First Time Smoking and NEED HELP!!!

feddi420 said:

When cooking chicken, how important is it to brine the chicken? Last time I tried smoking I used the slaughterhouse brine on this forum but didn't add anything to the chicken after taking it out of the brine. Is chicken something you add a rub or sauce to after brining?

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feddi420 said:

 
Hello Everyone,

I recently purchased a Masterbuilt 20070910 30-Inch Black Electric Digital Smoker. After reading several threads, I decided to buy the Amazen Pellet Smoker 5x8 tray as well as the CookinPellets 40PM Perfect Mix Smoking Pellets. The smoker has been seasoned and last week I tried to smoke some chicken breasts but failed miserably. There was smoke coming out of the smoker which I thought was the pellets but turned out to be the juices dropping on the tray and steaming. The pellets went out and after doing some research, I am going to be attempting the mailbox mod this afternoon. 

I plan on purchasing a brisket to smoke tomorrow but needed some advice.

1. Other than applying rub to the brisket and leaving it in the fridge the night before, what tips do you have for preparing the brisket? Is there a preparation method you think works best? If the brisket is very fatty, you can trim it to about 1/4". This leaves enough fat to help keep the meat juicy but still get a good bark and flavor.

2. If I apply rub to the brisket, do I also need to apply sauce? If so, when is the best time to apply it?Smoked Brisket tastes good right out of the smoker. If you want to add sauce, do so at the table. You want to enjoy the meat flavor. Only add that which make the meat more flavorful. Do you cover a T-bone steak in BBQ Sauce? There is such a thing as Burnt Ends, here is a good place to add sauce. Do a search for the Recipe.

3. What is the best temperature to smoke the brisket at? I have seen people say anything from 200-250F. IMO, Brisket and Pork Butts are true Low and Slow meats. They are best given plenty of time and smoke to get to their best. Your MES set at 225°F will swing afew degrees + or -, but will average out a good low smoke temp.

4. What is the ideal internal temperature? I've seen people say anything from 165-205F.There is no Ideal Temp. Use the therm as a guide to when to start checking for tenderness or when to foil, if that is the route you choose. Foil at 165-170. Or smoke to 190° and start testing for tenderness by inserting the probe in different areas. When the probe slides in with little to no effort, you are ready to rest, 30 minutes on the counter and carve it up. This tenderness will happen between 190 and 200°F. If the Internal Temp (IT) goes any higher, the meat will shred or you are cooking the moisture out.

5. Any other tips or warnings about smoking a brisket for the first time? Be patient, don't panic over a long or double stall and estimate 1.5 hours per pound but cook to tenderness. If the meat is done and you are not ready to eat, wrap the brisket in foil, " No Towels " and place it in small cooler to keep warm until the sides or guests catch up. I say no towels because holding in too much heat will continue the cooking and it will not slice but shred apart.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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