# First time smoking



## Twinturboss (Jul 18, 2018)

This weekend is my birthday and first one in my own home so I decided to smoke a brisket. I will be using a charcoal grill and be using the snake method. Now I was only able to order a 7 pound brisket so hopefully that will work  since everywhere I look says 10-12 pounds. Any tips or tricks using this method. I also got a nice digital thermometer that monitors both grill temp and meat temp. I will hopefully be injecting it if I can get an injector in time as well as rubbing it


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## Twinturboss (Jul 18, 2018)

Oh it is also my first time trying to smoke anything


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## GaryHibbert (Jul 18, 2018)

Since I've only sone 1 brisket, I'm gonna keep my mouth shut on this one.  Anything else I'd be hapoy to help.  There's lots of experts on briskies here.  One or more will be along shortly.
Do a search on brisket by gary s.  He's been smoking them for decades.
Gary


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 18, 2018)

You should likely figure out if it's the flat or the point <or it could be whole? I figured at that size it's not likely>. Then you'll want to trim it well. Thats the one part of Brisket I don't look forward to now. I did one, and trimming it is the worst for me.

Since it's on the small side, look up Al's Hot and Fast Method; I've read plenty of posts now with people having done or it saying it's bang on for the method...

For a first time smoke you sure decided to Tackle what most people consider the hardest type of BBQ! Just remember the IT isn't when it's done, just a good indicator of when to begin probing. <I started at 195f>. If you don't have them, pick up an instant read thermo, and a thermo probe. I use them for non bbq cooking constantly. Primarily though, you want to cook things around 250f for a normal brisket method and you don't need to roll smoke the entire time.

As for how to prep a Brisket for a normal one;
A: Trim to 1/4 to 1/2 inch fat on it. Any little pieces of meat dangling off, cut away.
B: Rub the brisket in mustard <or molasses>. This helps create the bark, and gives the rub some thing to stick to.
C: Apply the rub. <Alot of folk use SPOG- Salt. Pepper. Onion Powder. Garlic Powder. It's the basic rub, pretty much every rub if you read it has SPOG in it.>
D: Be prepared for the thing to take longer then planned.

My first brisket was a 11.5 pounder, maybe 11 pounds post trimming. It took me about 32 hours <I also did a goof> so had I not goofed, I fully expect it woulda still been 24+ hrs. 

Prep the coffee and be all! <Also some people do a coffee rub for Brisket..>


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## lovethemeats (Jul 18, 2018)

Don't try and rush things. Best saying goes - It will be done when its done. Get used to saying that to your family. Never know how long it will take. Could be a long smoke or an 18 hour smoke or maybe less. The snake method will be a longer smoke probably.  Look through the site with the people suggested above. Lots of good info in here.


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## Twinturboss (Jul 18, 2018)

I got a thermometer that reads grill temp and food temp through out the whole cook. So that should be good and yeah I know I chose the hardest but hey I'm usually pretty good and doing things right the first time so I'm hoping this goes good too. I did a dry run on the BBQ today to see how well I can keep temp and how long to get to temp. These coals seemed to burn out fast. Just shitty store brand I'm going to see if I can find better ones by Sat. As far as knowing if it's the point or flat or whole I will know Friday afternoon when I get to pick it up. Thanks for the info so far. I been reading and watching all sorts of videos and articles all day today and other days since I decided to do this. I will post how it all goes sat. I'm planning on starting at midnight and will be monitoring through out the night


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## gmc2003 (Jul 20, 2018)

Happy birthday Twin. and welcome to the site. Search for Al's tutorial on smoking smaller briskets. It should get you thru the process. 

Chris


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## Twinturboss (Jul 20, 2018)

Ok awesome. And thank you.


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## tallbm (Jul 20, 2018)

Hi there and welcome!

I can't help you with any smoker suggestions BUT I can tell you that a brisket is done when it is TENDER!
Put your meat probe in the thickest yet center most portion of the Flat portion of your brisket.  A 7 pound brisket is very likely to be only the flat and not include the point muscle.  Anyhow the flat is the problem child of the brisket cut.

With decent probe placement in the meat you will want to start checking for tenderness anywhere from the internal temp (IT) of 195-198F.
You do so by stabbing the brisket all over with a toothpic and when it goes in all over with no resistance then that indicates that the brisket is now Tender and ready to come off.  If it is not tender wait another 1-2 degrees and try the tenderness test again until it is tender.
This is probably the main practice that will make or break a brisket.

