Typical Newbie Brisket Questions

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Wow.  That's a bunch more info I wanted to see.  Thanks a bunch for that.

Well, at this point, I'm probably a bit more comfortable (as well as informed, LOL) at doing a brisket.  I can do it next week - I have a couple of dial thermometers coming now that I got off of eBay, and I have my eyes on an old cookie sheet of the wife's (promised her I'd get her a new one, lol) to make a baffle with.

I searched on Minion method at the Dude Ables post, and it's very informative as well.  My question, though, is once you've burned through any fuel from your first batch (while doing the Minion method), how do you properly ADD fuel?
If you catch it in time & see that the charcoal is getting low you can add unlit coals. If your temp is dropping and the coals are all burning out, then you have to add lit coals. About 1/2 chimney will get it going again. If you still have a ways to go then add some unlit when the temp stabilizes. 
 
If it where me I would cut the point off, trim everything up and smoke them seperate, when the flat is done wrap in foil and rest. Cut the point into 1" cubes put some more rub on them and slather in BBQ sauce, then back on the smoker in a foil pan for a couple more hours while the flat rests. These are known as burnt ends. I did a 15 pounder whole this weekend, I maintained the smoker around 220-240, I foiled when the brisket hit 160 and cooked to 195, it took 10 hours total, and it was amazing and tender. There is also a method for quick brisket that some people who compete use and I have tried it, it works well and the meat turns out just as good IMO. http://www.kickassbbq.com/quick_cook_brisket.htm
 
If you catch it in time & see that the charcoal is getting low you can add unlit coals. If your temp is dropping and the coals are all burning out, then you have to add lit coals. About 1/2 chimney will get it going again. If you still have a ways to go then add some unlit when the temp stabilizes. 
Okay - sorry if I keep asking questions, but I want the brisket to turn out excellent...or at least edible with a good flavor, LOL

When you are using the Minion method in a SFB on a CG, do you put the hot coals in the middle, or on the side?  Seeing some different ways to do this.
 
I scatter them around the pile o' cold coals, that way it's more of an even burn downward instead of a smoldering crater in the middle, or one end that's burning. It seems to work, and when I'm done, I generally see an even sheet of unspent coals on the bottom grating.

However, I do use a WSMC, so things may be different.

Another tip- and this I got from Smokin' Al - is to mix your wood chips and chunks into the coals (I do it by hand) so there's smoke more consistently than just on top of the pile, and you don't have to keep popping the hatch to make sure your have smoke.

Also: you never need to apologize for asking questions that must be asked. Somebody has to do it!
 
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I scatter them around the pile o' cold coals, that way it's more of an even burn downward instead of a smoldering crater in the middle, or one end that's burning. It seems to work, and when I'm done, I generally see an even sheet of unspent coals on the bottom grating.

However, I do use a WSMC, so things may be different.

Another tip- and this I got from Smokin' Al - is to mix your wood chips and chunks into the coals (I do it by hand) so there's smoke more consistently than just on top of the pile, and you don't have to keep popping the hatch to make sure your have smoke.

Also: you never need to apologize for asking questions that must be asked. Somebody has to do it!
Thanks for the support, LOL.

I've seen a bunch of videos and pics all over the net regarding the Minion method, but the majority of pics I see have a UDS instead of my COS.

Trying to see a vid that has the Minion method with a SFB.  If I find one, I'll post it on here.
 
I scatter them around the pile o' cold coals, that way it's more of an even burn downward instead of a smoldering crater in the middle, or one end that's burning. It seems to work, and when I'm done, I generally see an even sheet of unspent coals on the bottom grating.

However, I do use a WSMC, so things may be different.

Another tip- and this I got from Smokin' Al - is to mix your wood chips and chunks into the coals (I do it by hand) so there's smoke more consistently than just on top of the pile, and you don't have to keep popping the hatch to make sure your have smoke.

Also: you never need to apologize for asking questions that must be asked. Somebody has to do it!
Okay, I went looking for offset Minion method vids, and I can't find too many.  One guy claimed to get eight hours out of his Char Griller Minion method, but I'm beginning to doubt the valididty of that claim, lol

I'm debating on how I want to do this - either cut the brisket in half, or do the whole thing at once.  I've got three days off next week - so I basically have five days in a row.

I've also got some additional thermometers that should be delivered today, and the weather is really nice here.  I could probably put my food safe sealant on the smoker body, install my new thermometers, clean the smoker, sand it down and paint it.  that can probably all be done by Monday (which can be my smoke day).

I can also probably cut some of the sheet metal I've got and start formulating a basket.  I'm not a welder, and I lack the patience to learn (right now), but eventually I'm going to make a heavy duty basket for the coals.  But for now, I can just work with what I have.

