# Brisket worries!



## bobbobbbq (Apr 29, 2016)

howdy y'all. 
I'm doing my first Brisket this Sunday and after having a read of some of the posts on the forum about brisket I'm well........having a melt down! 
Any tips or advice you have about what works for y'all will be much appreciated. 
Bob.


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## wade (Apr 29, 2016)

Firstly don't panic. Brisket is just another meat that needs to be cooked slowly. Most on here have their own methods for "the perfect" brisket but providing you follow a few basics then you will be fine.

The brisket will take time and likes a constant temperature. All of this time does not need to be in the smoker though and it likes a good long rest towards the end. You are trying to get all of that tough collagen that is in the meat to break down - which takes time.

What is your brisket like? The thicker the better here in the UK (they can often be very thin). If it has a lot of fat on the surface then trim a lot of it off. Just how much is up to you. Some like to keep a good layer of fat on the top however I like to trim mine almost clean. I also do not like the flavour of the fat under the flap and so trim most of that out too. The more fat you leave on the harder it is to dry out however as I foil mine part way through drying out isn't a problem.

Once trimmed you can either apply your rub directly or first use an acidic marinade to open up the pores in the meat surface. Applying the rub of choice directly to the surface works fine. I use an acidic marinade (which is essentially a mix of 25% cider vinegar and 75% water in which I mix a couple of tablespoons of the rub) and this is rubbed over the surface of the meat and left for 10 minutes before then applying the main rub. The marinade step is optional.

Place in the centre of the smoker set at 225 F with a drip tray underneath and leave it smoking for 3 hours. At this point the smoke will have already done its job as a flavouring and you can foil. If you decide not to foil then you should baste it or spray it with the rendered fat or with apple juice every hour or so to help keep it moist.

After a further 3 hours (6 hours in total) remove it from the smoker, double wrap it in foil, wrap it in a big towel or blanket and then put it in an insulated box (a camping cool box is great.

If you decide not to foil then leave it for the 6 hours and then foil it, wrap in the towel and place in the cool box.

Leave it to "rest" for at least a couple of hours - more if possible. It will continue to gently "cook" under its own heat, breaking down those fibres and releasing all of that flavour.

When you are ready to serve, carefully open the foil and pour out the collected juices. These make a great sauce or gravy and can even be frozen for later use in other meals.

If you want to firm up the outside before serving (which I don't) you can simple place the whole brisket back into a hot smoker or oven for 10-15 minutes.

Keep it simple, keep a constant temperature, and keep patient and you will have a brisket to be proud of.


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## wade (Apr 29, 2016)

Remember - you are not looking for a top place in the Jack Daniels World Championships - you are looking for something that is tender, tasty and that you and your family/friends will enjoy. Keep things simple and you will not go far wrong. In the early days, even the odd brisket that I thought had gone wrong, were actually loved by the friends who ate them. We can often be too critical of ourselves.


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## bobbobbbq (Apr 29, 2016)

Thank you so much for your advice Wade it very much appreciated good buddy. 
I think I can relax now. 
I've got a 12lb whole brisket but it's a bit to big for my smoker so was thinking of cutting in half length ways so I can keep some flat and some point. 
If you don't mind me asking what do you use in your Rub? 

I've tried to upload a pic but it's not playing ball for some reason. I put a pick on a previous thread about "wood" which you commented on so should be able to see it there. 

Thank you again Wade. 
Bob.


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## wade (Apr 29, 2016)

Is it too wide or too long? If it is too long then I would not have thought cutting it lengthways would really help. Maybe I just cannot visualise it. Sorry for being a little dense...

I am at work at the moment so cannot give you the details of my rub however it has several ingredients that you are unlikely to be able to get in time for tomorrow - which is when you should be applying the rub.

An alternative would be to use something like a qood quality commercial rub. I was given some Nando's Peri Peri Rub BBQ a couple of months ago and it was very good. It is free from artificial colours, artificial flavours, preservatives and they have no added MSG and it was very tasty.

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=277971727


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## bobbobbbq (Apr 29, 2016)

I've got quite an extensive herb and spice collection going on buddy so will probably have what I need. Haha. 
The piece of meat is just to big in general. It will fit length wise but not width wise. I've also got 15 babybacks and a 5lb pork shoulder going in so space is at a premium.


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## wade (Apr 29, 2016)

I will forward it to you when I get home


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## bobbobbbq (Apr 29, 2016)

Many thanks Wade [emoji]128077[/emoji]


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## wade (Apr 29, 2016)

Sent


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## wade (May 2, 2016)

How did it turn out? Do we get any pictures?


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## bobbobbbq (May 2, 2016)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/content/type/61/id/467279/width/200/height/400
It turned out really well thanks wade. 
I smoked at 220-240 for 6 hrs the wrapped and in the oven for another 6.


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## bobbobbbq (May 2, 2016)

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__ bobbobbbq
__ May 2, 2016


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## bobbobbbq (May 2, 2016)

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__ bobbobbbq
__ May 2, 2016


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## bobbobbbq (May 2, 2016)

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I was really happy with the smoke ring.


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## bobbobbbq (May 2, 2016)

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I know it's not the brisket but I thought the ribs looked really pretty once I had room to spread them out a little.


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## wade (May 2, 2016)

That looks really good Bob. Lovely and juicy and a good smoke ring. Enough ribs there to feed an army too 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  . Now with your first brisket out of the way you will have even more confidence for the next one. Keep it simple and it wont go wrong.


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## bobbobbbq (May 2, 2016)

thanks wade 
I decided to make up a rub it contained 
2 tbsp mixed pepper corns. 
2 tbsp sea salt. 
2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp English mustard powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
I ground all the ingredients together in a coffee grinder. 
Rubbed the brisket over with Worcester sauce and then the rub. Wrapped it and refrigerated over night.


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## wade (May 2, 2016)

There you go... you have demystified the brisket already 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  The biggest challenge for someone new to it is usually the temperature control. Rubs are where the flavour becomes personal and you just need to make sure that whatever you use does not overpower the flavour of the meat. A good example of this is Danny - he pretty much only uses salt and pepper on his and that tastes very good.


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## bobbobbbq (May 2, 2016)

I was going to keep it as simple as salt and pepper but after having a think I decided on using these select spices and to be honest they complemented the meat perfectly. My smoker is quite difficult to keep at a steady temp. I think I will invest in a Bradley to make life a little easier haha.


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