1st Brisket Help?!?!

[harleybike]

Ok, so after reading and reading, there is SO much info on Brisket my head is spinning. I appreciate all the help I received on my first PP and it was phenomenal. Now, if I may ask, can I get some "simple" first timer help for this brisket.  I plan on doing just the flats this go around as I don't want to mess with the burnt ends yet.  I have a 5 ponder but plan on getting more as I will have about 15-20 people over to eat.  I love left over also, so too much is never enough. Lol.

I have no idea what to rub on it.  I wold like to try the MES30 until the stall and then toss it in the over for the remainder at about 325 deg?  Sound about right?  This was suggested by a good source.  I would like to eat around 4ish on Sat the 4th.

I have the AMNPS to use so set it and forget it.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks guys!!!

Mike.

 

[oddball]

I just did a flat yesterday.  225 until 160, then foiled and increased temp to 250.  Only took about 6 hours.  I lowered the heat and left it in another hour, then pulled and wrapped in a couple of towels until it was served  The more you read, the more different opinions you will receive.

It will largely depend on the size, especially thickness, of the brisket.  This one was maybe 1 1/2" and pretty even end to end.  The larger cuts, especially a full brisket, will suffer more from "the stall".

As for rub, I use pretty much the same rub on everything.  The only difference is that I have started adding sugar for pork.  So whatever rub you are currently using is likely fine.  I started with a basic mixture, equal parts salt, pepper, and paprika.  After that, endless options based on your taste preference.  I also now add garlic, chilli powder, sugar, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.  There are also numerous store bought options.  But you can save yourself some money by experimenting and creating your own.

 

[harleybike]

 
I just did a flat yesterday.  225 until 160, then foiled and increased temp to 250.  Only took about 6 hours.  I lowered the heat and left it in another hour, then pulled and wrapped in a couple of towels until it was served  The more you read, the more different opinions you will receive.

It will largely depend on the size, especially thickness, of the brisket.  This one was maybe 1 1/2" and pretty even end to end.  The larger cuts, especially a full brisket, will suffer more from "the stall".

As for rub, I use pretty much the same rub on everything.  The only difference is that I have started adding sugar for pork.  So whatever rub you are currently using is likely fine.  I started with a basic mixture, equal parts salt, pepper, and paprika.  After that, endless options based on your taste preference.  I also now add garlic, chilli powder, sugar, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper.  There are also numerous store bought options.  But you can save yourself some money by experimenting and creating your own.

Great, thank you.  So the temp probe only goes into the flat about 3/4 inch anywhere on the flat? 

You taking 6 total hours (cook) time not including the rest time? 

Sounds fairly straight forward.  I will use the rub JJ send me that I used on the PP. 

 

[smokerterp]

I have a question regarding rest time.  I've seen people wrap in a towel and rest 1-2 hours.  Would it be a problem to rest 3-4 hours if you hapepen to finish much earlier than anticipated?

Thanks!

 

[brian85]

I have a question regarding rest time.  I've seen people wrap in a towel and rest 1-2 hours.  Would it be a problem to rest 3-4 hours if you hapepen to finish much earlier than anticipated?

Thanks!

I don't see how it would hurt that thick of beef in a cooler with towels wrapped around will stay hot for hours. 3-4 shouldn't be a big deal now I think 6 is excessive and you could introduce some food illness I'm not sure.

 

[aggie94]

Harley finishing in the oven at 325 seems a little high.  I would suggest closer to the temp you smoked it, around 250 degrees or a little higher.  And everytime I've tried a flat by itself it tended to dry out, so half way through the smoke wrap it in foil and you could add some liquid (beef broth, apple cider vinegar, etc) to it. 

 

[harleybike]

 
Harley finishing in the oven at 325 seems a little high.  I would suggest closer to the temp you smoked it, around 250 degrees or a little higher.  And everytime I've tried a flat by itself it tended to dry out, so half way through the smoke wrap it in foil and you could add some liquid (beef broth, apple cider vinegar, etc) to it. 

Ah ok, so do you just add the liquid to the foil wrap?   At about what iT temp will the stall hit and do I leave it wrapped for the remainder of the time in the oven?

 

[bigred77]

 
I have a question regarding rest time.  I've seen people wrap in a towel and rest 1-2 hours.  Would it be a problem to rest 3-4 hours if you hapepen to finish much earlier than anticipated?

Thanks!

I have actually rested a couple of briskets about 6 hours once, two together in the same cooler, wrapped in separate towels, and when I went to cut them they were still at about 140 degrees

 

[aggie94]

Usually I hear stalls occur around 150-160 degrees, I don't have a Maverick temp gauge so have to just spot check the temps.  I haven't had good luck with flats and haven't cooked one in awhile, the last one I did I didn't wrap at all and it was too dry.  Now I'm wrapping the packer briskets I'm cooking and there is enough fat that it produces plenty of juice, but the next flat I do I plan on just pouring liquid into the foil packet.  Yes leave the foil on it as long as it is in the oven.  Once its cooked if the bark has gotten a little soft you can open it up and brown the top (done that with roasts).  Then wrap it and rest it an hour or two and should be ready to serve.

