AMNPS, my first brisket, and a windy New England fall day...

[jtnf]

The snow missed me entirely, but I set up in the garage regardless... The wind would have wrecked havoc with the propane upright.

I added the following to the review of AMNPS, pasted here for simplicitys' sake:

+1 on the AMNPS - Although I bought for cold smoking, I christened it in heat: Filled 1/3 (basically one row) with hickory and lighted as recommended. The creature du' jour for the christening was brisket, about 7.5lbs.

I stationed the AMNPS at the bottom of a lightly modded propane upright in a foil tray as recommended (to shield it from high heat below.)

The water pan was located well above, to provide humidity and catch drippings.

The smoker in question is one with a drawer with a combined water pan / chip tray right in the flame. The mod I did was to bend a spare grill grate to allow a drip pan to hover an inch or so over the water/chip drawer. The drawer was left slightly ajar to provide oxygen for the AMNPS, and the the chip/water pan was left in place (empty) to divert direct heat from the AMNPS and cabinet.

One note in Todds' documentation for the AMNPS is to avoid water in the vicinity of his device: Heed this warning: The factory water tray on my smoker had a little residual water in it when I fired her up and the steam directly below the AMNPS definitely suppressed the smoke.

The rub was a modified Meatheads' Big Bad Beef Rub: http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/big_bad_beef_rub.html

The rub was heated up by adding a tablespoon of white pepper and two teaspoons of hot Hungarian paprika.

Brushed the brisket with EVOO and liberally dusted with rub, followed by twelve hours or so in the fridge.

I used the Texas Crutch, suspending the beef out of the liquid by floating a rack on top of a few upturned stainless steel table spoons.

The liquid was about half and half commercial low sodium beef broth and Harpoon IPA. I also injected this into the cow.

It was three hours or so in smoke, another hour or so after the smoke petered out, into the crutch when it entered the stall, and crutched  until it broke 200F (another hour and a half maybe? I wasn't paying attention.)

Another 45 minutes out of the crutch and then it was wrapped in foil and placed in a small insulated cooler bag in the way of faux cambro resting.

Now, its' important to note that I avoid beef in my diet due to a digestive health problem... I've not had any whole cow in four years, and even hamburgers have been few and far between.

This brisket was so tender that I feared not and dove right in. OMFG and a bunch of other internet acronyms that you don't pronounce in polite company.

This was my brothers birthday brisket, and it wasn't plated long enough for pictures! Next time I'll have to schedule a photo shoot and share a Q-VIEW.

 

[tjohnson]

Sounds like an Awesome Brisket!!

I used to have a folding wire turkey roaster rack and wonder if something like this would work to keep the brisket clear of the juice.

Did you get a good smokey flavor?

Todd

 

[SmokinAl]

It sure does sound great.

Wish we could have seen it!

 

[donr]

I was a complete Noob when I did my first brisket, so I did not catch the drippings & don't know how much is rendered.  A cookie cooling rack (read Jerky rack) will hold it up of the bottom of the pan.  If you don't think that will work, use several balls made of aluminum foil directly under the brisket.  Make them as big as they need to be. 

 

[jc1947]

 

[jtnf]

--Heh... I'll try to get pics of the leftovers but they won't be quite as compelling the day after!

 

[jtnf]

I was a complete Noob when I did my first brisket, so I did not catch the drippings & don't know how much is rendered.  A cookie cooling rack (read Jerky rack) will hold it up of the bottom of the pan.  If you don't think that will work, use several balls made of aluminum foil directly under the brisket.  Make them as big as they need to be. 

The smoker is about 14"x15" internal shelf area... I picked up a few teflon serving pans (think inserts for a steam table) that are perfectly sized and they fit the brisket well, but my cookie racks did not fit.

Fortunately I already have a vegetable & fish grill rack that fits within the steam table pan. I transferred the beast to this rack then it sat on the upturned spoons. All in all it worked very well.

 

[jtnf]

Sounds like an Awesome Brisket!!

I used to have a folding wire turkey roaster rack and wonder if something like this would work to keep the brisket clear of the juice.

Did you get a good smokey flavor?

Todd

     After the steam from the residual water in the steam pan went away, a single row of hickory pellets produced a nice, consistent smoke for three hours in an ambient cabinet temperature of 225F.

     The smoke flavor was very nice indeed. Next up is cheese, and probably almonds, so they'll have a few weeks of rest before thanksgiving.

 

[jtnf]

Straight out of the fridge and carved for dinner. Damned yummy.

 

[tjohnson]

I ate the left overs from my last brisket cold with a little horseradish sauce

Last of it wen down for lunch today

Todd