One last question - inside the smoker - what's the best way to clean it?  I've got a bit of buildup in there.  The grates, i'm not worried about - it's the actual smoker body that I need to clean.
 
you can get a long smoke with a good smoker and a minion method load o' coals. If you run out (the heat will taper off significantly near the end) then you can just reload, and re-light. no problem.
 
you can get a long smoke with a good smoker and a minion method load o' coals. If you run out (the heat will taper off significantly near the end) then you can just reload, and re-light. no problem.
Now, you just brought up a good point.  How do you properly reload?  I've seen guys make two baskets and swap them out (not too crazy bout that idea), and then I've seen where guys just shove the existing coals to the left and fill it up with new coals to the right.
 
There's more than one way to skin a cat or in this case cook a brisket. While my method may not apply to you (I have a fleet of UDS smokers and long since dumped my CG as I did not like reloading it all the time or did I like the constant temp swings regardless of what mods I did) it's definitely something I suggest every person try at least once.

I cook my briskets in about 4 hours 5 minutes, give or take a few minutes depending on the particular packer (i've yet to have one take longer than 4 hours and 10 minutes). I start out with my UDS fired up to 325, cook for 2.5 hours at which point i'm usually hitting the 160-165 mark (I temp to this point so I know when i want to foil and that tells me roughly about how much longer I have to cook the brisket). At 165 I pull foil and take it up to 400 for the last 90 minutes there about. USUALLY, when my meat probe enters any part of the packer brisket like a hot knife cutting through warm butter, THAT'S the sweet spot, and that's when I pull the packer brisket. Keep wrapped in foil, and put in a cooler for about 3 hours and yeah, it's good stuff or tent foil on the counter for 20 minutes, slice and serve. I've done probably over 100 packers this way as I cook for the guys I work with pretty regularly during spring, summer and fall. Due to our tight tolerances for schedules, I can get to work by 6:30, have the UDS hot and loaded by 7am and be cutting and serving a 12-15lb packer easily by noon.

You should know that this method of cooking brisket comes from speaking with other individuals from various other BBQ websites with varying pieces of equipment ranging from a UDS to a WSM as well as being a confirmed cooking method for Smitty's in Lockhart, TX where they primarily serve beef shoulder clod and not brisket, cooked at 400 for roughly 6-8 hours.

Because of how my UDS cooks, the only thing this "high heat" brisket lacks is the traditional bark that is incumbent of that which is brisket. However, i COULD for the sake of having bark, leave the brisket out of foil and cook it all the way through for 4.5 hours at 400 and it would have a respectable bark that would make any brisket eater enjoy.

Lastly, although i mentioned it, I want to clarify, I don't cook to temp per say. I cook to the point where my meat probe can enter the meat at any point with ZERO resistance/minimal effort. Once you've cooked a brisket this way and tasted it, you'll understand why. Yes I have a bark, it's more tender than a normal low and slow brisket, and yes I still get a smoke ring.
 
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O.K.,I know they have sent you in all different directions for the cooking of a Brisket
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But, let's bring it down to the simplest process(and IMHO)the best.

First you must be very patient,you want to win your Master qualifications? Simply rub Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper liberally all over the meat.Have your pit at 220*F and not over 235*F. Put your Brisket in the cooking chamber and(here's the patience part)
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                                                         LEAVE THE LID SHUT

when the estimated cooking time arrives,poke it to see if it goes in and out like sticking a probe in a banana , it's done.

That's why I have multiple cookers and smokers
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Hope I have helped and remember.
 
Here's my first picture attempts:

Picture of the smoker - getting it all pretty. 

d0d51155_2011-03-18_19-04-15_209.jpg


Purchased Sheet Metal

08a27a93_2011-03-18_19-04-45_261.jpg


Made a cardboard template for an idea of how much room it would take up.
8bfcb791_2011-03-18_20-42-10_650.jpg


 

Here's the template inside the fire box:

 
b16df397_2011-03-18_20-41-12_550.jpg


And here's one of the new thermometers:

 
c5e43e75_2011-03-18_19-04-26_424.jpg
 
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There's more than one way to skin a cat or in this case cook a brisket. While my method may not apply to you (I have a fleet of UDS smokers and long since dumped my CG as I did not like reloading it all the time or did I like the constant temp swings regardless of what mods I did) it's definitely something I suggest every person try at least once.

