The FINAL way to do a brisket?

[DivotMaker]

So.....if I were to brine and inject, how will that affect the dalmation rub that I want to use? Will it be too salty? I wonder if an equilibrium brine would be better suited for what I want to do. Also, to achieve the faux smoke ring would it be better to do this also within the brine by adding the pink salt, same as with the boston butts? Has anyone incorporated pink salt as part of the rub? I know that it would not be wise to use it in the injection for obvious reasons.

If you use the butt brine, use #1 curing salt in it (1 tsp.).  If you want to incorporate it in a rub, I believe you need to use #2 Prague powder, not #1.  It's a much weaker salt, and incorporates both nitrites and nitrates.  I think you would also have to let it sit longer in the fridge.  Our sausage experts might shed some light on this.  I just use the #1 in my butt brine, and call it good! Keepin' it simple!

One more thing...are you absolutely set on the Dalmatian rub thing?  Although you'll remove most of the surface salt by thoroughly rinsing after the brine, you may end up with a pretty salty bark.  Just a thought...

[RG]

Tony, I've done lots and lots of briskets over the years using a more complicated rub and after doing just ONE brisket with the 50/50, I can say that I'll never use anything else! Bold statement right? It's the "less is more" deal here. It just works. Lets the beefy goodness shine through. It made a believer out of me. I have #2 and #1 salt, I will just do the brine with the #1 and call it a day.

Now for another question. What in the heck do I use to brine a whole packer in? I saw a food grade tub and lid online (webstaurant) that would hold a big brisket but I think $50 after shipping is ridiculous! I don't smoke flats, otherwise I could get by with something I've already got in the kitchen lying around, lol.

I may venture out to Restaurant Depot tomorrow to procure a brisket and look at tubs, it all depends on the wifey

[DivotMaker]

I'll bet you find a food safe plastic container at Restaurant Depot that will work.  It's kind of like brining a whole turkey...need an awfully big container!  Kind of a pain, but worth it!

[Barrel99]

I throw the whole packer in a large cooler covered in brine with a big bag of ice on top of it. It stays as cool as a frig. Cleans in a jif and holds no remaining smells.

[DivotMaker]

I throw the whole packer in a large cooler covered in brine with a big bag of ice on top of it. It stays as cool as a frig. Cleans in a jif and holds no remaining smells.

Great idea, Arnie!

[Pork Belly]

I have been holding back on commenting on briskets because I do not wish to offend anyone but today is the day.....

I smoke more brisket in a day than most people do in a year. I smoked 22 in the past three days. If all the brining injecting and voodoo makes you happy then roll with it. I don't trim, inject, brine or fuss I use a flavorful rub with no binder, clean smoke and even heat. They go in the smoker fat side down at 225 for roughly an hour a pound, typically 8PM to 8AM. Fat side down shields the meat and lets the smoke drift down onto the meat. When the brisket comes out, wrap it tightly in cling wrap, then foil and keep it warm fat side up at 160 until service. Slice to order, trimming as you go. If you want juicier brisket. Fully cool the wrapped brisket then slowly reheat it the next day to 170.

Out of 10 or 11 briskets, one sometimes two are below average. This is due to it being a sorry cow to start with not fault in preparation.  If you are doing six or less briskets a year and get one of these lousy cuts you may think you did something wrong because all the others were good, it's just the meat.

You can trust me I'm a professional, my #3 is for the house, I rock an Ole' Hickory SSG on my day job.

[gregbooras]

I have been holding back on commenting on briskets because I do not wish to offend anyone but today is the day.....

I smoke more brisket in a day than most people do in a year. I smoked 22 in the past three days. If all the brining injecting and voodoo makes you happy then roll with it. I don't trim, inject, brine or fuss I use a flavorful rub with no binder, clean smoke and even heat. They go in the smoker fat side down at 225 for roughly an hour a pound, typically 8PM to 8AM. Fat side down shields the meat and lets the smoke drift down onto the meat. When the brisket comes out, wrap it tightly in cling wrap, then foil and keep it warm fat side up at 160 until service. Slice to order, trimming as you go. If you want juicier brisket. Fully cool the wrapped brisket then slowly reheat it the next day to 170.

Out of 10 or 11 briskets, one sometimes two are below average. This is due to it being a sorry cow to start with not fault in preparation.  If you are doing six or less briskets a year and get one of these lousy cuts you may think you did something wrong because all the others were good, it's just the meat.

You can trust me I'm a professional, my #3 is for the house, I rock an Old Hickory SSG on my day job.

Brian,

So what I hear you saying, that it's OK to blame the cow

Wow I just looked up the pit you use, dang that is serious BBQ!

