OK, never done it before, and I have to say I was happy with it for a first try. I used Salt Lick's dry rub and a little of their sauce as a baste, and the flavor is fantastic - it's actually better after sitting in the fridge for a day. I didn't get nearly the tenderness it should have, or the smoke ring. It was only a 3-pound brisket - is it more or less difficult to smoke one of that size? It seems like it might be better to do a bigger piece of meat because you're going to smoke it a lot longer and get more of a ring and and maybe get a more tender result? I threw the chicken in as an afterthought because I didn't want to wait five more hours for dinner, and it confirmed my opinion that barbecued chicken is the best kind. The Link The Link The Link The Link
Bigger piece of meat and cook longer - best one I ever cooked I started at night and woke up periodically. You just have to get the meat to the desired temperature. Last time I bought a brisket at Kaspar's meat market in Weimar (on I-10) - just west of Highway 71
Congrats on popping your brisket cherry. Looks good but I would definitely buy a bigger piece of meat to start with.
I've only been smoking for about a year and a half, but I quickly have learned that you get better results with a bigger piece of meat. Try a 6-8 pound brisket next time.
Where do you guys get them? I was at Smith's (Krogers' West Coast brand) and this was pretty much what they had. It may be tougher to get a good sized brisket here, but I'm sure it can be done. For the experts, how much charcoal do you put in in relation to the size of the grill? My issue (although it went pretty well) is making sure to keep the temp stable. I found that really hard to do when putting in the new coals. It's almost like you have to have a bunch of them brewing in the chimney and then add five or six at a time as the temp starts to drop. Any effective techniques you guys use?
ProdigalHorn, I fill in about a third of my smoker with charcoal, but I have a Big Green Egg which holds the heat really well. I can't give you helpful advice on a more traditional smoker.
I have never even heard of a brisket at 3 pounds. Do we think it was probably a partial and heavily trimmed? It sounds kinda groos to some, but I prefer to not pay the butcher to give a brisket a market trim. I don't eat it enough or have any fat/cholesterol type issues so I leave all the fat on and cut it off upon serving. Smoking is an endeavor that will evoke intense opinions. I just have mine. Have fun with it and do whatever pleases your taste buds. Two more opinions: 1) Red rings are vastly overated and 2) a bigger fattier piece of meat cooked very low and slow, without sauce until you serve it and then only if you wish and only after letting the brisket rest in foil for at least 30 minutes before slicing will probably do you just fine. Oh yeah.. 2 more. No "green" wood and briquettes without lighter fluid built in will work just fine for the heat, but they won't give a good smoke flavor even if they claim they will. We've all heard the expression "Where there's smoke, there's fire", but the briquettes specifically say to wait until there is no more fire and no more smoke. The only difference is burn temps imo. They work especially well to place under your smoking materials to give high heat (and, therefore, smoke) without a quick burn. Tip: Persimmon makes for a nice mild smoke.
immtex, to clarify I use natural lump hardwood charcoal with no lighter fluid, plus some wood chunks. Natural charcoal is the bomb.
Try Sam's Club or Costco. Even some of the Walmart type groceries have decent meats. In the Midwest, I have had the same problem of finding a place to get an untrimmed brisket. I guess you could ask the butcher at Smith's.
Shop for price. The brisket is the shittiest cut of meat ever. That doesn't mean you can't make it taste good, but paying for "high quality" brisket is an exercise in foolishness. I am not sure about this, but I don't think brisket makes "select" on the prime, choice, select USDA ramkings.
I think most of the briskets that I got at Kroger were marked select on the bag. A whole brisket is actually 2 separate muscles, the flat and the point (or deckle). It looks like you smoked a trimmed flat.
I was thinking that as well, although it did have the fat layer dividing the two pieces, so I was able to split it. If there was a point, it was awfully small!
Doh! Going for brisket no. 2 tomorrow but Costco only has the flat as well. But at least it's a bigger one, this one is about 5.5 pounds. So I think the results will still be better.
Likewise.. got a 10 pounder at Tom Thumb.... trimmed a little of the fat, put on the smoker at 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning.... off the smoker at 12:30 and into the oven until it hit 195 degree about 3:30... let rest for about 30 then back on the smoke till 5. Let sit for about an hour... carved.. all sorts of deliciousness!
Yes, you can buy graded brisket (Select/Choice/Prime) and it does make a difference. I've experienced with Select vs. Choice several times - Choice always wins in a landslide. For what it's worth, Costco only sells Choice. H-E-B's are typically Select.