1st brisket, have a few questions

[KyDog]

i'm doing my 1st brisket on my #2, 8-1/2 lb flat from Sam's. i've read a few of thew of the posts and think i have a good handle on it. i brined it last night for 12 hours in a kosher salt, brown sugar, cider vinegar, pepper, chipotle, garlic, onion powders brine . a few question's, when smoking should the Fat side be up or down( i'm thinking up, not alot of fat), smoking temp?(thinking 225'), internal finish 190-195.  i will be doing just a basic rub (coarse pepper, garlic & onion powder and a little chili powder).
i will use water pan and will not open till IT is reached. Anything i'm missing?
Thanks Dave

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[gregbooras]

Dave,

Looks like a good plan.

Fat side up fat side down, depends who you ask.

I put the fat side down, but then again I also inject the brisket (I don't inject the fat side).

Keep us posted and if you can post a photo or two.

Happy New Years!

Greg

[kz0m]

Dave,

I agree with Greg, sounds like u have it covered!
I do mine fat side up, inject (sometimes) with beef broth and when meat temp gets to 150 (sometimes) I foil (crutch it) the brisket and monitor temp till it gets to 195.  Different ways but low and slow will get the job done!

Yours will taste great!

Carl

[KyDog]

i'll give it a try and see how it turns out, everything else i've in the #2 has turned out great.

[swthorpe]

I have always done brisket with the fat side up.  However, if you have a lot of fat on the top, I think it is better to go fat side down as it protects the meat.   If you keep the fat side up, then score it with a knife to allow the fat to break down and render into the meat. 

[SconnieQ]

Fat side up to 195, wrap in foil and rest in a cooler lined with towels for 1-3 hours. If you got your brisket from Sam's, it is probably Choice or Prime. So brining should be adequate. I'd recommend injecting for anything USDA Select for sure though.

I buy USDA Prime whole packer briskets from Costco ($2.79/lb), and I don't even brine or inject those (just rub), and they come out melt-in-your mouth floppy and delicious. Buying a flat/only can be a little dry, in that they can be over-trimmed. A lot of times with brisket, it's more about the quality of the meat (or how lazy and how much fat your particular animal had) vs the cooking technique in the SI.

[KyDog]

Well it's been in smoker for 6-1/2 hrs and stuck at 165, I'm assuming this is the stall. Smoker set at 225, hasn't moved  but a couple degree in 2 hrs. Just let it keep smiling? Or wrap and finish at higher temp?

[swthorpe]

Yes, this is the typical stall temp.   You might want to up the temp dial to 235-240, or if you are not pressed for time, just let it go.

[KyDog]

Thx, let it ride

[Walt]

With it being 8.5lbs, it should take between 8.5-10 hours @ 225 considering its brined. Let it ride.

[KyDog]

 

[SconnieQ]

You don't want to "push" your brisket through the stall by raising the cook temp, unless you absolutely are pressed for time. This is where the brisket becomes tender, so enjoy and embrace the stall. The temp might not rise for several hours. You might even see it go down for a while. Patience will pay off in this situation! It will start to rise eventually.

[swthorpe]

+1, if you are  not in a rush, you will be glad that you let it go at 225 -- the stall is magic time!  The briskets that I have done typically run 1 hour/lb.

[Durangosmoker]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of wood are you using? I've got my first brisket in the freezer, looking to do it soon.

[SconnieQ]

There will be many opinions on that. Beef can take stronger woods. I do a combo of hickory and cherry. Texas-style BBQ will say oak. Even mesquite will be mentioned in the Southwest. The great part is, you can try what you have, then decide what you like. There are no wrong answers!