I did my third brisket in the little guy this weekend. My two previous attempts were okay, but not what I'm used to and, being in Texas, I'm used to traditional Texas brisket.
I did a 10.5 lb brisket and modified the OJ brine I saw in one of the forums:
2qts OJ
1/2 cup kosher salt dissolved in 2 cups of water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup bulgogi marinade
2 tablespoons of Kitchen Bouquet
4 tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
Cut the point from the flat so it’d fit in my 2 gallon Ziploc and in the smoker
Brined for 12 hours
Patted dry
Coated with a thin coat of mustard
Used a store-bought rub called Grub Rub from Katy, Texas
Wrapped in plastic and put in the fridge for 10 hours
Loaded the smoker with 8 ounces of mesquite chunks.
Put the flat on the middle rack and the point on the top, fat side up.
I use a dual-probe remote thermometer. I set the flat for 195 and the point for 205 and set the smoker to 225. My smoker temp range is between 225-280.
I slept through the temperature alarm for the flat, so I didn’t get it out until it was at 208 (8.5hrs).
A preliminary sample of a small piece showed good flavor, and it wasn’t dry. It broke down nicely. This afternoon will be when it gets judged formally
I pulled out the point at exactly 205 IT (11.25hrs). The consistency/texture is PERFECT – Jiggly and moist. The taste is very good.
The 1.5hrs per pound thing didn’t pan out exactly, but that’s why God created temperature probes
The point & flat are in an ice chest, wrapped in foil and plastic wrap. Figure I’ll leave them in for a total of 3-4hrs before putting them in the fridge. They’ll go in the oven to warm (in the plastic and foil) before we’re ready to eat.
Any suggestions on temp and time?My next, and hopefully final attempt will result in what I hope will be Texas brisket perfection, I’m going to do what I do when I make chipotle peppers…I add more wood to the smoker after the initial batch is exhausted. I get a really good smoke flavor out of the peppers, and I need a little more out of my brisket than I get from a single batch of wood.
