# To brine or not to brine a brisket?



## jbacinti

Short and sweet; what are your thoughts on brining a brisket for anywhere from 8 to 24 hours?

Thanks,

John


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## richoso1

I never give a though to brining any cut of beef, maybe a marinade.


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## caveman

Could you brine in a marinade for the same results, the results being looking for more tenderness from the brisk?  (Does that make sense?)


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## ellymae

What would you use for the brine?


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## thunderdome

I cant tell you why exactly, but an injection is about as far as I'd go for added moisture on a brisket

Give it a whirl and let us all know


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## bbqhead

I dont feel brining would serve any purpose, when there's so many options that would do do what your looking for.  I've done briskit without injections, marinades, or brining.  just practice, practice, practice!


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## fatback joe

Brined brisket = corned beef

Granted the time is longer to make corned beef, but that is essentially the road you are heading down IMO.

In any case, you can always eat the experiment, so give it a shot.


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## csmith2884

I would caution too much brine as well...I found even a strong mop can change the great beefy flavors brisket is a loong smoke so flavors are intensified.


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## ak1

If it was a really good brisket from a AAA(prime in the US) grade steer, I'd leave it alone.


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## barneypoo69

I know I'm just an old newbee here, but sometimes I just marinade a whole brisket in Zesty Italian dressing (cheapest at the supermarket) overnight. Sometimes I don't do that. I've never had a dry brisket even with just putting on a rub & let it "work" for overnight. I smoke it for a about 3 hrs in an open alum pan fat side down, then take out of pan, fat side down till its 180* then wrap with foil & pour some of the juices on it & put back in smoker till its 190*. I do mop it every hour when its on the grille with its own juices mixed with beer.


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## herkysprings

Actually a CURED brisket is corned beef.

A Brine is not the same as a cure, although it can be. 

See here, a pretty good explaination: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=69383

I dont think you'd get much from a brine with a brisket / beef. You'd be better off with a marinade (Dr Pepper one works great for beef), or injection, or nothing at all.


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## mballi3011

I', with Fatback with this one if you brine it (which I do make) then you will have corned beef. I would see a reason to brine but I might inject or marinade a brisket thou.


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## butcher bbq

In that time frame your brine wouldn't get very deep into a brisket. Injecting is the best method.


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## pike

a brine would turn itinto corned beef,  depending on what the brine is made up of.   but hies thinking of the brine=tenderness,   just smoke the meat to a higher temp  200-205 to really break down the collagen making it tender.


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## jbacinti

Thanks to all for your advice on brining brisket.  I'll try some of your ideas and post again.


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## morris stevens

As a Texan who's been smoking briskets for 20 years, I would have to agree. Right wood (mesquite + pecan), right temp (225-275 degrees (roughly)), right time (6 hours is what I do), indirect heat, some wet (water soaked) wood, some dry wood, salt, pepper, garlic. Wrap it tightly in foil and heat it at 250 degrees for another four hours. Eat. Remember, if a bunch of old boys in the middle of nowhere didn't or wouldn't have it when they started barbequing, then neither would I.

Practice, Practice, Practice. Nothing replaces time, simplicity, and smoke.


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## flyweed

No brine for a beef brisket. You really want the BEEF flavor to come out....I inject my brisket with a mix of beef broth and melted butter....keeps it internally super moist, and you get that full beef flavor.

Dan


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## redneck69

flyweed said:


> No brine for a beef brisket. You really want the BEEF flavor to come out....I inject my brisket with a mix of beef broth and melted butter....keeps it internally super moist, and you get that full beef flavor.
> 
> Dan


i will agree with this...inject and do not brine....keep the dry rub simple...salt, pepper, garlic and onion salt/powder...which ever you perfer


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## whisky

How long before the smoke should you inject?


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## oldschoolbbq

IMHO, I don't the reason, it will stay juicy unless you forget it - too many refreshments.


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## jbacinti

I usually inject mine 10 - 12 hours before smoking.  Keeps them very moist.


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## bowillie

1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 qt apple juice, 2 tbl. garlic powder per 1 gal. water


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## jwbtulsa

I use Deep Beef Injection. I trim and inject the night before to get a more equal distribution of liquid.

I did try this technique and got some of the best beef I have ever made. It was a combination of stuff I gathered from around the forum.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...jimmy-j-brisket-with-a-cold-start#post_899098


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## jduenes32

I've only been at this for a couple of years, so I'm relatively new at this.  But just as an fyi for those who've never tried brining a brisket, it's a lot of work, but makes a big difference in the finished product.  I make a brine of 1-2 cups of kosher salt, 2 tbsp of whole black peppercorns, 2 tbsp of minced garlic, & 1 whole onion (quarters and separated).  I brine the brisket for 6 to 8 hours, depending on size, and then pat dry and use a good rub.  Let the meat set with the rub for at least 4 hours until ready to smoke.
     The most noticeable difference you'll notice isn't the element of salt or flavor in the meat.  That's actually pretty subtle.  The biggest difference you'll notice is that the salt acts as a tenderizer.  I've been pretty fortunate to have been offered a lot of great advice and so my briskets have always come out very well.  But this is one tip I would recommend everyone try at least once.  Again, it's a lot of work, but well worth the effort in my opinion.  If you don't like it, no harm, no foul.  Best of luck!!


