luck with flats foiled than not foiled but greatly prefer cooking packers. You can add a little liquid when you foil but I would limit it to 1/4 cup or less.
    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA
  • rsmith193
    rsmith193 Posts: 219
    We never spray our briskets. I will inject it with an organic low sodium beef broth, the night before and let it sit in an unwrapped pan on ice for up to 12 hours. When it reaches an internal temp of 170, it gets wrapped. I pull it at 198, then open the foil, pour off the juices into a cup. Then leave it loose wrapped in a cambro(a large ice chest works too). pull it out about 3 to 4 hours later and it's good to go. hope this helps.
  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
    I don't spray my briskets, I try to only open the dome if absolutely necessary. When I do flats I usually pull it at 160-165° inject it with a beef broth mixture and foil it as well as bump up the temp of the egg to help it through the stall. Flat out Tasty was a good reference to a brisket flat I did last year. 

    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
  • No and no.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Doesn't somebody here have a cheat method for brisket? ;;)

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Doesn't somebody here have a cheat method for brisket? ;;)

    :ar!
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    There used to be a guy on here that had some stupid way to cook brisket... Think he got run off. :-@
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • QDude
    QDude Posts: 1,052
    I ended up foiling it about 4 hours into the cook but did not spray it with apple juice.  It ended up great!  Thanks for your advice.

    Northern Colorado Egghead since 2012.

    XL BGE and a KBQ.