I cook my briskets in about 4 hours 5 minutes, give or take a few minutes depending on the particular packer (i've yet to have one take longer than 4 hours and 10 minutes). I start out with my UDS fired up to 325, cook for 2.5 hours at which point i'm usually hitting the 160-165 mark (I temp to this point so I know when i want to foil and that tells me roughly about how much longer I have to cook the brisket). At 165 I pull foil and take it up to 400 for the last 90 minutes there about. USUALLY, when my meat probe enters any part of the packer brisket like a hot knife cutting through warm butter, THAT'S the sweet spot, and that's when I pull the packer brisket. Keep wrapped in foil, and put in a cooler for about 3 hours and yeah, it's good stuff or tent foil on the counter for 20 minutes, slice and serve. I've done probably over 100 packers this way as I cook for the guys I work with pretty regularly during spring, summer and fall. Due to our tight tolerances for schedules, I can get to work by 6:30, have the UDS hot and loaded by 7am and be cutting and serving a 12-15lb packer easily by noon.

You should know that this method of cooking brisket comes from speaking with other individuals from various other BBQ websites with varying pieces of equipment ranging from a UDS to a WSM as well as being a confirmed cooking method for Smitty's in Lockhart, TX where they primarily serve beef shoulder clod and not brisket, cooked at 400 for roughly 6-8 hours.

Because of how my UDS cooks, the only thing this "high heat" brisket lacks is the traditional bark that is incumbent of that which is brisket. However, i COULD for the sake of having bark, leave the brisket out of foil and cook it all the way through for 4.5 hours at 400 and it would have a respectable bark that would make any brisket eater enjoy.

Lastly, although i mentioned it, I want to clarify, I don't cook to temp per say. I cook to the point where my meat probe can enter the meat at any point with ZERO resistance/minimal effort. Once you've cooked a brisket this way and tasted it, you'll understand why. Yes I have a bark, it's more tender than a normal low and slow brisket, and yes I still get a smoke ring.
Basically treating it as you would a roast, then. This method works, and can be adapted easily if the stuation is dire, but I've found myself happier with the results of a slower-cooked brisket, then a higher heat one.

Again, everybody has their preferences, I just feel like the resulting textures of either one are too radically different, and liked the slow-cooked brisket better.

Also, Helljack's pointers about finished meat tenderness are great to know. I cook by temp, but my final say is whether I can drop my pocket knife through the meat.

Thermometers sometimes run out of batteries...
 


Here's my first picture attempts:

Picture of the smoker - getting it all pretty. 

d0d51155_2011-03-18_19-04-15_209.jpg


Purchased Sheet Metal

08a27a93_2011-03-18_19-04-45_261.jpg


Made a cardboard template for an idea of how much room it would take up.
8bfcb791_2011-03-18_20-42-10_650.jpg


 

Here's the template inside the fire box:

 
b16df397_2011-03-18_20-41-12_550.jpg


And here's one of the new thermometers:

 
c5e43e75_2011-03-18_19-04-26_424.jpg
That's some pretty advanced fire-retardant cardboard!

How's it for breathability?

What are your imressions with the CG firebox? I'm building a smoker from a fridge, and I'm considering using that same model firebox, but I'd like some feedback on it from those who've played with them a bit.
 
I made some mods to my firebox. Added 2 pieces of angle iron to raise up my fire basket so I could maintain good airflow as the ashes piled up. I also added an additional vent in case I needed more air intake. It seems to work very well. I can slide the ash tray out while I'm smoking if I need to as well.

c567e524_IMAG0166.jpg


13902d92_IMAG0167.jpg


7139ab3b_IMG_0563.jpg
 
That's some pretty advanced fire-retardant cardboard!

How's it for breathability?

What are your imressions with the CG firebox? I'm building a smoker from a fridge, and I'm considering using that same model firebox, but I'd like some feedback on it from those who've played with them a bit.
LOL - fire retardant.  Nothing but the best will do!

The Firebox is a bit smaller than most offsets, but it's still good for the money.  The slide out ash pan warps pretty easily, and the firebox its self has a bunch of small open screw holes you have to watch for.
 
Looking good so far. You're on the right track. Have you thought about the baffle yet so you can have even temps across the cook chamber?
Funny you mentioned that.  When I got your email, I was actually putting the finishing touches on some things:

I made my charcoal basket.  It measures 12 X 12 X 6.  It was originally a 24 x 24 16 ga. piece of sheet metal from the local hardware store.  I just followed the directions of a template I found here on the forums on how to construct one and it was actually pretty simple.

4a857394_2011-03-19_16-56-54_700.jpg


I ended up bending back the excess pieces of sheet metal that were protruding on the top.  The screws are extra material screws from the grill/firebox when I originally got them (figured those would come in handy someday, LOL).

