Traeger Silverton 1st Brisket Smoke

[bellevueduck]

Hello All

Will be putting on my first brisket smoke in about an hour.
Going to to test out a 5-7lb brisket.
Have gone through a number of "first time newbie" threads and have ideas.
Very excited to do this right the 1st time.

Traeger Silverton, owned for 6 Days
Have used it 3 times for corn, hamburgers. have the basics down

Have a few remaining questions:
Injection? should I inject saw good ideas about injection
Rub? rub it at setup if I inject
Wrap in Foil completely thru smoke? Saw Traeger mentions butcher wrap
Always at smoke setting?

My concerns will be steady temperature, leaving the house while it's smoking, flame pot going out.

Pretty sure I understand doneness and have digital thermometer.

 

[Smokin’Steve]

Would love to see pictures of the final result.

 

[kruizer]

1. I would not inject. Plenty of fat to keep it moist.
2. Rub, SPOG for best flavor.
3. Only wrap when it reaches the stall. Otherwise, no smoke flavor.
4. 225 to 250 is a good cook temp all the way thru. Go too high and end with a tough piece of meat. You shouldn't have to worry about fire going out.
5. It is done when you probe and it is like soft butter.

 

[bellevueduck]

Thanks great advice for a newbie

The prep should be easy...

How do I tell when the stall is reached?

OK will take your advice.
Newbie in me would have wrapped at the beginning...would have been a rookie mistake

Will experiment ratios of
ground sea salt
coarse ground black pepper
garlic powder
granulated onion

 

[oldsmokerdude]

Some folks wrap, some don't. You'll get a bit more crisp bark if you don't wrap. Wrapping in foil works well and helps push through the stall (called the Texas crutch). But it does tend to make the bark a little less crispy. Wrapping in butcher paper is somewhere in between wrapping in foil and not wrapping at all.

Regardless, since you're using a pellet grill, I would cook at about 225 until the brisket IT reaches 160 to 165. At that point you can wrap if you choose. Start checking for done-ness around 195. Should be able to stick a toothpick or probe in it very easily (like soft butter). If not done, check every few degrees until it is. Will probably finish up with an IT of about 203, but could be a bit higher or lower depending on lots of factors.

Send us some pictures for sure.

 

[bellevueduck]

With a 5-7lb trimmed flat of brisket how long do you estimate the cooking to take?

Traeger has smoke mode setting 180 and 225.. You are recommending 225 to start?

 

[kruizer]

It could take up to 10 to 12 hours for your smoke. I would use the 225 setting for your smoke.

 

[bellevueduck]

Ok on the smoker at 225
put in equal portions of SPOG.. .just alittle cumin
prob 5-6lbs meaning 6-8 hours.
Fat side down

 

[bellevueduck]

4 Hour Update
IT is now at 153 watching closely.
No bark developed.
It's possible my weight guestimate on the flat was wrong. Might be smaller than 6lbs.

From the directions I wait until 165 and then wrap.

Questions:
Without a good bark should I not wrap it?
Any other suggestions?

 

[kruizer]

Wrap or not, it is your choice.

 

[bellevueduck]

5 hour update
External temp still at 225
IT Temp has not budged much in 1 hour
It was at 158. I then moved the probe to another location and it's 151.
I do see more moisture coming out of the brisket
It's not fork tender yet. have to poke to get the fork in.

Is this what the Stall is?

 

[kruizer]

Yup, you have hit the stall

 

[bellevueduck]

7 hour update

External temp at 225
IT temp still at 150
Getting Hungry looks like no Brisket tonight if it doesn't get over the stall
The outside is looking darker. Is that Bark forming?
Any suggestions?
Do I keep it going, stick it in the oven or turn up the temp?

 

[bellevueduck]

Update Overall chalk this one up to Learning Curve

9 hours(8pm) turned temp up to 235
Still in Stall Mode IT was 148

10 hours (9pm)
Was running out of pellets Took to Inside Oven at 235
Temp finally moved up into 160's

11 Hours (10pm)
Oven Temp at 235
IT moved up to 196
Was still not fork tender. could penetrate fork but felt dry
Outside of Brisket was dark.
Taste was very good however dry on the inside
Being dry but edible will be able to eat it with some good bbq sauce

From reading other posts I'm seeing it's all about low and slow. Need to figure out the cooking timing better.
Because of 1st time didn't want to cook overnight. Didn't trust the Traeger for steady temp. from some of the horror stories I read online. However the temp of the Traeger was consistent. range from 212-230 during the cooking time.

Will try again over next day or two. Prep w/rub completely night before and be ready to put in at 6am.