First attempt at brisket this weekend

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toenut

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 28, 2008
9
10
So I'm going to try and attempt to smoke my first brisket this weekend. I've done a few 6lb butts before, a couple whole chickens, and some spare ribs before, and all have come out good. I have a Char Griller offset smoker with mods and haven't had much problems staying at 225F. So far I've only used lump charcoal by itself to avoid oversmoking issues until I get more experience.

I just picked up the whole brisket today at the supermarket and the smallest they had was 15lbs, so I'm a little nervous that I'll have to pull an all nighter on this one. I'm also going to smoke a 7 lb picnic with it since I figured I'd might as well fill up the smoker. So here is my plan:

-Take out the brisket at 6PM Friday, rinse and pat dry, cut off excess fat, and then rub with Jeff's rub. Also do the same pork.
-Leave them out to come up to room temp and start smoking at midnight, fatside down.
-Mop every hour until hitting 170F and foiling. I haven't used a mop before, but I've read a lot of people using a mop here, so I figured I should try it.
-Finish in oven(or in smoker if I still have charcoal) at 225F until hitting 190F.
-Rest in a cooler for about an hour.
-Slice flat. Pull point and pork. Finish pork with SoFlaQuer's finishing sauce since I haven't tried using a finishing sauce before.
-Serve with Jeff's sauce on the side

Does this sound like a good plan? And I'm guessing that the thickest part to probe will be where the flat and point are connected and this is where I should probe?
 
Allowing an hour to hour and a half per pound plus time for the stall (2-4hrs), I think I'd try to starting closer to 8 if possible. Other wise you seem to be on track. Keep notes and let us know how it comes out.
 
So is it ok if the rub is only on for a couple hours before putting them in the smoker?
 
Shouldn't hurt you at all. I have put the rub on just prior to putting briskets in the smoker several times.

If you want you can try putting the rub on the night before, wrap in plastic wrap, then the day of the smoke re-apply some more rub just after starting your fire and coming up to temp.
 
Well, a Roll Call Forum post would have been nice...but OK.. lesseee...

Just add a little bit of wood... to make it safer look up "preburn".

toenut;177138 said:
Take out the brisket at 6PM Friday, rinse and pat dry, cut off excess fat, and then rub with Jeff's rub. Also do the same pork.
Do NOT remove fat. Remove it AFTER the smoke. You need that fat to help with moisture retention in the meat.

toenut;177138 said:
Mop every hour until hitting 170F and foiling. I haven't used a mop before, but I've read a lot of people using a mop here, so I figured I should try it.
-Finish in oven(or in smoker if I still have charcoal) at 225F until hitting 190F.
Gotta have a mop. I use cider vinegar and bourbon about 50/50 with some pepper and onion powder, and a bit of brown sugar.

toenut;177138 said:
Rest in a cooler for about an hour.
-Slice flat. Pull point and pork. Finish pork with SoFlaQuer's finishing sauce since I haven't tried using a finishing sauce before.
-Serve with Jeff's sauce on the side
Good idea. That finishing sauce is great!

Yep... but remember the flat..IF yer slicing...will come to temp a bit before the point.

Welcome to SMF and make that Roll Call post! :{)
 
Thanks for that tip. I think I'm going to leave that for the next one as I don't want to try to many things on my first one. And I'm making a roll call post now with parts of my first post. Sorry that I didn't realize there was a roll call forum.
 
The other thing you want to remember with a brisket is that it is basically a tough piece of meat. The long cook will make it more tender.

DON'T forget to slice it across the grain of the meat, at a right angle. Do not slice with the grain of the meat. This way, you'll get the most tender piece of meat possible when eating it.

I'm sure you'll do fine and look forward to hearing all about the great smoke and meal.
 
Don't be afraid to cook it at 250 if you can hold the temp..........especially if you plan on opening the door to mop. I personally don't mop, but plenty do, to me, the benefits of keeping door shut and temp steady outweigh the benefits of mopping, but what works for you will only be decided when you have done it each way...........100 times or so. LOL

Good luck. I think you will be just fine.
 
I agree with fat back joe leave the lid closed unless you're going to mop, and foil at 170. It will be juicy and delicious. good luck!
Jason
 
I've been searching through posts for the last few hours and couldn't find an answer to this. If the flat will come to temp before the point, should I probe the flat instead to find out when it's done? And when the flat is done, would I have to remove the point and put it back into the smoker/oven until it hits the finishing temp?
 
No, don't sweat it. When the point/flat interface comes to 160 ish cut off the flat. Or just let it all go...but let me summarize slicing rare 130 med 140 well 150 pulling.. 190+ - flats are best sliced IMHO, and points pulled. Play with it and learn, experience is the best teacher, and if ya keep it thin and blue all the way thru..it'll ALL be good.


On edit: And if yer pulling the point yes leave it on 'till 180 at least, then rest it for 20 min. in the juice.
 
If anyone slices a flat at 130-140, they are gonna need a chainsaw!
icon_lol.gif
 
Alright, starting the all night brisket smoke and here is the early Qview.

Jeff's rub all over


In the smoker


And stuff to pass the time.
 
Boy was that a long night of smoking. Fell asleep a couple of times, but not for too long. The brisket has finally hit 170F at 1PM and I am finishing it in the oven. The picnic went pretty quickly and was done by 5AM and that is wrapped and resting in the cooler. Here is a pic of the brisket as it went into the oven.
 
looks good nice job
PDT_Armataz_01_37.gif
 
well I say your first brisket was a hit from the looks of it-looks real good
 
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