Here's a comparison of my basket vs my 'fire retardant cardboard' basket
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294ef672_2011-03-19_17-01-29_493.jpg


Finally, the baffle.  So, the fam and I went on an excursion today that started out quite interesting.  Here goes:

My wife is the treasurer of our church, so it's her job to make sure certain things in the finances are accounted for.  We apparently needed deposit bags, so she calls the bank to see if they have any.  Yep, they do, so we start on our way.

I pull out of the driveway, start up the road, and BAM!  Flat tire.  Apparently someone used our street for their personal dumping ground and laid a bunch of solar lights in the street.  I tried to avoid one, and ran into another.  Shredded the sidewall, thanks for playing.  New tire.

Now, the wife is going nuts cause EVERY BANK CLOSES AT NOON on Saturdays (she's like most ladies - she works at a credit union, and thinks all financial institutions keep the same hours). 

I say, "Dear, did you call them to see what time they close?"  Her response?  "I KNOW they all close at least by 1.  We need to go."  (remember this)

So, I change the tire, and we head to the bank.  She comes out, no bags.

Me:  "Uh, where's the bags?"

Her:  "They don't have any."

Me:  "We're rolling around on a spare.  I'm not driving all over the city to look for a couple of bags.  Why don't you call them?"

Her:  "UGH!"

She calls.  Apparently, plastic deposit bags are a novelty, cause hardly any bank in the city has them right now. 

Me:  "What time do they close again?"

Her:  ".........."

(at this point, I knew I had her)

Me:  "Dear?"

Her:  "Four.  Four PM."

LOL -
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So, I suggest we go get the tire fixed.  I go to Tires Plus.  This place is a rip.  The guy says, "Well, it's in the sidewall, so it's not repairable.  Where'd you get the tire from?"  So I tell him where I got the tire from....one of his competitors.  He precedes to show me a price list for three brands of tire (one tire, mind you).  Astronomical.  I'm like, "I'll just go to where I got the tires from."

Stay with me on this, folks, LOL

So, we go get the tire fixed.  Ninety bucks.  I could have gotten two tires on the car for the price the guy at Tires Plus was asking for, LOL
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Now that we've got the tire fixed....we're back on the road for bags now.  So we drive to the place where they've got some bags.  Wife gets back in the car, looking frazzled.

Her:  "Do I speak ENGLISH?!?  I said CLEAR PLASTIC BAGS!!!"

Me:  "HUH?!?"

Her:  "Look at this."

They apparently DON'T speak English, LOL.  They gave her two leathery type bags.

Me:  "Let me call."

So I call the main branch.  The lady says, "Yeah we have some clear bags.  Across town." (paraphrase).

Me:  "LOL"

So we go get the bags.  We then go to Penzey's Spices.  I will swear by this store, they have every dog gone spice or seasoning you can think of.  Check them out if you'd like:  http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html

NOW - getting to the baffle...finally, LOL

We stop by the store that just happens to be in the same strip mall as the hardware store!  I tell my wife I'm going into the hardware store.  The wife sends her spy along with me (our eldest daughter, LOL).

We get in there, and it just so happens they had the same style grill setup as I have.  I'm like, hmm.....

So I go back to the sheet metal, and found an 8 x 18 sheet that cost bout seven bucks.  The spy and I take it to the setup grill (perfect for measuring) and measure it.  I grab it, and some stainless steel screws with some washers as well.

While we're walking back to the car, Mommy's little spy begins her interrogation:

Spy # 1:  "Daddy, why are we getting that thing?"

Me:  "Well, honey, we're trying to keep the heat down in the smoker."

Her:  "How much did that cost us again?"  (LOL, she is trained well)

Me:  "Nothing, dear.  Mommy paid for it with the gift card she got Daddy for Christmas."  ROFLOL

That ended the conversation there.  She gave her report to headquarters later, LOL

So I got the baffle, measured in half an inch on the width, hammered it.  I drilled a couple of holes into the sheet to match a couple of pre-existing holes on the smoker body.  Here's the result.

PRIOR to Baffle:

a7f0f580_2011-03-18_19-09-41_812.jpg


AFTER Baffle:

1acd963f_2011-03-19_16-36-01_587.jpg


I keep telling myself that the rewards will be well worth the adventure, LOL

I'll keep you guys posted on how it all turns out.  Thanks for indulging me!
 
LOL----Great Story, Alex!

I often took my Son in stores like that---No squealing from Sons!

Bear
 
Luckily my oldest daughter is usually on my side so I don't worry. LOL. Great story. Nice baffle. Looks a little familiar.
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Basket looks good. It should serve you well.
Thanks!

With that basket, How do you fill with your Minion method?  I've heard of people filling the middle with the hot coals (the old fashioned way), or spreading the hot coals on the left toward the smoking chamber.
 
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