Brisket in electric smoker?

[foghorn]

As Christmas approaches I am getting nervous about a brisket in my Master Forge cabinet style electric smoker. Everything I have cooked in it so far has turned out nicely. Mainly the bigger cuts of meat. Has anybody done this before and what were the results? How did you go about smoking the brisket? Drip pan? Did it bark? Any help or advice is appreciated.

 

[dingo007]

Hi foghorn,

Yes it completely doable in an electric. I did my first last weekend in a mes30.

Do a search for brisket and you will get a heap of answers.

Here's one;

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174047/brisket

Here's the link to  mine...lots of good advice from the more experienced;

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/173917/newbie-brisket-advice-please

if you do a search there is a link to separating the point from the flat correctly...read it!

What i learned from my experience.....Keep It Simple seasoning wise.....dont go opening you smoker....and have LOTS & LOTS of patience.

It was actually pretty easy...and came out great.

Good luck

 

[donr]

I have done several in an electric version of the El Cheapo Brinkman.

If you are familiar with controlling the temp. in your smoker you won't have a problem.  

I put the meat on the top shelf and used a "drip" pan underneath it to make Chef Jimmy's Au Jus.

A lot of folks just use Salt, Pepper, Onion powder & Garlic powder for their rub.  I too try to stay away from sugar and other stuff.  This will allow the flavor of the beef come through.

It will bark just like a pork butt.  If you foil it at the end, it will have less bark.

 

[foghorn]

Dingo, thanks for the advice. I'm going to try and keep it simple. Marinate overnight then salt & pepper rub. Maybe foil...idk yet, hoping the marinate will get it tender enough. The MES30 seems to keep things moist. Hopefully it will turn out good. You have answered all of the questions I have! Also, did you separate the point f/ flat before the smoke? Thanks again for your help.

 

[foghorn]

donr, Thanks for the tips. I was wondering about putting a pan for dripping on a lower shelf. My only concern is having enough room for the brisket. Hopefully I won't have to separate it. If so, I'm thinking the turkey is going in the electric smoker and the brisket is going in the kettle. Just don't want to mess with coals all day. My grandfather in law is coming in from Houston, so I need to nail this brisket haha. How do you make that Au Jus?

 

[foamheart]

 
Hi foghorn,

Yes it completely doable in an electric. I did my first last weekend in a mes30.

Do a search for brisket and you will get a heap of answers.

Here's one;

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/174047/brisket

Here's the link to  mine...lots of good advice from the more experienced;

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/173917/newbie-brisket-advice-please

if you do a search there is a link to separating the point from the flat correctly...read it!

What i learned from my experience.....Keep It Simple seasoning wise.....dont go opening you smoker....and have LOTS & LOTS of patience.

It was actually pretty easy...and came out great.

Good luck

                                      

 

[foghorn]

One more question. It seems to be controversial, but fat cap up or down? Idk if an electric smoker makes a difference in this? I'm really just concerned with having a bark.

 

[dingo007]

Dingo, thanks for the advice. I'm going to try and keep it simple. Marinate overnight then salt & pepper rub. Maybe foil...idk yet, hoping the marinate will get it tender enough. The MES30 seems to keep things moist. Hopefully it will turn out good. You have answered all of the questions I have! Also, did you separate the point f/ flat before the smoke? Thanks again for your help.

My pleasure foghorn...this was my first ever brisket so I was a little apprehensive about timing and seasoning & stuff. The depth of experience you can find on this forum is what made mine turn out great! My spicing was SPOG 24hrs prior to the smoke. It really let the beef come out. The burnt ends I brushed with BBQ sauce. That's it.

Regarding the point/flat...due to a lack of (since corrected) knowledge i just hacked the fat end off the the thin end. I was originally going to make pastrami out of the point. As I said in my previous post...there is a guide to cutting the point/flat correctly. As it turned out..my way fit in my mes30 in two pieces perfectly. But left a fat layer in my flat. I'm not sure had I cut the point/flat correctly that it would've fit in my mes30. Foamheart runs a MES so maybe he could enlighten us. Either way..the key is stick that thing in there (ideally with remote therms so you dont have to open the door) and let it roll. Freak out when it stalls..have several beers...and it should be ready.

It seemed comical at first, however, Foamheart's advice is bang on...literally;

"Put it in, get drunk, sober up, see if it's ready"

HTH Sorry for the long winded response....i'm still high from eating brisket sammies for lunch.

 

[foamheart]

Long ago I was taught to find the grain before seasoning and cut a small corner off the flat showing me the grain. Then when cooked it was easy ti discern how to cut the brisket. When I got my MES30, I still did the same thing, but on a slightly ;arger scale. It doesn't go to waist. I use chili ground or chopped brisket for chili meat. I have often bought full packers for chili making. Now I may have two each 2lb chopped up pieces in the freezer.

It makes the brisket fit, its the best chili meat and its chopped or ground before freezing ready to go. It just works for me, we are pretty big on chili around here.

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• foamheart
• Dec 15, 2014

When I dio brisket, its always fat side up, and I don't trim. I have heard that the difference between fat side up or down comes from your cooker. Low and slow electric fat side up so it just continiously bastes the meat, wereas with a firebreather The fat side is down to help retard flame ups and burning the meat. <Shrugs>

I always did fat side up.

I think Dingo hit the high points, relax, have fun, and don't freak.

 

[foghorn]

Right on Foamheart. We're pretty big on chili around here too. It's on the menu for when gpa is in town. Perfect! Thanks a lot

 

[foghorn]

Thank you to everybody for the help. I will post pics.