Smokin-It User Forum!
Recipes => Beef => Topic started by: DivotMaker on September 07, 2014, 06:53:53 PM
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This 11.55 lb packer cut brisket (point and flat) started yesterday morning, with a swim in my pork butt brine (Brine for Boston Butt) (http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1608.0). Had I had the time, I would have made up an equilibrium brine, but I time was one ingredient I was short on.
The brisket was a USDA Select, at $3.28/lb. Ouch. I used to get Choice, or even Prime for that price! This was my first smoke of a Select-grade brisket. The brine (with 1 Tsp. of #1 Instacure added) was ready at 11 a.m. yesterday, and the little briskie couldn't wait to take a swim! :D
This morning, I had a 1 a.m. wake-up call to get that little jewel in the #2! I removed it from the brine, and rinsed it thoroughly (I always recommend this with brined meat, just to get the excess surface salt off). Patted dry, it was slathered with yellow mustard and Jim Baldridge's Secret Seasoning (I love this on brisket).
Off to the smoker, where it found 6 oz. of mesquite/hickory, and a mini-loaf pan of apple cider. The Auber was set to 225° until IT hit 190°, then 140° for 4 hours (hold). The temp probe was inserted in the thick part between the point and flat, with the tip in the flat. Brisket was placed fat-side down. Fat-side down is a departure from how I normally do them; the rationale was that the fat cap would protect the flat from the smoke box heat, as there was virtually no fat on the bottom of the flat. You can see, in the first pic, that it was a little long for the 15" #2 shelf, so I just curled the end of the flat over. You can do this, because it will flatten as the meat shrinks. This is also the second time I've foiled the bottom of my 2 wood chunks, as I'll be going straight to smoking temp.
1:30 a.m., meat on and back to bed!
At 7 a.m., the meat was at 169°, and the smoke was thin. By 7:30, the meat hit 176° and was beginning to stall. The stall at 176° lasted for the next 4 hours, and even dropped back to 174°! Once it climbed out of the stall, it hit a secondary stall at 185° for over an hour. This really isn't uncommon for large cuts, so don't freak out if it happens to you. Just when you think "I only have 5° left, this won't take long!," is when Murphy rears his ugly head and says "Not so fast!" So, 1.5 hours for that last 5°!
At 190°, I wrapped in foil and placed in the cooler for a rest (2:30 p.m.). This was just over 1 hour per pound. No 20-hour brisket here!
After a 2-hour rest, the brisket was sliced. I removed the point for later (burnt ends), and sliced the flat. The flat was very tender (too soft to slice, even with a very sharp knife)! The very end of the flat (about 1") was too done, but that's to be expected.
I only brined this one, and did not use my usual injection. Results: The brisket was very tasty and tender, but could have been a tad more moist. Although, it was a moist as any restaurant brisket I've ever had (I'm demanding). But, it was melt-in-the-mouth tender! The Baldridge seasoning added just the right amount of flavor to the well-developed bark. The butt brine also added a sweet "faux" smoke ring, and added some great taste to the meat. This will be my standard, from now on.
Next time, I want to combine brining and injecting, to see if it is better. All in the name of science, of course! ;D
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Looks amazing! I'll have to keep that brine in mind when I get around to my first brisket!
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looks great, what's the side dish?
I think brisket is my favorite smoked meat after babies.
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Thanks Michelle and Ed. The side is just Au Gratin potatoes from Sam's. I think they're called "Main Street Bistro." They're pretty good, for pre-made.
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Outstanding!
It will be better when you do both brineing & injecting.
Welcome to the dark side, Luke.
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Almost persuaded!
I have never in all my many years of cooking , ever cooked a brisket other than in the oven.
My half brother lived in Texas and loved the BBQ joints in and around the hill country. He gave my wife his recipe for brisket which is a long slow cook in the oven. I always thought it was OK but nothing to write home about.
I love a good filet cooked medium rare but just never tried any beef in a smoker.
Well, this almost convinces me to try it. It looks really good and moist. Sounds like the tenderness is right up there. Lately, I have been looking at the briskets when I go to Sam's or Winn Dixie and it seems like they want your first born child. Of course pork and chicken has gone up also. There is just my wife and I to eat here most days and as we are both getting along in age, we just don't eat like we did when we were more active.
I hate to buy such a large cut of meat then have to throw it out.
