First Brisket...

Nitro · August 2010

Well I cooked my first Brisket (6 lbs Flat) at 250* for ~6 hours. At 170* meat temp I wrapped it in foil and cooked the rest of the way at 275* pit temp to 200*. Then I let it sit in a cooler for an hour. I have to say it turned out pretty good for my first time.

However, I will do things a little different next time. First off I'll use a different smoke wood. I used two Mesquite Chunks, which were a little too strong. Next time I'll use something a little less pungent, maybe Pecan.

Also, I may cook it a tad less tender. I had to cut it thicker than a half inch to avoid it falling apart. I poked it for doneness at 185, 190, 195 and 200 deg and I remember how it felt, but because of my inexperience I didn't know how to judge. Next time I should be able to.

Lastly, I may try a Whole Packer with more fat and forgo the bacon and foil step, just to see the difference. Although one good thing about the foil was, I added a couple ounces of beef broth, sherry and Worcestershire sauce to the foil before cooking the rest of the way. That made an excellent sauce to pour over the meat at the table.

Anyway, I learned a lot, enjoyed an awesome dinner and had fun in the process. Not to mention the plently leftovers. I have about four sandwitches worth in the fridge, and another two meals frozen. It easily produced six good meals for two (i.e. tweleve hardy servings).

Thanks or looking...

O.T. I've been have major troubles with PhotoBucket tonight. It's been real slow, and not displaying my photos. Not to mention it also keeps rotating my photos randomly. It's really ticking my off.

Anyone else experience these problems?

eenie meenie · August 2010

Nitro, really liked the pictorial of your first brisket cook!

I would rather error on the side of fall apart tender like yours rather than tough and dry. I'm just learning to cook brisket as well.

Luvs to shoot clay · August 2010

So far, of all the briskets I've cooked, no one has ever complained that it's too tough. I don't enter any contests so I don't know what a judge looks for. I just know what the people I feed like and it's tender and juicy.

BBQMaven · August 2010

Nice job... the Egg is so forgiving and I like your pics

tjv · August 2010

nice job for the first one. here are a couple suggestions:

1. as you mention, use pecan, as it provides a soft wood flavor.

2. yes forget the bacon, as it inhibits bark development

3. yes, only foil during the cook if the flat looks to be drying out. maybe last hour or so, if at all.

4. still go to 195 or 200 internal temp, as you'll get a different tenderness without the foil while cooking.

5. foil when you place flat in cooler, no need for liquid in the foil as the brisket will make its own. the liquid you added is probably what made the flat more like pot roast.

6. on the rig set up, if you have an extra set of crossbars, do: crossbars/stone/pan on rig level 1.5, then foil the oval grid ends to protect flat, place crossbars/oval grid on level 4.5 (like you have it), then put the bge grid atop rig and place the flat on the bge grid. this will get the brisket ends protected from the heat rising from the lump. depress the foil a bit between the grid crossbars so the drippings fall into the pan on the stone.

you can try the oval grid on the pan if you only have one set of crossbars. make sure the flat clears the bge thermometer with the dome closed. there is a "how to" on the ceramicgrillstore website on dealing with the bge thermometer.

7. trim the small fat areas off the top of the flat, leave the thicker fat cap on and place flat with fat cap, down, on the grid.

Luvs to shoot clay · August 2010

Dang you can learn a lot here on the forum. I now know I need some more gadgets. Oh Boy more Toys :woohoo:

tjv · August 2010

yup, boys and toys.....I'm all over that, as my wife reminds me now and then.......LOL

2Fategghead · August 2010

Nitro, Great pictorial post! You have learned a lot from this cook. It was good of Tom to splane the AR setup as well as tips on cooking the brisket. This is a great place to learn to cook on the BGE. Tim

EggSimon · August 2010

Wow Nitro, eggcelent first brisket run !

Ya´re right, mesquite has a strong smoke flavor. But perhaps mesquite itself was not the probelm. But perhaps ya throw the chunks on the lump right before adding the brisket into the dome ?

The one picture seems to me, like it was so. I see a big, whits smoke cloud.
Imho ya wan´t to see a nearly invisible, slightly blue smoke out of the daisy wheel.
That produces a nice smoke flaver, all what ya want. The white clouds are bad smoke, oversmoke your meat and produces a bitter taste.

Imho mesquite fits perfect with brisket. So, I suggest to go ahead next time again with mesquite, and add the chchunks 30 -45 minutes before adding the brisket. Than ya´ll have the expectet kind of smoke and flavor.

Nitro · August 2010

Hi TJV, thanks for the tips.

So for #6. You're saying to have the stone/drip pan on lowest level of AR, then oval grid(w/foil) on middle level and Brisket on top using BGE Grid? So the Brisket will be high in the dome. Just curious, what's the reason for this?

Thanks

Nitro · August 2010

Yeah, IMO the Adjustable Rig is a must have. It lets you do practically anything. Here it is.

Nitro · August 2010

Actually that pic of the smoke pouring out was while the Egg was warming up. I put two wood chunks in the fire right after lighting it. It took around 30-40 mins to stablize the Egg before I put the Brisket on.

Don't get me wrong though, the smoke wasn't too bad. Just a tad more than I'm used to. It seems beef absorbs alot more smoke than pork and chicken. My last cooks (Pork, Chicken) didn't seem to have enough smoke flavor. I used chips instead of chunks on those though.

I'm learning though.

Nitro · August 2010

Thanks for the replies.

I don't know which is more fun, cooking, eating or taking the pictures. :laugh:

tjv · August 2010

It's not so much about getting high in the dome. On low and slow cooks, it's more about spacing to create room for heat to circulate and stabilize around the grid.

I developed the oval ceramic stone to make this set-up easier for ribs & brisket. Also, with the stone on level 1.5, it opens up the cooker above for circulation. Oval stone on level 1.5 with foil drip pan and then either your oval grid on level 4.5 or bge grid atop rig.

Hope this helps. t

Nitro · August 2010

I'll try that next time. Thanks!

Unknown · August 2010

I must ask! Where did you get that racking system! I would love to have one!!

Nitro · August 2010

It's called the Adjustable Rig sold by the Ceramic Grill Store here. IMHO they are a must have.

I also have the 13 inch stone and drip pan.

First Brisket...

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