 

[harleybike]

 
Usually I hear stalls occur around 150-160 degrees, I don't have a Maverick temp gauge so have to just spot check the temps.  I haven't had good luck with flats and haven't cooked one in awhile, the last one I did I didn't wrap at all and it was too dry.  Now I'm wrapping the packer briskets I'm cooking and there is enough fat that it produces plenty of juice, but the next flat I do I plan on just pouring liquid into the foil packet.  Yes leave the foil on it as long as it is in the oven.  Once its cooked if the bark has gotten a little soft you can open it up and brown the top (done that with roasts).  Then wrap it and rest it an hour or two and should be ready to serve.

Ok great Aggie, thanks. Sounds good.  I think I have it figured out.  So I did a small 3 pound test brisket the other day.  Rubbed, smoked at 230 till it stalled at about 160, removed, wrapped( No liquid though) placed in oven at 250 till IT hit 202 (which ended up too high as the meat was over done and a bit dry) tasted amazing though.

So for the party Sat, I'm doing bout 12 ponds of flats and gonna rub the day before. I'll set the smoker to 230,  take it out of the smoker at the stall, Wrap it WITH liquid, put it in the oven until it hit an IT of 190, I read that the IT can rise 10 deg after removal. Wrap in towels until ready to serve.

 

[aggie94]

Doing a test brisket was a good idea, sounds like you have a good plan in place for this weekend.  Let us know how it works out.  I don't see another way to do it without adding some liquid, flats are just too small and too lean for the long hours of smoking.  If someone else has some helpful tips on cooking brisket flats I would love to hear them. 

 

[harleybike]

20150703_234852.jpg

• harleybike
• Jul 4, 2015

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY ALL...[emoji]127878[/emoji][emoji]127878[/emoji]

Went into the MES30 @ midnight at 230 deg.

8am and its already at 181 IT. Looks like it might be done too early. How can I slow it down more. Planned on seeving at 4. I lowered the temp to 200. Never got it wrapped with liquid.

 

[harleybike]

20150704_082102.jpg

• harleybike
• Jul 4, 2015

 

[aggie94]

Harley in that lower picture they look real juicy.  You should be able to slow it down by lowering cooking temperature, and plan on spending longer resting in the cooler.

I've read that resting for 4 hours isn't a problem if wrapped in foil and then a towel around them, see if you can stretch the time in the smoker till close to noon and you should be good.  Are you still planning on pulling at 190? 

 

[harleybike]

Harley in that lower picture they look real juicy.  You should be able to slow it down by lowering cooking temperature, and plan on spending longer resting in the cooler.

Right on. 200 too low? I see that some easier posts on this thread said it can stay towel wrapped in a cooler for several hours?!?!

 

[aggie94]

I don't think 200 is too low, but I don't know at what rate the IT will rise at that temperature.  Try it for an hour and see, may have to raise it back up.  I've read folks resting up to 6 hours but that seems to be pushing it to me, 2 to 4 isn't suppose to be a problem.  I would be most concerned about that little one drying out, the 2 larger ones are looking fine, actually they are looking delicious!

Barbecue is difficult to time, but I would rather it be done a little too early then have hungry people standing around waiting on it.  

 

[harleybike]

Ok great thanks aggie. I'll keep an eye and adjust as necessary. Think it's too late to wrap with liquid for the last few hours?

 

[aggie94]

Cooking briskets for me has taken lots of experimentation.  You have 3 briskets, you could wrap one and add some liquid to see what happens.  If you do I would try the small one, its most likely to dry out, and if it turns out bad it hurts you the least.  Some people claim that wrapped brisket, especially with extra liquid, have softer bark and taste more braised.  That may be true but if they are sitting in liquid in a enclosed space (foil, glass, etc) they should not be able to dry out.  I'll be online all day and will be following your cook closely.  Just so you know, I'm no expert, but I love brisket and trying hard to achieve consistency when I smoke them.

 

[harleybike]

Sounds like a plan. I appreciate it. I'll keep updating the progress and what I do. Thanks. [emoji]128077[/emoji]

 

[aggie94]

You should be in the Eastern time zone, should be coming up on 10 am soon.  If you were 181 degrees IT at 8 am, I'll be real curious to see what temperature you're at by 10 am.  It should give you a better idea how fast they are cooking and what you need to do with cooking temperature.  Do you have one of those constant read thermometers or do you have to open up the smoker (like I have to) to take temp readings?