What are you Smoking/Grilling/BBQ'ing this weekend?

[BigRedChief]

What are you up to this weekend?

I finally gave up on my smoker and decided to get a new smoker. I went with a bigger model but less tech. Yes, its a cheater electric smoker. My 3rd one. I need more space to cook, I don't need help getting my smoke and temp right.

I've also never used injection for flavor except for pork butt or other big cuts of meat. I decided to give it a try. I developed my own injection. Basically like the other recipes you have out on the internet but I'm putting the rub in the injection and using sirracchi.

Full results not in yet but my son and I think its the best sausage we have ever had.

No sauce. Marinated the meat overnight. Injected the meat. Slow cooked the ribs and chicken. Baste it with a combo of butter and apple juice. Using a combination of Apple, Mesquite, Cherry and Hickory wood.

[KCUnited]

The logistics surrounding a brisket cook can be challenging. One of the best benefits of wrapping in foil and storing in a cooler is that cushion of time to plan around your meal. One of the most annoying mistakes on a brisket cook is starting it too late and everyone is standing around all hungry waiting for it to be done and like it's 9:00pm before everyone eats. That's when you start to do dumb stuff out of panic. Start it early to give it plenty of time to cook and use the time it's resting in the cooler as float or to prep/cook your sides depending on what they are.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Well here's a couple tips to help.

1. Only buy a packers.
2. Allow at least a couple hours to let the brisket sit tightly wrapped in a cooler after cooking.
3. Don't trim too much off it

Oh and don't pull it too early. Need to let it cook long enough for all that fat to render.

Packers? Explain.

I live in Phoenix. Do I need to ask the butcher ahead of time for this cut?

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I’ve become a huge fan of the Dalmatian rub for brisket. Equal parts salt and coarse black pepper and that’s it. It’s the simplicity that makes it so good. The flavor of the meat really shines here.

Don’t get discouraged by the stall. It happens with low and slow cooking with big slabs of meat. Just be patient, and you’ll be rewarded.

Don’t over-smoke. The meat can’t take any more smoke on after about 4 hours, so just keep your heat steady after that.

Like BB said, when you hit target temp, wrap in foil, wrap in towels, and pop in a cooler for a couple hours. To get your bark back, you can go back on the smoker unwrapped or on the grill for a bit.

And use a thermometer. There is no better way to know what your meat is doing than a probe thermometer.

For me, I like to separate the flat and the point at the beginning and smoke separately. That way I can pull the flat when it’s ready and keep on chugging for burnt ends on the point.

Shit, I love burnt ends. That’s my order of choice at BBQ.

I’ll google seperating those. Do they both cook to same temp then, the flat just finished early?

Any links to step by step instructions. Unlike jjjdinosaur, I like facts and science worked into my activities.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Packers? Explain.

I live in Phoenix. Do I need to ask the butcher ahead of time for this cut?

If you have a Costco, should be able to just walk in and buy. Best value for price and grade. Sams Club is a bit lower on the cut, but unless its just a Midwest thing....should be able to walk in and buy too.

If you go to an actual butcher, yes call ahead.

Packers is a vacuum sealed whole brisket with point and flat together.

[BigRedChief]

I’ve smoked the Costco brisket. Smoked up great.

[lewdog]

Gentlemen, I’ve got a Costco. Fabulous news boys.

[BryanBusby]

When I go low and slow I usually budget 2 hrs per pound which allows me enough time to fully cook and rest in the cooler.

Brisket isn't hard to make as long as you don't panic. When you panic and switch shit up that's when it goes to hell and you have jerkey.

If its well overdone the meat will be dry and if its under, it'll be tough and chewy.

Make sure to give yourself enough time and don't panic if the temps get up quickly. It's going to hit a stall when all that fat begins to work itself. You can foil it and shoot past if you're a bit pressed at that moment (butcher paper is better, but harder to get) to help it past the stall, but I generally just let it ride.

If I want a brisket and want it much faster, I cook it around 350 and inject it really well and put a water bowl in to help avoid drying out.

