# To Inject or not inject



## mpadfield

I am a newbie and will be smoking my first brisket this weekend. I see some people inject and some people don't. I see some wrap and some don't. Can you guys give me the pros and cons of both sides? Also,  if I get a large brisket is it best to start it the night before? Thanks for your help.


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## raptor700

I like the whole packer for the fat content.

I like to inject with beef broth and Moore's marinade, also cook in a pan for the whole cook.

Baste every 30 mins with the juice in the pan. Pros: the brisket stays juicy, Cons: less bark formation.

I wrap my briskets when the color looks good, Pros: the brisket retains moisture, Cons: Less bark formation.

I like the 17 - 20 lb briskets for the fat content. I allow 2 hours per lb at 225º.So you have some rest time.

Hope this helps


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## daveomak

mp, evening.....   Raptor has you covered with a very good recipe.....   enjoy the brisket....   Dave


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## sflcowboy78

I personally do not inject my Brisket, I like to do a dry rub the day before and let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours before I smoke it. I do however spray mine down with apple cider during the smoking process. I like a good Bark on my brisket and will not wrap it. I sacrifice a little bit of moistness but the flavor in the bark more than makes up for it.


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## bigbucks

I do a lot of brisket and all the suggestions on here are great advice!

I personally use garlic salt , pepper, and a small amount of a general BBQ rub I like to top of the GS & Pepper for a little color. I wash my brisket then pat dry, put each seasoning on one at a time to get good coverage on the meat, then let the brisket set for about a hour or so to settle a bit before you put it on the smoker. I cook brisket about 10 to 12 hours at around 250 to 275 degrees! If you get within say 2 hours of your drop dead date for when you need it ready and you feel it is still not tender, double wrap in foil raise your temp. to say 325 to 350 degrees and let her go! Down here in Texas we call that the "Texas Cruch" and when your cooking 30 to 60 briskets at a time you always need a llittle help with the last few in crunch time, works every time!


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## chef jimmyj

Injecting is an option but care in handling becomes much more important...Wash the meat, rub if you wish the night before but only inject no more than a hour before going in the Smoker. Anytime you punch holes in the meat there is a risk of pushing Bacteria into the meat, not a real big deal unless something goes wrong, like runnung out of fuel in the middle of the night. With intact muscle the exterior bacteria will have been killed after an hour and if the smoker dies and the temp drops just fire it back up and proceed to finish the cook. If you injected and the smoker goes down there is a risk that any bacteria pushed in was sitting in the nice warm interior of the meat multiplying and although the bacteria would have died when the cook was finished there may be Toxins that could make you sick.

Foiling will speed things up a bit but you get a softer bark if you wrap. Plan on 2 hours per pound with a 2 hour pad/rest in a cooler for best results. the meat will stay hot wrapped in foil and towels in a cooler for up to 5 hours, so it is better to get done early than be behind schedule with hungry people waiting on your Brisket.

I like to make a Smokey Au Jus to dip the Brisket in. Good Luck...JJ

Smokey Au Jus

1- Lg Onion,

4-5 Carrots,

3-4 Ribs Celery

3-4 Peeled Cloves of Garlic

Toss them in a pan under the Beef, and let the whole deal Smoke for one hour,

THEN add 4-6 Cups Beef Broth,

2 Tbs Tomato Paste,

1/2tsp Dry Thyme (4-5 sprigs Fresh)

1-2 ea Bayleaf

Finish the Smoking process to the IT you want.

While the Roast is resting, dump the pan juices veggies and all into a 2-3Qt Sauce pot and add 1Cup Red Wine, something you like to drink, and bring the Jus to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Strain out the veggies and let the Jus rest a minute or so for the Fat to rise. Skim off the bulk of the fat then using strips of paper towel laid on top of the Jus then quickly removed, take off the last little bit of fat.

The purpose of Smoking the Vegetable for 1 hour before adding the Broth and Herbs is...The Smoked vegetables Roast in the Dry heat concentrating their Flavors and Sweetness giving the finished Jus a Richer, Deeper, Full Flavor.

Serve the sliced Beef Au Jus or thicken the Jus to make Gravy.


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