Smoking a brisket

[Yankee Traveler]

Starting tomorrow morning.

Anybody got any pointers?
First time.
Weber charcoal grill.
Gimme what you got, any ideas will be considered.

 

[outofyourmind]

Get one with all the fat still on it. Don't remove the fat until after it cooks.
Fat side up so it runs through the brisket as it cooks.

I thinks its going to be hard to control the temp for 8hrs on a weber.
Good luck

 

[006]

There's a hot and fast method, and a low slow method. I've done both and been happy. I prefer low and slow, but on a weber I think I'd go hot and fast (300-350 degrees, foiling half way through, but make sure to mop heavy during the first 2 hours). The biggest mistake I see people make with brisket is not letting it rest. I usually pull my briskets, wrap in foil, wrap in an old towel, then stick in an empty cooler for 6 hours letting it cool slowly and regain all the juice in the foil. Good luck.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Get one with all the fat still on it. Don't remove the fat until after it cooks.
Fat side up so it runs through the brisket as it cooks.

I thinks its going to be hard to control the temp for 8hrs on a weber.
Good luck

Good thought, I was going to flip every couple of hours.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

There's a hot and fast method, and a low slow method. I've done both and been happy. I prefer low and slow, but on a weber I think I'd go hot and fast (300-350 degrees, foiling half way through, but make sure to mop heavy during the first 2 hours). The biggest mistake I see people make with brisket is not letting it rest. I usually pull my briskets, wrap in foil, wrap in an old towel, then stick in an empty cooler for 6 hours letting it cool slowly and regain all the juice in the foil. Good luck.

I was going low and slow, about 200 - 225 for 12 hours, then refrigerate over night.
Back in a regular oven covered Sunday morning for about 3-4 hours.
Ready about noon, done eating before kickoff.

 

[006]

I was going low and slow, about 200 - 225 for 12 hours, then refrigerate over night.
Back in a regular oven covered Sunday morning for about 3-4 hours.
Ready about noon, done eating before kickoff.

It should be good, if 12 hours is what is needed. It'll probably be a lot of work on a weber, but well worth it. Good call on doing it the day before the game.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

You can do it on the webber. it's what I have. I cook in large aluminum pans. It helps keep the meat from drying and as the fat is rendered, the pan catches it and the brisket or whatever meat is self basted. The only time I don't use the pan is for steaks, burgers, and individual cuts of chicken.



And once you get the hang of it, you can regulate your temps modestly. I use kingsford briquettes, exclusively. I know how many to add or how many to start with to achieve a desired temp.

I add wood chips and mop the brisket every hour. Don't panic if the internal temp of the brisket "plateaus" at some point. The few I've done have done this. The temp will hang around 120 or 140 (I can't remember exactly) and sit there for what seems to be a looooong time, but it will eventually pull out and start to rise again.

 

[romeo212000]

Keep it low and slow. Also, my dad always poured a can of beer on his at some point. Something about the carbonation.

 

[outofyourmind]

Really, a pork butt is much easier to get right than a beef brisket.
You might consider it.
People love pulled pork and it's a safer way to go for your first time.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

It should be good, if 12 hours is what is needed. It'll probably be a lot of work on a weber, but well worth it. Good call on doing it the day before the game.

Temp wants to hang closer to 300. Not to concerned yet, I will get the temp down over the next hour.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

You can do it on the webber. it's what I have. I cook in large aluminum pans. It helps keep the meat from drying and as the fat is rendered, the pan catches it and the brisket or whatever meat is self basted. The only time I don't use the pan is for steaks, burgers, and individual cuts of chicken.
And once you get the hang of it, you can regulate your temps modestly. I use kingsford briquettes, exclusively. I know how many to add or how many to start with to achieve a desired temp.

I add wood chips and mop the brisket every hour. Don't panic if the internal temp of the brisket "plateaus" at some point. The few I've done have done this. The temp will hang around 120 or 140 (I can't remember exactly) and sit there for what seems to be a looooong time, but it will eventually pull out and start to rise again.

