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Brisket Question...

mcnabb7542

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So I'm finally going to smoke my first brisket, have been doing pork for years and now want to get into more beef this summer.

Give me some tips if you have done them before, I use offset smoker so no set it and walk away for 12 hours.


And go!
 

txTIGER1963

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smokes pretty much like a butt for pulled pork
the trim and prep before you start is very important tho
 

outofyourmind

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Do not trim the fat off, don't buy one with the fat trimmed off.

Fat side up so it self bastes.

No need for additional flavor, at least not yet.
It may take a couple of times to get it right.
Don't hurry it or it will be tough.


Cook slow for 12-18 hrs.
 

PnkPanther

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Do not trim the fat off, don't buy one with the fat trimmed off.

Fat side up so it self bastes.

No need for additional flavor, at least not yet.
It may take a couple of times to get it right.
Don't hurry it or it will be tough.


Cook slow for 12-18 hrs.

Not all of the fat will render and it isn't fun to eat, so I'd argue you should trim down, otherwise you'll trim fat after you eat and lose bark.

are you saying don't season at all? S&P at minimum IMO should be used, but I could see totally naked and relying on smoke for flavor. But agree with not going crazy
 

SU Nittany Tide

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Do not trim the fat off, don't buy one with the fat trimmed off.

Fat side up so it self bastes.

No need for additional flavor, at least not yet.
It may take a couple of times to get it right.
Don't hurry it or it will be tough.


Cook slow for 12-18 hrs.
Fully agree with the no trim but I put the fat cap on bottom. It has plenty of fat throughout that it doesn't need fat soaking in from the top. Really I don't think you see much of a difference either way. Season it like you would a steak but more liberally. I use salt, pepper, and garlic. Smoke it at 225 to 203-205. It should be done in 12-14 hours.
 

IrishBlooded

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I don’t know about others. But fuck that whole no trimming thing.

Some of that decal fat is hard. And gross. Not even usable for sausage. And really not good on the end product.

Now I will say. Don’t get insane. Look up a base trimming video on YouTube and see the general idea. It isn’t going to look exactly like it. Because every brisket you ever tough will be a little different.

Best recommendation I can make for your first brisket. Is to stay simple. And don’t expect perfection. Brisket is hard to nail. And you can do 99 things right. And that 1 miss will turn it into dry chili meat. So don’t put the expectation bar too high.

Outside of that. If you are doing it on an offset. Have good temp control. That goes without saying. With brisket heat spikes for periods of time will dry it out. So keep it as consistent as possible.

Keep your cooker between 225 and 250. Do basic salt and pepper I like using butter and olive oil for binding on the salt and pepper.

In all of the competitions and cooking of them I have seen. The thing that generally fucks up most people is they try to change too much every cook. Start with the basics. Find out how it works. Each cook after that change 1 thing. And see how it changes your cook. Because if you change too many things you will never have a good idea of what did what.

Personally. I use a Kamodo cooker (kamodo joe style). I park it at 230 degrees. Meat in. I’m a fat side up guy. Simple salt and pepper with a touch of garlic in it. Because I personally like that taste. And I want to be happy more than I care what other people like. For competition I keep the garlic off though. For just me I don’t inject. If I am competition cooking I may inject depending on the thickness of the flat. But even then not always. I do make a first cut on the flat before I put it in. That way it is easier to read the grain when it is done. Just as a quality control measure and habit more than anything.

I will spritz it a couple of times through the cook. Not often. Wood wise I use lump charcoal and for flavor I use oak and hickory.

I wrap at 160 degrees in paper. I then bring my heat up to 250-260. Just to help get it done.

Brisket it weird on finishing. Basically. You cook it until it is done. And then you over cook it for tenderness. So I will usually pull it around 200 to 203 degrees. That depends on how smooth the thermometer slips in and out of the meat.

I wrap it in aluminum foil (still in paper) And rest for about an hour. The only reason I use the aluminum is so that it doesn’t make as much of a mess.

One little tip I learned long ago. Don’t use select grade. Only choice or prime. If you have a bin of the. To choose from. Pick them up and ‘bend them’ back and forth. If the flat is really tight in the cryovac bag. Don’t use it. You want a little play there. If you bend 5 or 10 of them in the bin you will see what I mean.


Good luck and remember it is an art not a science. So enjoy it no matter what. Either you will have an amazing cook out meal. Or fantastic sandwich and chili meat ;)
 

SU Nittany Tide

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I'd say it's harder to ruin a brisket than it is to make a good one so those chili meat comments are confusing. Based on those comments, trimming might lead to a potentially dry brisket.
 

IrishBlooded

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Depends on what you consider ruined. If it is just a backyard saturday with some cornhole and beer. You are right. Your buddies will be happy to eat for free and drink all day.

If your measurement it tasting what you cooked and honestly believing someone would pay to eat what you made. That is a harder bar.

Everyone has had shitty brisket and wondered how a place stays in business. Which is why BBQ places generally have a much higher failure rate than the average first year restaurant.
 

outofyourmind

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Not all of the fat will render and it isn't fun to eat, so I'd argue you should trim down, otherwise you'll trim fat after you eat and lose bark.

are you saying don't season at all? S&P at minimum IMO should be used, but I could see totally naked and relying on smoke for flavor. But agree with not going crazy


Rookies.

You cook it with the fat on.
You carve away the fat after it's cooked.

Some people like some fat, others, like me don't like it, but the fat gives it more flavor and keeps more moist. DON'T DRY OUT YOUR BRISKET.


There are 2 parts to a brisket. There is a lot of fat between the 2.
You have to let it cool down some before you attempt this or you will burn yourself.

So leave the fat on for the cook and then remove as much as you want before you serve.
 

SU Nittany Tide

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Rookies.

You cook it with the fat on.
You carve away the fat after it's cooked.

Some people like some fat, others, like me don't like it, but the fat gives it more flavor and keeps more moist. DON'T DRY OUT YOUR BRISKET.


There are 2 parts to a brisket. There is a lot of fat between the 2.
You have to let it cool down some before you attempt this or you will burn yourself.

So leave the fat on for the cook and then remove as much as you want before you serve.
Agreed. Anybody having trouble making an amazing brisket that has a ton of juices and great flavor is doing something very wrong.
 

SJ76

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So I'm finally going to smoke my first brisket, have been doing pork for years and now want to get into more beef this summer.

Give me some tips if you have done them before, I use offset smoker so no set it and walk away for 12 hours.


And go!


2A34912E-68FA-4C19-8C01-AA2B773C1FF2.gif
 

outofyourmind

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Whatever you do, don't forget the Texas Toast.


mike-anderson-s-bbq.jpg
 

PnkPanther

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Rookies.

You cook it with the fat on.
You carve away the fat after it's cooked.

Some people like some fat, others, like me don't like it, but the fat gives it more flavor and keeps more moist. DON'T DRY OUT YOUR BRISKET.


There are 2 parts to a brisket. There is a lot of fat between the 2.
You have to let it cool down some before you attempt this or you will burn yourself.

So leave the fat on for the cook and then remove as much as you want before you serve.

Yes, there is a point and flat. I'm aware of two types

season and smoke only penetrate so far, if you trim post cook, you're trimming off the flavor you spent all day cooking to develop

Myth: A Melting Fat Cap Penetrates Meat

I mean this guys get people lining up for brisket everyday, I'm assuming he knows what he's talking about



I trim pork shoulder fat cap down too.

There are different methods for cooking brisket. You can cook brisket hot and fast, people win comps doing this method, but you have less margin for error.

Regardless of what I smoke I try to be in 275 range.
 
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