Brisket secrets
- Thread starter flybill
- Start date
Sort of. I've just wanted to do it for a while and now have the smoker!!
Butt yes.. I'll be there and bringing brisket if its good enough. Sourdough bread, smoked salmon and maybe some sourdough pancake batter. Go BIG or go home!
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I'll bring a big jug of real maple syrup!
Nice looking brisket. Spendy, nowadays, eh?
Franklin's seasoning profile is nice. Post oak only if you can find it, otherwise apple or cherry, but unless you're experienced no hickory. You can overdo hickory very easily, and everything will taste like creosote. Unless of course you like creosote. There's lots of advice on youtube, low and slow, hot and fast, trim, split, no split...up to you. I never split, I trim a lot, I pull the point off the flat at the end, cube it, put it in a pan covered with nice dry bbq sauce (Arthur Bryant's if I can find it ) and glaze the cubes. Folks seem to like it.
Google Brisket Camp. U of Texas. They take this stuff seriously.
Folks will like yours too if you cook it until its probe tender. And you don't need smoke once the meat exceeds 140-145F.
Franklin's seasoning profile is nice. Post oak only if you can find it, otherwise apple or cherry, but unless you're experienced no hickory. You can overdo hickory very easily, and everything will taste like creosote. Unless of course you like creosote. There's lots of advice on youtube, low and slow, hot and fast, trim, split, no split...up to you. I never split, I trim a lot, I pull the point off the flat at the end, cube it, put it in a pan covered with nice dry bbq sauce (Arthur Bryant's if I can find it ) and glaze the cubes. Folks seem to like it.
Google Brisket Camp. U of Texas. They take this stuff seriously.
Folks will like yours too if you cook it until its probe tender. And you don't need smoke once the meat exceeds 140-145F.
wanderingrichard
Life of the Party
@flybill What type smoker are you using ? Pellet or more traditional chip type?
Personally I never go above 240 degrees, no matter how big the cut is. Also, I've never wrapped or spritzed, and have only once had a dry product, but that's because Kay got me drunk on margaritas and I missed the pull time.
Also, I rub the night before in just salt and pepper, rinse the next day, pat dry, then rub again with the seasoning rub before smoking.
Personally I never go above 240 degrees, no matter how big the cut is. Also, I've never wrapped or spritzed, and have only once had a dry product, but that's because Kay got me drunk on margaritas and I missed the pull time.
Also, I rub the night before in just salt and pepper, rinse the next day, pat dry, then rub again with the seasoning rub before smoking.
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downriver79
Steelhead
If you can get your hands on some Pecan wood, it's great for brisket. Mesquite is another favorite of mine, but you can't find it around here other than in pellet form.
I just wanna hear your steps once you cook that thing.
I have hickory, apple, cherry and Jack Daniel's chips from old whiskey barrels already.. probably some combo of those.
Have to find my Aaron Franklin cookbook or just use the printouts of the recipe. I'm going to take my time trimming the fat if I even need to do that. Use just salt and pepper and I have the paper to wrap it it.
I also have some pork belly to make bacon and a nice wild salmon to smoke or make salmon candy! Prep today.. smoke tonight or all day tomorrow!
Have to find my Aaron Franklin cookbook or just use the printouts of the recipe. I'm going to take my time trimming the fat if I even need to do that. Use just salt and pepper and I have the paper to wrap it it.
I also have some pork belly to make bacon and a nice wild salmon to smoke or make salmon candy! Prep today.. smoke tonight or all day tomorrow!
Beef ribs are on the list.. elk steaks too as a friend had some for me! Rough life here!!
Pink Nighty
Legend
I'm gonna offer that how you season, what you smoke with, how you trim.... are all small potatoes in comparison to how you cook it. Take it from me, a one time professional meat smoker.
Firstly, if you want a beautiful, thick smoke ring, cold smoke at the beginning. Sub 150° for a couple hours will allow the nitrogen to penetrate and preserve the red color before it turns brown (155°).
From there, no real need to go above 225 or put much more smoke on it. Personally I'd give it another hour of smoke after turning up the temp and letting the propane take it from there. It'll get all the smoke it needs in those 3 hours.
You're gonna hit the stall around 165° internal temp, give or take 10°. This is where it's gonna appear to just stop cooking. The thermometer won't budge even after an hour. Whats going on is the surface evaporation off the juices is overcoming the heat of the smoker, keeping your meat from increasing in temp.
Once you've hit your stall, and the brisket feels like a rubber ball, I suggest pulling it out and wrapping it in peach butcher paper and throwing it in a cooler for 1-2 hours. It'll give up its juice and relax a bit, but won't overcook in the process. Then drain the liquid from the bag and put it back in the smoker, wrapped up.
If you don't have the 1-2 hour rest in the stall, you can wrap it and just keep going but I'd suggest getting your temps under 200.
Finally, you gotta pull it and rest it well before it's done. If it's tender on the smoker it's gonna be dry on the plate. Once it gives up the rubber ball feeling, it's ready to rest. Wrapped in a cooler for an hour minimum, then check it. If it's still tough it needs a bit more heat, but it's probably perfect.
Firstly, if you want a beautiful, thick smoke ring, cold smoke at the beginning. Sub 150° for a couple hours will allow the nitrogen to penetrate and preserve the red color before it turns brown (155°).
From there, no real need to go above 225 or put much more smoke on it. Personally I'd give it another hour of smoke after turning up the temp and letting the propane take it from there. It'll get all the smoke it needs in those 3 hours.
You're gonna hit the stall around 165° internal temp, give or take 10°. This is where it's gonna appear to just stop cooking. The thermometer won't budge even after an hour. Whats going on is the surface evaporation off the juices is overcoming the heat of the smoker, keeping your meat from increasing in temp.
Once you've hit your stall, and the brisket feels like a rubber ball, I suggest pulling it out and wrapping it in peach butcher paper and throwing it in a cooler for 1-2 hours. It'll give up its juice and relax a bit, but won't overcook in the process. Then drain the liquid from the bag and put it back in the smoker, wrapped up.
If you don't have the 1-2 hour rest in the stall, you can wrap it and just keep going but I'd suggest getting your temps under 200.
Finally, you gotta pull it and rest it well before it's done. If it's tender on the smoker it's gonna be dry on the plate. Once it gives up the rubber ball feeling, it's ready to rest. Wrapped in a cooler for an hour minimum, then check it. If it's still tough it needs a bit more heat, but it's probably perfect.
downriver79
Steelhead
You don't need a cookbook for Franklin's brisket. He keeps it simple - salt and pepper rub. And you won't need a sauce recipe. Central TX style Brisket, when done right, doesn't need sauce.
downriver79
Steelhead
This ^^^ As a native Texan and connoisseur of smoked meats, I can tell Pink Nighty knows what's up! Lots of tips in here that took me years and lots of meat to figure out. The wrapped rest in a cooler at the end is clutch!
fatbillybob
Steelhead
AF talks about a specific size of coarse ground pepper. Did you source that and from where? I hope this thread really gets some legs. If I could pick my last meal before I kick the bucket it would be Franklin's fatty brisket.
fatbillybob
Steelhead
No....It's don't eat the brisket if it needs sauce.