I am using Kingsford and Mesquite chips.
I also am using the aluminum pan. I poured apple cider in about 1/2" deep to help regulate the temp and keep from drying out. Kind of an experiment now.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Really, a pork butt is much easier to get right than a beef brisket.
You might consider it.
People love pulled pork and it's a safer way to go for your first time.

Too late. On the grill already.

 

[Win TWINS!!!]

 

[Dolemite censored]

I was going low and slow, about 200 - 225 for 12 hours, then refrigerate over night.
Back in a regular oven covered Sunday morning for about 3-4 hours.
Ready about noon, done eating before kickoff.

That's the thing about brisket. Takes 12-16 hours and you have to manage the temp regularly.

Lot of effort and little room for errors.

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

Too late. On the grill already.

How big is your brisket? And are you doing a whole brisket or is it just the "flat?"

 

[Yankee Traveler]

How big is your brisket? And are you doing a whole brisket or is it just the "flat?"

8lb
I do not know. Called my butcher and asked what he had. He had a few that were about 15 lb and he said he would cut to whatever I wanted. I said 7-8 lb.
What is "Just the flat" and what difference does it make?

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

8lb
I do not know. Called my butcher and asked what he had. He had a few that were about 15 lb and he said he would cut to whatever I wanted. I said 7-8 lb.
What is "Just the flat" and what difference does it make?

I'm guessing if he gave you something in the 7-8 pound range that he gave you the flat. An entire brisket is usually around the 16 lb range. The whole brisket is made up of 3 parts: The cap, The flat, and the point.


[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]"The whole brisket you'll buy for barbecue is what the IMPS calls "beef brisket, deckle-off, boneless." The IMPS defines it as follows: "All bones and cartilage shall be removed. The deckle (hard fat and intercostal meat on the inside surface) shall be removed at the natural seam exposing the lean surface of the deep pectoral muscle. The inside lean surface shall be trimmed practically free of fat." The word "intercostal" refers to meat between the rib bones.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]The deep pectoral muscle (the "inside lean surface") is known as the pectoralis profundi but is more commonly referred to as the brisket flat. The supraspinatus muscle is known as the pectoralis superficialis but is more commonly referred to as the brisket point.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Contrary to popular belief, the deckle is not the same thing as the brisket point. Rather, it's the fat and muscle that attach the brisket flat to the rib cage.[/FONT]

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[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]The flat is just that: Sort of a flat, rectangular piece of meat that makes up the majority of the whole brisket. This is the portion that is sliced across the grain and served on a plate or in a sandwich. You've probably seen the flat in the meat case at the supermarket, separated from the point and with most fat removed, ready for braising in the oven.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]The point is a lump of meat that partially overlaps one end of the flat. It is quite fatty on its surface as well as within the meat. It also contains a lot of connective tissue between the meat fibers. It can be sliced, but its loose texture after cooking makes it a better choice for chopped brisket sandwiches or burnt ends.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]The flat and point are separated by a very thick vein of fat running between them. This fat extends over the entire surface of the flat, becoming thinner at the end opposite the point. This layer of fat is sometimes referred to as the "fat cap". Thick fat may also wrap around one edge of the brisket flat, especially near the point.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]From an anatomical perspective, the brisket flat is the "deepest" portion of meat and is attached to the rib cage, while the brisket point sits on top of the flat and is nearest the surface.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Still confused about what's the flat and what's the point? Here's an easy way to orient yourself to a whole brisket: One side of the brisket has a large area with essentially no fat on it. With the fat-free side facing down, the flat is on the bottom and the point is facing up at the high end of the brisket.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]The grain of the meat in the flat and point run almost perpendicular to each another. As a result, the two sections should be separated after cooking and dealt with separately."[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif][/FONT]

 

[006]

Temp wants to hang closer to 300. Not to concerned yet, I will get the temp down over the next hour.

Hope it all turned out well

 

[Davis_Mike]

Damn, I wish I would have seen this thread on Friday. Brisket sounds good right now for the games today.

 

[night]

Make sure to have the side with a lot of fat on it facing the firebox. If you do it the opposite way the meat will be overcooked.