I guess I need to look into the different cuts and try for something smaller than a whole brisket.
Any suggestions?
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I would suggest buying a vacuum sealer and seal/freeze whatever you don't use.
What an awesome day when it is raining or snowing outside and you don't feel like firing up the smoker, when you can just go to the freezer and pull out a pack of Pulled Bork or Beef Brisket!
You can reheat in a slow cooker, but I usually just put the whole bag in a pot of boiling water until the pack is reheated. FYI, most vacuum sealer bags are designed to be able to do this. For sure the FoodSaver brand that I use is.
If you don't want to go with the Vacuum saver, you could just smoke a point or a flat instead of a full packer.
I am in the same boat as you and in my many years of smoking have never tackled a brisket. The main reasons is the cost and quite frankly, I have never been impressed with any brisket that I have eaten in restaurants as it always seems so dry. But, the pictures that many on this site post show that their briskets are definitely not dry. So, I am tempted.
But the Beef prices are simply ridiculous right now. I am happy for my Dad who is a cattle rancher. But for the average consumer, beef is pretty pricey right now.
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I am happy for my Dad who is a cattle rancher.
I was going to say that maybe we could move next door to your Dad but if he is in ND I think I'll stay in the south. ;D
I have the Food saver and use it a lot for leftovers (I call them "Pre-planned meals")
I think I will try the whole brisket for price reasons then divide it with my 2 Daughters families.
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I am happy for my Dad who is a cattle rancher.
I was going to say that maybe we could move next door to your Dad but if he is in ND I think I'll stay in the south. ;D
I have the Food saver and use it a lot for leftovers (I call them "Pre-planned meals")
I think I will try the whole brisket for price reasons then divide it with my 2 Daughters families.
I am very fortunate that my Dad is very generous. It seems like pretty much every year he has a cow that has some type of problem that would affect its sale price at auction but would not affect the meat. When this happens he has the cow butchered and splits it between my him, and my brother and sister's families. So the past 2-3 years we have each got a 1/4 of a cow. It is usually just butchered into hamburger, steaks, and a few roasts. So not really any smoking cuts other than the roasts. But hey, I am not going to complain. My sister-in-law and I always tease him that we are going to help things along with a baseball bat ;)
I have some pulled pork in the freezer that is going to become pork tacos this week. Looking forward to that.
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I am happy for my Dad who is a cattle rancher.
I was going to say that maybe we could move next door to your Dad but if he is in ND I think I'll stay in the south. ;D
I have the Food saver and use it a lot for leftovers (I call them "Pre-planned meals")
I think I will try the whole brisket for price reasons then divide it with my 2 Daughters families.
Go for it, Ed! Check out some of the other beef recipes - you're missing out on some wonderful meals! My favorite beef to smoke, is hands-down the bone-in prime rib, but I can only find those around Christmas. Next, I love smoking the "poor mans prime rib," the sirloin tip roast! You can smoke it to medium-rare, or medium, and it tastes a lot like prime rib, just a lot more affordable (and available year-round).
The brisket, in most traditional smokers, is a challenge. But, we have the advantage of a sealed, moisture-retaining environment! I was very pleased with the flavor & texture of this brisket (my best, to date). Next time, I'll allow more prep time, and inject after brining. Always looking for "perfection," even though this was as good (or better) than most restaurant brisket I've had.
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Welcome to the dark side, Luke.
Are you my father?? lol! Hope so, if this is how we eat on the dark side! ;D
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Tony, thank you for sharing this post. If you would have injected the brisket, what would have the been the timing in relation to the brining? Do you do that before or after the brining or concurrently? Thank you in advance for your help.
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Inject after brineing then apply binder & rub. I like to do this in a vacbag so you don't get brine squirts on the ceiling!
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I like to do this in a vacbag so you don't get brine squirts on the ceiling!
Ah, that's no fun, Walt! Seeing the "little fountains of flavor" is half the fun of injecting! ;D
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Hi DivotMaker. My son wants to do a brisket in our 3D. Dumb clarification question regarding the temps that you used, "The Auber was set to 225° until IT hit 190°, then 140° for 4 hours (hold)." Did the 4 hours hold start once the Auber hit 190 degrees or did you start the 4 hour countdown time once the temp dropped down to 140 degrees?
Thanks in advance for the help.