Outside of that, only slice what you intend to eat for the moment and leave the rest whole.

Don't need any fancy rubs. Salt and pepper is just fine. Don't go too heavy on the rub though.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

When I go low and slow I usually budget 2 hrs per pound which allows me enough time to fully cook and rest in the cooler.

Brisket isn't hard to make as long as you don't panic. When you panic and switch shit up that's when it goes to hell and you have jerkey.

If its well overdone the meat will be dry and if its under, it'll be tough and chewy.

Make sure to give yourself enough time and don't panic if the temps get up quickly. It's going to hit a stall when all that fat begins to work itself. You can foil it and shoot past if you're a bit pressed at that moment (butcher paper is better, but harder to get) to help it past the stall, but I generally just let it ride.

If I want a brisket and want it much faster, I cook it around 350 and inject it really well and put a water bowl in to help avoid drying out.

Outside of that, only slice what you intend to eat for the moment and leave the rest whole.

Don't need any fancy rubs. Salt and pepper is just fine. Don't go too heavy on the rub though.

Great stuff. I’ll be drinking so that usually lessens my panic. I’ve got plenty of time to start early in the morning. We can eat anywhere from 5-7, so not a huge planned thing.

So don’t coat in rub like you would a pork butt?

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Great stuff. I’ll be drinking so that usually lessens my panic. I’ve got plenty of time to start early in the morning. We can eat anywhere from 5-7, so not a huge planned thing.

So don’t coat in rub like you would a pork butt?

Give it a nice coat, but not too heavy. You don't want to overpower the natural taste of the brisket.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Give it a nice coat, but not too heavy. You don't want to overpower the natural taste of the brisket.

Hey man you wanna come over and help me? Pool party and I’ll provide the beverages.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Hey man you wanna come over and help me? Pool party and I’ll provide the beverages.

That would be one long ass drive. You got this man.

Get a good boning knife for trimming and watch some Aaron Franklin videos on how to trim and cook it up.

[Buzz]

I smoke from about about 3 to 9, double wrap in foil and place in the oven at 170 over night. When you get up, pull it out of the oven and put it in the fridge. After a couple of hours, slice when cold. 2 hours before you eat, put it back in the oven to reheat for 2 hours at 170, comes out perfect every time. Oh, and I brush on some BBQ sauce before reheating. Simple and it works.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Great stuff. I’ll be drinking so that usually lessens my panic. I’ve got plenty of time to start early in the morning. We can eat anywhere from 5-7, so not a huge planned thing.

So don’t coat in rub like you would a pork butt?

You doing this in your master built?

I usually just smoke it for 3 hours or so and then foil it. Then go do something else. Seriously. It takes for ****ing ever. Go do something else.

Then pull it out when it gets to pulling temp pull it out and stick it into an oven that's off (or set at the lowest temp if you have a long time until dinner.) After it has had a LOT of time to cool, pull it and serve it.

If you foil it, you won't have ****all for bark, but I've never dried any out doing that.

[lewdog]

How early can I pick up the packers cut and keep in my fridge before cooking?

How much before cooking do I put on salt and pepper?

[BryanBusby]

Just depends how fast they sell at your club. I've had a brisket sit in my fridge for 3 weeks before and still wasn't quite at expiration date when I got around to cooking it.

With beef it's generally ideal to let it sit out for an hour before cooking, but I generally don't bother with this since it's cooking low and slow so I'm not overly concerned.

Generally what I do is start out by pulling the brisket out, rinsing it off and patting it down with paper towels and pulling off all the really loose shit

From there, I grab my knife and start to trim up. Generally its suggested to trim the fat down to 1/4" but I'm a bit more conservative than that. That really comes down to personal preference.

Do at least get rid of the 'harder' fat because it just isn't going to render out and will shield off the smoke from the meat.

I also slice off a small bit from a corner so I have a good idea how to slice post cook.

At that point I apply my rub.

After that I fire up the grill and let it get up to temp. Probe the brisket up, throw it on and once I know everything is good...this is usually the point where I go to bed.