Now since you likely have just a Flat and not a whole packer brisket I would recommend you wrap that guy with double foil and a little liquid later in the smoke (like at 165-170F IT).  The other approach which will be fool proof is to use SmokinAl's method and your brisket will come out with no issues.  See his approach here: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/brisket-flat-my-way.277499/

FINALLY, at a steady smoker temp of 275F you can expect the brisket to go about an hour or more a pound.  So your 7 pound brisket at a STEADY 275F may take 8 hours BUT it is done when it is Tender.  With this being your first smoke ever AND it being the king of all smoked meats AND with brisket being a much tougher smoke than most, I would suggest you do this the day before or plan to be finished 6 hours before you want to eat.  Brisket shows NO downsides to being cooked the day before and then warmed back up in an oven.  Hell it's usually better because the smoke and flavors develop even more over that time!
If you finish 6 hours before needing to serve then double wrap your brisket in foil, wrap in 3 bath towels and set on the counter or set it in a cooler.  The Brisket will be steaming hot 6 hours later when you slice and serve... yes this seems like a scary idea for a beginner but after you do it once you see that it simply just works.  I remember being apprehensive but committed to finishing 4 hours before serving time and wrapped with double foil and 3 towels and set it on the counter and I was AMAZED 4 hours later when it was still too hot to grab by hand and steaming hot and juicy!

Anyhow I hope this info helps and good luck getting info on how best to run your grill/smoker with a snake or other setup :)


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## lovethemeats (Jul 20, 2018)

When my brother does them. He'll stuff it in the fridge for 3 days and let the flavors mingle. Then he warms it back up some in the oven the day he eats it. He does the same thing with PB. Its a system that works for him.


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## tallbm (Jul 20, 2018)

lovethemeats said:


> When my brother does them. He'll stuff it in the fridge for 3 days and let the flavors mingle. Then he warms it back up some in the oven the day he eats it. He does the same thing with PB. Its a system that works for him.


Yep that is why brisket leftovers don't last.  Each day it gets better and the leftovers just disappear lol.


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## Twinturboss (Jul 20, 2018)

Sadly I didn't realise how long it took to actually get one so I am running behind where I wanted to be. But this is what I got it's 7.11 pounds


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## lovethemeats (Jul 20, 2018)

tallbm said:


> Yep that is why brisket leftovers don't last.  Each day it gets better and the leftovers just disappear lol.



You definitely have that right


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## Twinturboss (Jul 20, 2018)

Is what I got the point, flat, or whole. I don't have a clue honestly lmao


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## lovethemeats (Jul 20, 2018)

Looks like you got both going on. But also looks like large part of the flat is missing. You can see the two muscles joined on the end. You could separate them and have both but not much of the flat looks present.
All in all. Looks like a nice piece you got there


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## lovethemeats (Jul 20, 2018)

May the smoking be on your side tomorrow. Good luck on everything.  
Have a great B-day.


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## Twinturboss (Jul 20, 2018)

Its on as we speak, I definitely want to get a real smoker sooner or later cause my grill is on the small side and if this brisket was any bigger it wouldn't fit lol. I'll keep you all updated


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## Twinturboss (Jul 20, 2018)

lovethemeats said:


> May the smoking be on your side tomorrow. Good luck on everything.
> Have a great B-day.


Thank you


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## Twinturboss (Jul 20, 2018)

With the probes which is grill and which is food. Theres one short straight one and a long angled one


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## Twinturboss (Jul 21, 2018)

Ok so thing seemed to go not terrible. It was a pain to keep Temps steady they were all over between 215-260 but it looks pretty good and I have it resting now. Put it on at 11:30pm so it was ten hours and it was 7 pounds. Didn't  really have much of a stall it hit 160 was there for like an hour then started to climb. I will post how it taste later on today after we eat


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## Twinturboss (Jul 21, 2018)

So update. Brisket actually was awesome. The end was a little dry but everything else was nice moist fell apart in your mouth awesome flavor too. Injected it with beef stock a little Worcestershire sauce garlic and onion powder. I rubbed it with molasses and salt pepper onion and garlic powder. Smoked it with lump coal and mesquite chunks and some jack Daniel's barrel chips as well. Me and my brother live brisket and been trying to find a good BBQ place in NY and this was by far the best iv had since basically ever.


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## tallbm (Jul 22, 2018)

Twinturboss said:


> So update. Brisket actually was awesome. The end was a little dry but everything else was nice moist fell apart in your mouth awesome flavor too. Injected it with beef stock a little Worcestershire sauce garlic and onion powder. I rubbed it with molasses and salt pepper onion and garlic powder. Smoked it with lump coal and mesquite chunks and some jack Daniel's barrel chips as well. Me and my brother live brisket and been trying to find a good BBQ place in NY and this was by far the best iv had since basically ever.




That's awesome, keep up the smokin!


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## Twinturboss (Jul 22, 2018)

tallbm said:


> That's awesome, keep up the smokin!


OH I plan on it. Want to get a good smoker too but don't reLly have 2 grand for a big joe lol


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## SmokinLogs (Jul 25, 2018)

The brisky looks awesome. Congrats for your birthday and doing a good job on your first smoke!


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