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Old 12-18-2016, 06:23   #1
Divemaster
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The Brisket Experiment

Still a beginner when it comes to smoking meat, today is the first time I've tried smoking anything that wasn't pork ribs or salmon. At the butcher shop I picked up a 5 1/2 lb. beef brisket point. Not wanting to invest in a whole brisket in case the experiment goes awry, I thought this would be a good size to work on technique.

Yesterday afternoon I hit it with a COTS (commercial off the shelf) dry rub and put it to bed in the fridge until this morning. After firing up the smoker and waiting for it to get up to temperature, on went the meat. The brisket has been smoking for just over an hour now. During the night some of the rub had slid off the side, as seen in the picture, but I did not reapply it.

I'm using apple wood chips for smoke, and I'll probably have to refill the pan every 45-60 minutes. The target smoker temperature is 265-275. The outside temp is about 25 degrees. After four hours I'll check the meat's internal temp at least one per hour. The target IT is in the 190-205 range. Once it gets into the zone I'll start doing a probe test to check for doneness.

This could turn into a smoking pile of crap, but it gives me something to do in addition to watching football today.
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Old 12-18-2016, 06:50   #2
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I have only done one brisket, not as easy to do as ribs or shoulder. My understanding on the smoke is that the meat only takes on so much of it and that is in the early part of the process. Good luck with your brisket mine came out a bit dry.
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Old 12-18-2016, 07:05   #3
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I highly recommend the below site for more information than you can absorb about any and everything having to do with grilling or smoking, to include recipes for rubs and sauces, equipment reviews etc.

www.amazingribs dot com

Be careful it is way to easy to go down a rabbit hole and end up with hours of your life gone

seriously it is my goto place if trying to grill or smoke anything new or before I make a purchase.

its free. the guy makes $$ if you use his links to amazon when you buy stuff there.
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Old 12-18-2016, 07:11   #4
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Originally Posted by cbtengr View Post
I have only done one brisket, not as easy to do as ribs or shoulder. My understanding on the smoke is that the meat only takes on so much of it and that is in the early part of the process. Good luck with your brisket mine came out a bit dry.
I've been doing quite a bit of reading online this week about smoking brisket. Some very knowledgeable people, as you state, only have smoke early on. Others, just as experienced, smoke throughout. Maybe I just like seeing that thin blue smoke coming out, dunno. But, this is an experiment and there will be a lot of variables to tinker with going forward.

As to the dryness of your brisket, multiple people agree that the primary cause is not cooking it long enough. Also, a long rest seems to be very important as well. Hopefully I can apply what I've read and come close to the perfect brisket on my first attempt. I really should start keeping detailed notes.
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Old 12-18-2016, 07:15   #5
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Originally Posted by abc_123 View Post
I highly recommend the below site for more information than you can absorb about any and everything having to do with grilling or smoking, to include recipes for rubs and sauces, equipment reviews etc.

www.amazingribs dot com

Be careful it is way to easy to go down a rabbit hole and end up with hours of your life gone

seriously it is my goto place if trying to grill or smoke anything new or before I make a purchase.

its free. the guy makes $$ if you use his links to amazon when you buy stuff there.
Thanks for that, I'll definitely check it out. Right now I have three windows open on different brisket threads on www.smokingmeatforums.com. I've got more rabbit holes than Watership Down.
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Old 12-18-2016, 07:25   #6
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As to rubs, a bunch of the locals have told me that their best rub is just salt and black pepper. That's what I have been using on beef and pork recently, and have had pretty good results.

I have yet to try a brisket. I really like one with good bark.
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Old 12-18-2016, 07:26   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Divemaster View Post
I've been doing quite a bit of reading online this week about smoking brisket. Some very knowledgeable people, as you state, only have smoke early on. Others, just as experienced, smoke throughout. Maybe I just like seeing that thin blue smoke coming out, dunno. But, this is an experiment and there will be a lot of variables to tinker with going forward.

As to the dryness of your brisket, multiple people agree that the primary cause is not cooking it long enough. Also, a long rest seems to be very important as well. Hopefully I can apply what I've read and come close to the perfect brisket on my first attempt. I really should start keeping detailed notes.
Yes, journal the experiment, wood type, fire type, heat used, size of brisket. Low ad slow is the Texas way, nice crust, thin line right under the crust, melt in your mouth. Looking forward to the results.
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Old 12-18-2016, 07:32   #8
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Thanks for that, I'll definitely check it out. Right now I have three windows open on different brisket threads on www.smokingmeatforums.com. I've got more rabbit holes than Watership Down.
Ah yes. Inject or not inject. Marinate or not marinate. Fat side up or doesn't matter. To crutch or not to crutch..
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Old 12-18-2016, 07:44   #9
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Originally Posted by craigepo View Post
As to rubs, a bunch of the locals have told me that their best rub is just salt and black pepper. That's what I have been using on beef and pork recently, and have had pretty good results.

I have yet to try a brisket. I really like one with good bark.
A lot of folks also just use SPOG- salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder. I'm definitely shooting for a good bark on this brisket.

This one is in there fat side up. I left the full fat cap on, no trimming at all. No injections, and no marinade.

The smoker is propane (Masterbuilt Sportsman Elite 44") and I've used it probably half a dozen times, if that many, since July 4th.

Hopefully Santa will bring me a good dual probe wireless thermometer. The temp gauge the smoker came with doesn't have a great reputation.
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Old 12-18-2016, 08:15   #10
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The beautiful thing about smoking meat is that you are not reinventing the wheel, lots of great info out there. I too like Smoking meat Forums. When I first started I took notes on each smoke, I use a Weber Smokey Mountain and it just keeps getting easier. Looking forward to hearing how this turns out for you.
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Old 12-18-2016, 10:56   #11
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Internal temperature at the 5 1/2 hour mark was 159. Looks like a few more hours to go.
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Old 12-18-2016, 12:28   #12
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Hopefully Santa will bring me a good dual probe wireless thermometer.
Ask Santa for the Maverick. It's great.
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Old 12-18-2016, 12:33   #13
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I have been working very hard on my smoking technique for a couple of years now. I look forward to reading and seeing your results.
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Old 12-18-2016, 12:41   #14
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^^^^brisket looks incredible !

Got the wife one of these - Thermapen- (a few years ago and prices have come down) and steaks and roasts have been great - have not used for smoking meat yet but would seem to work. Marketing propaganda says competition BBQ folks use them.

http://www.thermoworks.com/Classic-Thermapen
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Old 12-18-2016, 12:52   #15
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That brisket looks amazing. I'm leaning towards either the Maverick or the Tappacue 4-probe that has an app so you can monitor things via cell phone.

The Thermapens are indeed used by some competitors and many home smokers. It is super fast, unlike the El Cheapo I have now.

ETA: Eight hours in the internal temp is 182.5. Earlier today I picked up a couple of oven thermometers to monitor the temps at meat level. The gauge in the smoker says 300 F while the oven thermometer has it at about 280 degrees. Tried the probe test and the brisket is not quite done yet.
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