My First Brisket on my new WSM 22.5

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bbquzz

Master Chef
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
5,011
Location
Newark, OH & Indian River, MI
Along with bringing my new Performer to our summer get-a-way in Northern Michigan I bought a new 22.5 WSM. It is amazing how much bigger this seems than the 18.5 WSM I have at home in Ohio. I made some mods to the WSM adding casters and a second charcoal grate along with a couple eye bolts to make handles to pick up the charcoal grates. I've ordered the aluminum door from C&C GRILLIN' COMPANY so I've "pimped out my WSM."

I was going to christen the new WSM with a couple pork butts, one to eat and one to freeze for my next trip north. Well I was at Walmart doing some shopping and saw packer briskets, and in my year of BBQing I have not done a brisket soooo I figured now is the time. I have read and read for the past year about brisket and it is my turn to put the meat to the metal. I am doing a night cook. I hoped to put the brisket on at mid-night, but it looks like it will be after one when I get the WSM down to 250°. I did a little injecting with AJ earlier and rubbed with a rub I found in the book Smoke and Spice. It is now pushing 2AM I put it on when the temperature was something less than 300°, I'll check it one more time and make sure the temperature is coming down and then head to bed. I did not bring my Cyber Q with me so I'll depend on my Maverick to alert me if there is a problem. More in the morning.

















 
WSM 22.5
Man i want one bad. I have not seen one is person yet.
I have a 18.5 that is the older model.
 
Live and learn, practice, practice, practice what else can I say :( This brisket was a flop and I'll take the blame. I really thought I was doing everything right, but with a new cooker and no Cyber Q ... I guess I don't have fire management down yet. The temp was up and down over the 14 hours of the cook. I did as told and used the tooth pick test and seemed great, slid through like butter. I sliced off what I believe is the point, kind of diagonal though the line of fat and let the flat rest in a cooler for 2 hours in foil, and a towel. Pulled it out to slice and it is drier than the Sahara, I could not get a good slice. The point remained on the WSM wrapped for 3 more hours, and it is okay, not great, but okay. I can't say it has much taste either. I'll give it another try sometime, but I guess I'm just not a Texan, I like my pork :D I chunked it all, put it in a pan with SBR and it is on the cooker right now, I'm sure all will not be lost. If any one has thoughts I'm open and I'll take notes for the next time.
 

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Sorry to hear your brisket didn't turn out like you wanted but the last pic with the brisket with the sauce in a pan sure looks good.
 
Oh heck, I'd eat that. I crank my big pit to 300 or 350F doing them. When they hit 200F or higher I cut the point off and let the points roll to get burnt ends. No water pan, just fun.

Pigs
 
Never had much luck with the low and slow on a brisket.
Quzz, next time try it hot and fast. Works like a charm for me.
I would like a sammich out of that pan though. Looked mighty good. ;)
 
Looks like you made the best out of what you ended up with. I'll take a couple of sammies please! :D

I recommend probing the brisket in the flat. Especially if you're going to make "burnt" ends. Once the flat is to the desired doneness (which you nailed with your toothpick test) you can take that off the somker to rest. For burnt ends, I like to chunk the point in 1" chunks, cover with rub, place in a pan with bbq sauce cut down slightly with apple juice, rubbed some more and put back on the smoker for several more hours. Sometimes I'll stir them in the pan and reapply rub, sometimes not. Depends what I'm doing and how many adult beverages I've had. :shock: :roll:

I know you're used to the computer aided fan to keep your smoker running the correct temp, but you can learn to control the temp pretty quickly. I recommend shutting the two vents on the backside of the smoker to start. Adjust the vent on the front side to control heat. Keep the exhaust vent fully opened. If the wind is real calm you can open the two back vents as needed to increase the smoker temp. Small adjustments with time to react are key.

Can't wait to see what your next smoke produces!

Wishing I was in Northern Michigan,
 
Thanks one and all for the kind words on my disaster. I am makin' sammies and they are pretty good. I think my biggest problem was in my short time BBQing I've gotten lazy using my Guru and then when I had to cook without it I had forgotten what I had learned. Shores I've taken notes and will do as you say vent adjustments and remember small adjustments, it is tough to bring the heat down, better to start cooler and move it up. Thanks to all again for the words of encouragement.
 
My thought is that you can always speed up your fire faster than you can slow it down. I may be wrong, but it works for me. I tend to cook a little higher on the 250F mark any way.

Pigs
 
I gotta get one of them gurus. Practice, practice, practice and just when you think you got it.....Cook another one.

There are so many variables the only advice I can give you is be consistent and make minor changes.
 
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