Cooking Capacity:​
Ribs (3 & Down)
​Baby Back Ribs
​Boston Butt
​Turkey
​Chicken (Whole) / (Half)
​Brisket (12 lb.)     120
​180
​108
​72
108 / 360
​72

Greg

[RG]

PB, great info man! I am not offended in the slightest, I love to hear how others do stuff. That's how I learn

I have cooked briskets a number of ways, all at home mind you, on various smokers. Like yourself, I smoke briskets (butts too) fat side down. I always keep the fat facing the heat source as a shield. I don't subscribe to the "fat cap up so it bastes the meat" philosophy, the meat has enough fat inside to keep it moist. So, we're on the same page there.

As for the brining and injecting, it's just something I want to try as I've never done it (brining) on a brisket. I can't comment on if I like it or not until I do it. I've injected and I've not injected and like results either way. I can tell you that when I use leftover brisket that I've injected for making chili, it tastes better than chili made with non-injected brisket but the briskets on their own taste great either way. I know that sounds weird but that injection releases out into the chili to flavor it.

So...in conclusion, I like to try new things to see if I can improve on what I do already. It may make a difference, it may not. It may be one of those things where once you try it, you wonder why you never did it before! Brining chicken and turkey come to mind. Once you've done it, it's how you want to do it for more flavor and juiciness. Maybe this will be the same. I'll post my results when I get around to doing it.

Thanks for the input everyone, you guys are alright in my book

[TmanEater]

I'm going to try Brian's suggestion on my next brisket. Why? Because it looks like it saves lots of time and fits better into the "Lazy-Q" style. Brining, injecting, and rubbing all do take some time. If I can get by (with good results) with simply unwrapping the packer, slapping on some rub, and tossing into the smoker I'm sold!

I'm curious if Brian pulls the brisket at roughly an hour per pound or actually goes on internal temp to determine pull time? Also, what's the recommended "flavorful rub with no binder" suggestions? I've heard Jim Baldridge and a few others but what's the best bang for the buck on rubs for brisket?

[RG]

Rubs are a dime a dozen. You can make your own out of the usual suspects : garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. Throw in a little cumin, celery seed if you like. I don't ever use brown sugar in my brisket rub but you could add that or turbinado sugar as well. As for a binder, I have done briskets with and without. Lately I've been on an olive oil kick if I don't use an injection. If I inject, the meat is already tacky enough to hold a rub.

With all of that said, beef loves salt and pepper and as I've posted above, 50/50 kosher salt and coarse black pepper is all you need. Try it one time to see how you like it, you'll be amazed at how "clean" it tastes. Simple goodness. Smoke, salt and pepper. Pure beefy deliciousness!

Man, now I need to thaw out some brisket from the last cook. All of this talk about it has made me hungry, lol.

[Barrel99]

Brian, we have all suspected that you are a professional pit master due to your incredible knowledge. Although I have not cooked "lots" of brisket, I have sure eaten plenty over the years having come from New York. The best known delis/restaurants and champion BBQers cook as you do. Primarily salt and pepper and low and slow. The brining and injecting we do changes the flavor of the beef. It tastes fantastic. But, we do one at a time mostly, so we can play around with different techniques and ingredients. Also, what we are here, are  perfectionists. No matter what we end up with is never good enough. Always needs a tweak...lol. Consistency doesn't seem to be in our vocabulary. I don't think I ever cook things exactly the same. Just my perception.

[gregbooras]

Brian, we have all suspected that you are a professional pit master due to your incredible knowledge. Although I have not cooked "lots" of brisket, I have sure eaten plenty over the years having come from New York. The best known delis/restaurants and champion BBQers cook as you do. Primarily salt and pepper and low and slow. The brining and injecting we do changes the flavor of the beef. It tastes fantastic. But, we do 1 at a time mostly, so we can play around with different techniques and ingredients. Also, what we are here, are  perfectionists. No matter what we end up with is never good enough. Also needs a tweak...lol. Consistency doesn't seem to be in our vocabulary. I don't think I ever cook things exactly the same. Just my perception.

+1

Greg

[RG]

That about sums it up! Well said Barrel!

[SuperDave]

Pork Belly, are you willing to say that a non voodoo brisket in an SI turns out the same as that brisket in your commercial pit?

[RG]

Ok fellers, here's the deal. I am going to buy a brisket this week sometime, doubt I'll make it to RD this weekend, I might go tomorrow if I can get the wife up and out of the house for breakfast then just happen to drive to Atlanta, lol.

I ordered a roll of butcher paper, the pink kind. I will be brining, injecting and using a dalmation rub. I will be smoking with hickory, apple and peach. I will cook it until an internal temp of 150-160 is reached, then I'm going to wrap it in butcher paper and return to the #3 until it reaches 195 or so. That's the plan, we'll see how it goes! I have some friends coming over next Saturday for a get together so I'll let them be my test subjects, lol.

Stay tuned!