DTG 3rd smoke - Brisket

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damnthatsgood

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Sep 5, 2013
153
22
Just East of San Antonio
Alright, ladies and gents!  DTG 2nd smoke - Chicken Thighs was a success.  So it's time to move on to something else....Brisket!!

I started off by trimming the fat to about 1/2" thick.  I cut the whole thing in half about 2/3 the way up the flat, so one side would be mostly flat, and the other would be mostly point.

Almost 11 lbs.



Before trimming...


After trimming...


I weighed the fat - 1 lb, 3 oz.  Not bad.  So we got a brisket on the pit weighing about 10 lbs.


I used the marinade from post #3 of this thread:  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/93152/brisket-marinade-finishing-sauce-any-ideas-would-help

And after it sat overnight, I used the rub from the same post, and let it warm up on the counter while I fired up the smoker.

Left side still with just marinade.  Right side has rub.


Both rubbed.



And on the smoker!  I have a digital thermometer at grate level right next to that angle iron handle to monitor grate temps.


And away we go!!  Stay tuned......

While you're waiting, feel free to check out my pit mods!  I'm updating the thread to the next mod in about ten minutes.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/148594/old-country-bbq-pits-wrangler-mods#post_1054642
 
 
Looking good so far. Why did you cut it in half?

Happy smoken.

David
Since the point side was so much thicker, I was afraid of it not being done at the same time as the flat.  I've seen a few people cut them in half, so I figured I would just to be safe.
 
Pretty...and that was a lot of fat!

Keep showing pics.

Kat
Thank you!  Yeah, I was surprised.  But since it's my first brisket, I didn't have anything to compare it to.
 
Having a heck of a time swinging between TBS and WDS.  I'm pre-heating the wood until it's very hot before I put it on the coals, and it causes white, billowing smoke for fifteen minutes or so.  Is this a huge problem?

I'm using seasoned oak.  Splits are about 2 - 3" x 10" (ish).
 
Okay, the point got done way sooner than I expected.  It was sitting at 194*, when the flat was still at 175*.  I hurried them both into some tinfoil, and let the point sit for another twenty minutes in the smoker.  I then pulled it, and wrapped it in a towel.

When I cut it open, it looked very juicy.  But the farther I got into it, the meat started looking....shiny?  Almost like fish scales, how they have that silvery tint.

The thing I was most worried about was my on and off battles with white smoke.  The first thing I did was popped a chunk of charred meat into my mouth, and crunched it up and let it sit on my tongue.  I didn't get any numbness, or metallic taste.  In fact, it tasted kind of like an overdone steak.

I ate some of the brisket.  I didn't really like it, but the wife and kids loved it!

After about ten minutes of sitting on the counter, it had started to really dry out.  Is that normal?  I don't recall it drying out that fast at the bbq joints.

Q-vue of the point...






See how the third one from the bottom is silver colored?  It isn't camera flash.



The flat is almost ready to come off!
 
The flat is done.  I kind of thought it sucked.  Wife says it's good.  Either way, it's the worst I've had so far.  Either I'm paranoid from staring at smoke for the last seven hours, or it has a hint of creosote.

Q-vue as promised...






Stay tuned for DTG smoke #4 - Brisket...sweet revenge.

I'm going to practice more on smaller fires, and use less wood.  My goal was to use mostly wood for heat, but I can't get it to burn clean without temps going through the roof.  So I'm going to rely on lump with the occasional chunk.  By then, I'll have my thermometers at grate level, and tuning plates in and adjusted.  Temps are pretty easy, but smoke isn't.  Starting to realize that anyone can control temps.  Controlling temps and smoke at the same time is another story...
 
 
What temp are you running the smoker?

The top thermometer was running between 235 and 285.  But I was very careful with my digital at grate level, and I had it at 225 - 235 the entire time.  It was a chore.  During the times that I added fuel, or moved coals around, I had to open the lid on the cooker briefly to get temps in check.  But overall, after the mods, this cooker is really easy to keep at a certain temp.

how long did it take?

About six hours for the point, and seven for the flat.

did you wrap it and let it rest?  How long was the rest?

Ugh....I did, but I got caught with my pants down.  I didn't expect the point to be at 194* in less than six hours, so I hurried some foil on both of them.  I let the point cook a bit longer, and then let it rest in a towel for about thirty minutes.  The flat got to cook in foil for an hour, and I let it rest for thirty minutes as well.  Or thereabouts, anyway.  Not what I had in mind, but that's what ended up happening.

It looks good.

Thanks!!

Happy smoken.

David
Thanks, David.  Answers in bold.
 
I did the exact same thing last weekend with 10 pork chops. Wife and kids claimed they were delicious while I almost gagged from the taste. Hoping to redeem myself this weekend by "being one with the Thin Blue Smoke". :-)
 
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