Brisket with Phil's rub, and the Texas Crutch

[DivotMaker]

Did an 11-pound brisket Sunday.  I used Phil's espresso rub (couldn't taste the fine-ground coffee), and it turned out really good.  I smoked it for about 4 1/2 hours, then foil-wrapped it until an internal temp of 195.  I used cherry and hickory in the box, which gave a really good flavor to the meat. 

I didn't do anything special to the meat, other than a good mustard/dry rub, and wrapped in the fridge for about 15 hours before smoking.  Easy cook, with good results!

Next time, I'm going to try one of Joe's injection ideas just to shake it up a bit!

 

[UWFSAE]

Looks beautiful!  One word to the wise: invest in a good butcher knife:

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-12-Inch-Granton-Slicing-Fibrox/dp/B0000CFDB9/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

This will make your life soooooo much easier if you're going to be doing a lot of brisket, prime rib, turkey, ham, etc.

 

[psoltesz]

Wow, does that thing look juicy.  I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I second the motion to get a good knife.  When properly cooked, brisket is so tender that it will "mush" rather than slice if you use an inferior/dull knife.

Personally, I use a double-serrated electric knife to carve up the finished product.  Gives you a surgeon's accuracy, and ensures that the bark (and let's be honest, some of the fat) remain on each slice for maximum flavor.

  - Phil

 

[DivotMaker]

Yeah, I thought my butcher's knife was a little sharper than it was!  The slicing would have been a little prettier had I taken the time to touch it up a bit!  :-[  I'll check out Joe's link and invest in a really good knife.  I have an electric, but we never got along very well.  lol

 

[DivotMaker]

Looks beautiful!  One word to the wise: invest in a good butcher knife:

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-12-Inch-Granton-Slicing-Fibrox/dp/B0000CFDB9/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

This will make your life soooooo much easier if you're going to be doing a lot of brisket, prime rib, turkey, ham, etc.

That knife looks really nice!  I can definitely see one in my (near) future!

 

[UWFSAE]

The granton edge is the key ... a chef buddy of mine loaned me his carving set one Thanksgiving years ago and once I got the hang of it I never went back.  You can achieve much thinner, even slices with this knife than any other I've owned.  My dream set is a Wusthoff Culinar with their 12" slicing knife but that's a $1600 cutlery set and my Jeep and my other hobbies don't want to share the attention ...  ;D

While electric slicers are useful, I've never been able to achieve the same quality results as I can with this knife ... and the price isn't bad for the output.

 

[afratki]

Wow, that looks good Divot (even with the sloppy knife work  ;D )

Was that a full brisket (point & flat)?

 

[DivotMaker]

Wow, that looks good Divot (even with the sloppy knife work  ;D )

Was that a full brisket (point & flat)?

Thanks!  Yep, it was a "packer's cut," (point and flat), weighing in at 11 lbs.  Part of the sloppy knife work had to do with being in a hurry to dig in!

 

[DivotMaker]

Looks beautiful!  One word to the wise: invest in a good butcher knife:

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-12-Inch-Granton-Slicing-Fibrox/dp/B0000CFDB9/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

This will make your life soooooo much easier if you're going to be doing a lot of brisket, prime rib, turkey, ham, etc.

Just received my Victorinox knife today!  It looks like a really well-made knife - thanks Joe!  Hopefully, my next "sliced" pics will be a little more professional-looking, now that I'm in the "cool kids club" with a real slicing knife!  8)

 

[UWFSAE]

Honestly, I think that the thinness of the slices dramatically affect flavor and "mouth feel" on things like brisket.  As such, I prefer a knife that really gives me SERIOUS control over the width and/or angle of each slice.  I've got a nice 10" carving knife I use for turkey or roast but it can't do justice to a large brisket or pork butt.

Let me know how you like it once you put it into action. 

 

[DivotMaker]

Let me know how you like it once you put it into action. 

Count on it!  Thanks, again! ;D

 

[Spresso]

Awesome 2nd pic! I can taste the meat already.....
That`s my problem too I get a little impatient and want to dig in ASAP. Like a wolf that hasn`t seen meat in 2 weeks  ;D

 

[DivotMaker]

Awesome 2nd pic! I can taste the meat already.....
That`s my problem too I get a little impatient and want to dig in ASAP. Like a wolf that hasn`t seen meat in 2 weeks  ;D

Hehe...Yep, and Momma Wolf and Baby Wolf nipping at my heels didn't help either!

 

[shausmann]

Wow! that brisket looks great!

 

[DivotMaker]

Thanks, Monkey.  It was pretty tasty! ;D  Doing a Boston butt this weekend...mmm, mmm!

 

[es1025]

Tony
when I return from vacation a brisket is on my short list. Your recipe is simple.

Here a easy boston butt recipe:
Trim the fat away until you can push a finger thru (this will melt and baste the meat)
Rinse and dry
As the glue, I used worcestershire and then my rub, let sit in fridge for a least two hours.
Take out and let rest of about an half hour/hour and add a little more rub.
Set temp of smoker a little past 225. add about 5-6 oz of cherry wood
Place butt in middle rack
Between 160-165, place in an empty foil and wrap with foil.
Take off smoker when IT hits 205.
drain extra juice out of foil pan and cover with foil, let rest for a couple of hours in a cooler cover with towels.
serve either kc bbq sauce or carolina sauce on the side, a nice potato roll.

 

[DivotMaker]

Thanks, Ed!  Simple is good, and (I believe) the key to good Q!  I'll wrap a brisket to get through the stall quicker, but I'll let a butt for pulled pork work through it on its own.  I really like the chewy bark you get from doing the whole cook unwrapped with pork butt.  Takes a little longer, but worth it, imho.