Well, we finally got around to doing a brisket - found one at the store when I was there last, at $2.99/lb, so I took it as a sign, and grabbed one. (Typically, I can't find them for much less than $3.99, "usual" price is closer to $5.99!)
So, I brined that baby for 24 hours (might have actually been 26). Then, I rinsed it, cut it into a couple of pieces (got the #2, and the brisket was too long, tucking wasn't really an option), rubbed it all up, and stuck it back in the fridge since we decided that we didn't want to be pulling it off at midnight or so. First thing in the morning, put it on, the flat end up top, the thicker bit on the shelf below. Just under 6 ounces of oak, at 235°. Fat cap downwards. (Oh, yeah, I scored the fat before brining, in diagonals, both directions, seemed to work very nicely.) The top piece finished first, at about 9-1/2 hours, the bottom piece took about 90 minutes more. Picture is of the top piece.
Bottom line: Taste, but more importantly, the texture was great. Had the cute little faux smoke ring, which was nice, but as someone mentioned, even if you're doing it in a wood-fired pit, that ring doesn't always appear. Took a few bits, chopped 'em up, and threw 'em into a saucepan with a can of Ranch Style beans, with some barbecue sauce. (Base recipe is the Strutting Sauce from Smoke & Spice - with modifications.)
