Questions about smoking Brisket

[cmcgoun]

This weekend for the 4th of July, I am going to smoke a beef brisket. This is my 2nd time...the first one didnt turn out great. My question is how big was your brisket, how long did you cook it for, and at what temperature?

If you have any rubs you like feel free to include them

!

Thanks

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

what kind of smoker are you using?

 

[cmcgoun]

Hehe well about that, I dont really have a smoker so I am just using my big Weber Kettle, its big enough for it to be indirect cooking.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We have a webber as well. and sometimes we will take the brisket and put it in a pan and cover it with sauce. Cook indirect as normal but set the pan on the grill. Add your wood chips and smoke heavy for about 30 -ish minutes, You may need to add some more sauce after cooking uncovered, then cover the pan with foil and "cya" in about an hour or so when it's fall apart tender.

Steve in NC

 

[ranchhand]

Let me start by saying there are as many opinions about cooking brisket as there are people on the earth.

Depends upon the brisket. I'm a Texan at heart and I always got the "packer trimmed" brisket, about 12-13 pounds.

The rubs varied- garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne, paprika- just whatever was in reach. Sometimes I didn't bother with it at all.

Most briskets are dry smoked at 200-250 degrees for 18 hours or so , for the big ones, with the occasional mopping. I used to do it a different way, and it was always a crowd pleaser- never had any leftovers!

Trim off the really big hunks of fat. Put it in a big roasting pan, fat side up, either disposable or sacrificial pan. Pour some beer, preferably cheap, and lime juice, water, whatever liquid you have, over it to halfway up. Cover the pan with foil and poke a few holes in the foil.

Put it on a big grill, with a slow fire at one end and the pan at the other. Take a nap in the hammock. Check and feed the fire occasionally, aiming for 250 degrees. Have a beer, eat dinner.

Feed the fire before you go to bed, flip the brisket over, re-cover pan. Keep that grill closed and the smoke rolling slowly out. (Hopefully you warned the neighbors to not hang clothing out on the line.)

Get up at 6 a.m. Before the first cup of coffee, remove brisket from the pan and place directly on the grill, away from the fire. Restoke fire to 250 degrees. Go have coffee.

Let the brisket slowly smoke for another 5 hours or so, feeding the fire as needed. It should dry out and start forming the treasured "bark" on the outside. Mow the grass around the picnic area. Set up fans for cool air.

When the guests arrive, remove brisket to a big cutting board and let rest, tented loosely with foil. Stoke the fire, throw on the chicken and whatever else. After 30 minutes, slice the brisket across the grain, serve with some potato salad, cole slaw, pinto beans and a dollop of horseradish on the side, along with a slice of white bread.

Take your bows as your guests applaud and eat the incredibly delicious and tender brisket!

You can smoke a turkey with the brisket. Season it, toss it on the grill next to the brisket.

Here's my grill at work. It has a firebox at the far end that doesn't show in the pic. The wood is pecan, but you can use oak. The Weber in back is for small stuff only.

Happy smoking!

 

[The Chicken People]

The best brisket I ever cooked was untrimmed rub it with a dry rub ... wrap it in tin foil bake in ove at 275 for like one half hour for every pound ..do not open until cooking time is done...unwrap slice against grain..enjoy!!

 

[cmcgoun]

Wow Rancher thanks for all the great information,

The Chicken People, thanks for including the time per pound, I was having a hard time finding that info!

 

[cmcgoun]

So, I just picked up a 15 pound brisket...I am thinking of smoking between 200-225 degrees, for about 21 hours.

After 5 hours I will wrap it in foil, and continue to cook

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
Ranchhand,

We have the same type smoker grill that you have. I'll have to hang my head is shame - we don't use it very much. Usually use the Webber. Anyway, since reading you post above yesterday we smoked a skinless, boneless turkey breast fillet from an approx. year old tom turkey. We used white oak for fuel, basic spices and brushed on a butter garlic sauce as it smoked. It smoked about 3 to 4 hours and came out....... GREAT. super tender, nicely smoked.

Thanks
Steve in NC

 

[ranchhand]

! I smoked a whole turkey once, and the avowed vegetarians had to have some! Some even got seconds. We usually grilled lots of veggies for them, they are delicious on the grill, too.

Steve, I use the Weber far more often- the big one is too much for when you're feeding only two people. If I'm going to fire it up I want it loaded. We got lucky last winter- the guy I buy firewood from was selling pecan and oak. When I loaded the truck I separated the two, so I had fireplace wood and smoker wood. And some cedar for kindling. A full load for $60.00!

cmcgoun, how did the brisket turn out? I bet it was good!