Due or Die Brisket

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Smokey Lew

Head Chef
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
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1,502
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Southern California - Riverside
Okay, after being cooped up in the house all week due to our heavy rain, I got jazzed about smoking a brisket this weekend. I went to our local Costco and bought a flat cut 4.33 lb. brisket and brought it home. After I got back to the house I decided to do a search on "brisket" on this website. Now I'm getting the feeling I'm a bit over my head with this pending cook tomorrow, especially after reading some of the problems others have had with their cooks.

Any basic advice as to how a first-timer should approach their first brisket? I plan on doing some ribs at the same time. Both will be in my 22.5" WSM. Should the ribs or the brisket be on the top rack or does it matter?

Any help will be appreciated.
 
I would put the ribs on top cuz they are coming off first. Put the brisket fat down. I think I would move the brisket to the top rack after the ribs come off and maybe flip to fat up for a while to crisp up the bark. Wrap at 175. ( If you plan to wrap ). Start probing at 195. When the probe goes in like butter, your done. Don't use temp as a decision maker at this point but the internal temp could go over 210 before probe tender occurs. Rest in a cooler for a couple or three hours.

I rested a brisket for 10 hours over Christmas and it was still smoking hot and tender so don't be worried about rest time.
I would also advise you to inject with something. The added moisture just seems to help in my opinion.
 
Flats are easy.... Dry rub em, put em on to smoke at 250, when it hits 170 wrap in foil, when it hits 195 pull it (yeah, do the probe thing, if not movig easy, let it come on up but not too much) Wrap again in foil when you pull it off, put it in the warm cooler for 2 hours then slice across the grain. (it will come on up 5 or so degrees in the cooler, that's why I don't like to pull em much over 195, or 200 at most)

I did a case of them the other day on the Lang.

oh, BTW... if you bought from costco and was already trimmed... DO NOT trim any more fat off. I thnk they overtrim them.
 
Gotto go with Gary. Only to make it even more simple, Just put it on there at 250 until you like the color(around 4 hours) then wrap in foil until it is tender.

Don't believe all the stories about how hard it is to cook a brisket.
 
Well hope I aint too late to chime in here but forget that hot and fast nonsense. Whoever said smoke it up a while and wrap with some good tasting sop was right on the money. General rule is 3 in smoke and 3 in the foil...but sounds like you got a baby. How bout 2 and 2? Then give it a check. Mop once an hour with the hot sop (using a SS Tablespoon or sling it on there with a long handle basting brush but neva touch the meat). Sometimes it dont hurt to vary to 3/4 or 4/3 if somebody lands a whopper. Lot depends on barometric pressure etc. When you poke it with the gauge and it accidentally bumps the bottom of the pit its ready to go to the hotbox for a few hours. Cool down slow refrigerate slice and reheat with mo sop. That give you a grand prize winner.

bigwheel
 
I am planning on doing a brisket tomorrow. I'm gonna try the SmokyOkie method. I have never tried it but have read its almost foolproof.
 
I think the two very important things are the two hour rest wrapped in old towels in a cooler and cutting it across the grain. Do that wrong and you are screwed.
 
There's a lot of sound advice given above. Choose the parts that sound best to you. However, I would keep it slow and low. Make sure you mark your cut before putting it on the smoker. Make your cut towards the tip of the flat. Looking forward to the pics!
 
What Nick said. Im curiouse about BW's idea of cooling it down then reheat with sop and producing a grand prize winner. Im gonna have to try that.
 
Hey guys thanks for all the great tips and encouragement!! This is really great to be able to post something like this and get these comments so quickly. I plan on letting things in the yard dry out today and do the cook tomorrow. I'm afraid all this bad weather is moving your way now. That's not very nice repayment for your advice.
 
Anchient Nike proverb state " Just Do It" :LOL:

Dont worry about it too much Smokey. Just let it do its thing on the BBQ. When its done, you'll know , thats why you'll be checkin' it.

Your right about this forum. Ask a question, get an answer, and usually with in 1/2 hour or so. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later but an answer, and generally a good one from someone who is seasoned at the art.
 

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