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Joe, the 4 hour hold at 140 assumes that your brisket is done 4 hours before meal time and starts when your brisket is done. 190 internal temp is just a checking point to see if you are done or close to done. In lieu of the hold at 140, wrapped in foil and covered with towels in an ice chest works just as well or better. Try to time your brisket to be done 1 to 4 hours before dinner so that it can have the appropriate rest time before slicing.
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Thanks for the clarification SuperDave! I've only done ribs in my 3D. Doing a brisket looks like I'll need to step it up to another level. A bit intimidating.
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We're here for you buddy. There is more than one way to get an exceptional result but some of the basics are always the same. After your first one you'll know how to make your own adjustments to suit your particular tastes.
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Joe, Dave nailed it (of course). Let me simply add to not let a briskie intimidate you! Once you smoke one, you'll see it's another "intimidating" piece of meat that is easily tamed in an SI! Prep is the key, and giving it time to rest at the end. Just jump in a give it a whirl!
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Thanks DivotMaker. What would you suggest that I use to inject? Do you have a recipe that you recommend or do you just use a store-bought brand? I'll also assume that I inject the brisket right before I place it in the smoker.
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Joe, if I brine, I don't inject. Not saying you can't, or shouldn't, just saying I don't. If I inject, I want it to spend the night in the fridge to get happy, so this is something you don't do just before smoking. The injection I use is my recipe, and adds a little different flavor profile:
DM's Brisket Injection (http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2230.0)
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Thanks again! I have "The Briner". Have not used it since I bought it quite a while ago. I'll go that route instead of injecting.
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If you go with Prime vs. Choice, neither brining nor injecting is required IMO. I used to do those things when using Choice but ever since I started using Prime it hasn't been necessary to achieve moist, succulent brisket.
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Sorry to revive an old thread, but I was curious about this method with a split packer that's mostly trimmed. I want to use the equilibrium brine and then I can't decide on what to use for a rub. I have good success with my #2 and baby back ribs. I tried a brisket before (whole) but I wasn't necessarily pleased with the way it turned out. Is that Jim Baldridge's Secret Seasoning that good that I should order some? Wife isn't keen on heat/spicy, so something flavorful without the peppers is preferable.
For reference, I picked up a 22lb packer, trimmed almost 9lbs of fat off after splitting the point and flat. I can put the point (5+lbs) on the lower shelf with the flat (11+lbs) above. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated :) I'll use hickory and a tray of apple juice. Still deciding on rub...
And I should say that though this is my first post, I have been lurking here reading for a while. Learning a WHOLE lot!! :D
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Hello and welcome. My rub is salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder and (odd) but also brown sugar for brisketts and butts. I do not order any rub; a quick read of the ingredients and you can create at home. Wife and I decided on just the basics plus the smoke gives us what we like. Sorry your other attempt did not work out. Good luck.
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Thank you! I have always made up my own seasonings, so I will try your mix.
As far as the time in my #2, being that it's a split brisket, I will probe both parts, but I'm a little confused about the stall. When it hits, do I pull them and wrap them in foil, putting them back in until they hit temp? On everything else I always just leave it until it hits temp and then rest in the cooler. I read on another thread here that someone let their brisket rest for many, many hours. I'm just trying to avoid the dreaded dry brisket. :)
ETA: Would you mind sharing the amounts you use of your spices? I'm guessing a cup of brown sugar and a tablespoon of each of the spices? Also, I'm intrigued by this from the Brined Brisket thread:
I subscribe to Jeff Phillips email blast.
I received an interesting one last week, brine brisket.
Brine:
1 quart of OJ
2 TBSP of Hot sauce
1/4 cup of kosher salt.
Brine overnight. (I brined for 9 hours)
4-5 lb. brisket flat.
Then the regular smoking process foiling at 160, and let finish cooking to 201-203.
I will let you know how it comes out.
I may try this since people commented that you don't taste the OJ or hot sauce. I wonder what the purpose of the hot sauce is... I could use Franks Redhot, Valentina, or one of the myriad others I have in the fridge.
Again, I appreciate the guidance!
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A cup of brown sugar should do it. Be advised that it liquefies fairly quickly so do the rub with meat on the rack and rack on a baking sheet/jelly roll pan. I do not interrupt the stall by wrapping. I just let it go. Admittedly I have never split a brisket; always whole. I smoke fat side down and place trimmed fat on te lean side. If I need to sneak a peak, I run a borescope down the smoke hole.