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Small Pretrimmed brisket...First time!

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jteer

jteer

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jan 7, 2010
74
13
Benton, La
I bought a new electric smoker on Black Friday and decided to attempt to try a brisket. I started small due to price and bought a small pretrimmed 3lb brisket. I would hate to waste big money ruining my first brisket!

I seasoned it up last night and plan to cover it with bacon for a little added fat since it all has been trimmed off. I am putting apple juice in the drip pan. Should I periodically baste with apple juice?

Any suggestions? I am thinking I will wrap at about 160-170. Is that about right?
 
This is only my thoughts. 

Fill the drip pan with sand or gravel wrapped with foil. You can  also use a couple of bricks wrapped with foil. Keep the door closed which means no spraying. I don't use foil I cook it till it is done. Figure about 190°-200°. Start the toothpick test about 185°. When you can poke it with the toothpick and it is like butter it is done. Make sure you give it at least an hour rest before slicing. This is for sliced not pulled.

Happy smoken.

David
 
Awesome...it seems to be cooking fairly quick. I have smoker set for 250 and IT is showing 160 already.
 
I think I may have rushed it since it started getting late and I was planning to deer hunt that evening and it be ready to eat when I got home.

At about 165 I wrapped in butcher paper and put back into the smoker and set the timer to turn off in almost one and half hours which gave it one hour to sit until I got home to slice it.

It was a little tough and had almost no flavor. No one was impressed!  Better luck next time I guess!
 
jteer said:
 
I think I may have rushed it since it started getting late and I was planning to deer hunt that evening and it be ready to eat when I got home.

At about 165 I wrapped in butcher paper and put back into the smoker and set the timer to turn off in almost one and half hours which gave it one hour to sit until I got home to slice it.

It was a little tough and had almost no flavor. No one was impressed!  Better luck next time I guess!
Click to expand...
That's a shame but I think you have an important take-away:  BBQ has a notorious way of being done when it's done.  Time and temp are only indicators.  They tell you when to start probing for tenderness.  If it's not probe/fork tender it's not done cooking.
 
You picked just about the most difficult cut to test your new unit. Trimmed briskets are not forgiving and need a watchful eye. Multiply that times 10 because it was a small 3 pounder. That 3 pounder went from "ready" to "ruined" in a very short time. And as I'm sure you know the fat brings flavor.

Don't throw it out. Chop it up and make chili. The gang around the deer campfire will think you're a genius! b
 
jteer said:
 
I think I may have rushed it since it started getting late and I was planning to deer hunt that evening and it be ready to eat when I got home.

At about 165 I wrapped in butcher paper and put back into the smoker and set the timer to turn off in almost one and half hours which gave it one hour to sit until I got home to slice it.

It was a little tough and had almost no flavor. No one was impressed!  Better luck next time I guess!
Click to expand...
After it hits 165 I've had brisket go for 5-6 hrs before it hits 195.

This is important... Do not cook to time, cook to temp. I'm guessing you didn't let it go long enough.

Let me understand. You went to 165 IT, then wrapped. Then put back in the smoker with timer for 90 min(@225) then the smoker shut down and it sat for about an hour, before you sliced? Is this right?

So, do you know what the IT was before the smoker shut off?

Too many things going wrong here with a rather sensitive cut of meat.
 
AK1, that is correct. except cooking temp was bumped up to 250 for that last 1 1/2 hours.

No idea on IT when smoker shut off or when it was pulled off the smoker. My wife beat me home, pulled it out and had begun slicing when I got home.

I did do some chicken and stuffed jalapenos which all turned out awesome when I first got it. I should not have even tried the brisket on this day with limited time.
 
jteer said:
AK1, that is correct. except cooking temp was bumped up to 250 for that last 1 1/2 hours.

No idea on IT when smoker shut off or when it was pulled off the smoker. My wife beat me home, pulled it out and had begun slicing when I got home.

I did do some chicken and stuffed jalapenos which all turned out awesome when I first got it. I should not have even tried the brisket on this day with limited time.
Click to expand...

jteer, was the brisket dry and crumbly (falling apart) ? Or was it dry and tough (kind of elastic) ?
 
As an estimate I plan for 1 hour per pound plus 2 hours.  that being said every piece of meat is different and is done when it gets done.  I always take mine to 165 IT then wrap in foil until IT hits 195-197.  I pull at 195-197 and into an ice chest for at least an hour before slicing.  I keep a very close watch on the IT as it cooks, and since yours was 3 pounds it required very close monitoring.  Better luck next time.
 
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