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## bama bbq

The food scientists at America's Test Kitchen brine their brisket by dissolving 3 TBS table salt and ½ cup sugar in 4 quarts cold water in large container.  Cut slits in fat cap, spaced 1 inch apart, in crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into meat.  Submerge brisket in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.*

*The Editors at America's Test Kitchen (2012-10-12). The Science of Good Cooking: Master 50 Simple Concepts to Enjoy a Lifetime of Success in the Kitchen (Cook's Illustrated Cookbooks) (Kindle Locations 3871-3872). Boston Common Press. Kindle Edition.


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## daveomak

Jduenes32 said:


> I've only been at this for a couple of years, so I'm relatively new at this. But just as an fyi for those who've never tried brining a brisket, it's a lot of work, but makes a big difference in the finished product. I make a brine of 1-2 cups of kosher salt, 2 tbsp of whole black peppercorns, 2 tbsp of minced garlic, & 1 whole onion (quarters and separated). I brine the brisket for 6 to 8 hours, depending on size, and then pat dry and use a good rub. Let the meat set with the rub for at least 4 hours until ready to smoke.
> The most noticeable difference you'll notice isn't the element of salt or flavor in the meat. That's actually pretty subtle. The biggest difference you'll notice is that the salt acts as a tenderizer. I've been pretty fortunate to have been offered a lot of great advice and so my briskets have always come out very well. But this is one tip I would recommend everyone try at least once. Again, it's a lot of work, but well worth the effort in my opinion. If you don't like it, no harm, no foul. Best of luck!!


J, morning and welcome to the forum....   good advice on the brine....   

Please take a moment and stop into " [color= rgb(146, 144, 139)]/[/color]*[color= rgb(128, 0, 0)]Roll Call[/color]*[color= rgb(146, 144, 139)]/[/color]   " and introduce yourself and get a proper welcome from our members.... Also, if you would note your location in your profile, it will help in the future when answering questions about smokin'...   elevation, humidity etc....    

We're glad you stopped in and joined our group...    Enjoy the long smokey ride....     Dave


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## mudgely

I am relatively new to smoking briskets, though I have smoked many other meats for a couple of decades. I also graduated from a good culinary school, and I worked my way up from a restaurant vegetable cook to executive sous chef at a fancy hotel, before I moved on to another profession.

Whether I brine a brisket, or not, depends on how large the meat is, and how long I intend to cook it. A piece of meat will spoil from the outside inward. If you increase the salt content, especially at the surface, then you inhibit bacterial growth. I smoked a brisket yesterday, at a temp of 175-200 F. It was a six pound flat. It took eight hours for the internal meat temp to reach 140, which is considered the safe range for bacterial growth prevention. The rule of thumb is that any perishable food should not remain between a temp of 40 and 140 for more than about 4 hours.

If food is just for my own consumption, I don't worry about it so much. If I have having a dinner party, or otherwise cooking for family/friends, then I am very cautious about food temps. 

Brining is different than curing meat. A corned beef is cured in a mixture of about 2 cups of salt per gallon of water. Pastrami cuts the salt in half. Personally, I find a smoked corned beef too salty for my palate, even if I soak it in fresh water for four hours. Maybe an overnight soak would do it. When I make pastrami, I soak my brisket in one cup per gallon for about a week, prior to smoking.

For me, brining can be as short as 30 minutes for fish, or as long as overnight for poultry which is denser meat. My goal is to increase the salt content at the surface of the meat to prevent spoilage during the slow cooking process. 

When I don't want to brine a brisket, then I just cook it at a higher temp, generally 225-250, and in that way the temp of the meat stays in the "danger" zone for a shorter period of time, thereby reducing the possibility of bacterial growth. 

If you don't brine a slow cooked piece of meat, then please be sure to use a salt based rub, and let the rubbed meat sit in the refrigerator long enough for the rub to adhere to the meat surface. This will not provide the same measure of safety as brining does, but it also works well to prevent bacterial growth on the surface of the meat, as we know from many years of people smoking meats in this way. I am just ultra cautious when I am making food for others to consume.


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## pjmerri

New to this smoking thing.. super excited to get started.. I am curious what size cut of brisket are you talking about .. about 6 pounds?


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## jbacinti

Any size is fine, 6 pounds up to a whole packer cut of 14 - 16 -18 pounds.  Obviously just adjust the amount of brine to cover the entire piece of meat; that's the important part.


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## pnstenquist

I brine my briskets, inject with butter, smoke for about ten hours and finish with a Texas choke in a braise pan. Once they hit 205 leave them in the braise pan and gradually bring the temp down to about 160. They come out beefy, juicy and tender. Don't know if they would if I didn't do all that, but I figure why mess with success. Brining won't give you corn beef. You have to add curing salts for that.


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## Louise Shotton

richoso1 said:


> I never give a though to brining any cut of beef, maybe a marinade.


I brine when making a smoked pastrami.  =. beef


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## Louise Shotton

pnstenquist said:


> I brine my briskets, inject with butter, smoke for about ten hours and finish with a Texas choke in a braise pan. Once they hit 205 leave them in the braise pan and gradually bring the temp down to about 160. They come out beefy, juicy and tender. Don't know if they would if I didn't do all that, but I figure why mess with success. Brining won't give you corn beef. You have to add curing salts for that.


I use one herb and the is spice, to make a good new york style ... 3 days for the point and 5 for the flat


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