Your Best Smoked Brisket Recipe

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Build the fire on one side, close down the vents, put a water pan on the other side with some water in it, brisket over the water pan, and he absolutely can go low and slow.

EEEEEEEEEEK!

To clarify what I'm sure FMB meant, if you close down the vents, ONLY CLOSE THE BOTTOM.

The top vent stays open at all times, regardless of temperature. If you really want to ruin a piece of meat, close up the top vent. That smoke will just sit on the meat and give you a creosote buildup from hell.

[houstonwhodat]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Build the fire on one side, close down the vents, put a water pan on the other side with some water in it, brisket over the water pan, and he absolutely can go low and slow.

Yeah that's the plan.

I have the Weber charcoal holders if I want to put the charcoal on each side and the brisket in the middle.

But I tried that on ribs before with a rib rack and I think I get too much heat on each side.

Definitely want to have some good burnt ends.

[crispystl]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Build the fire on one side, close down the vents, put a water pan on the other side with some water in it, brisket over the water pan, and he absolutely can go low and slow.

This. Shit I've maintained about 190 - 200 on a kettle smoker for about 8 hours. It takes a shit load of babysitting but it's actually enjoyable if you like to **** with fire and need a little time away from the wife and kids.

[houstonwhodat]

Originally Posted by candyman

He has a kettle not a smoker. He's probably not going to be going low and slow.



Thanks

It smokes great but it is still charcoal.

I guess I could a lesser amount of charcoal in it but I hear people on Pittmasters and other shows smoking brisket for like 14 hours.

I don't know how to accomplish that if I have to put it on overnight.

Maybe I should use lump charcoal.

Think that would maintain a lower temp than briquettes and burn longer?

I want it to be ready by game time.

[candyman]

Originally Posted by houstonwhodat

It smokes great but it is still charcoal.

I guess I could a lesser amount of charcoal in it but I hear people on Pittmasters and other shows smoking brisket for like 14 hours.

I don't know how to accomplish that if I have to put it on overnight.

Maybe I should use lump charcoal.

Think that would maintain a lower temp than briquettes and burn longer?

I want it to be ready by game time.

Splurge for a weber smoky mountain, you wont regret it if you like smoked meat I promise.

[houstonwhodat]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

They're hard to screw up.

225, 2 fist sized chunks of cherry, 1 fist sized chunk of oak and a shitload of patience. I've seen some people say to put it on at room temperature but I add it straight from the fridge. I think the lower temp gives you a little more time in the smoke and a slightly better smoke ring before you hit that 145ish range where it stops accepting the smoke flavor.

I use a mustard coating and a dry rub that's light brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, mustard powder, black pepper, garlic powder and kosher salt. Use a LOT of rub, it mellows with the smoke. As for the ratio, I honestly don't remember, I just do it to taste. The garlic, black pepper and brown sugar probably make up 70% of the rub with the paprika making up the biggest chunk of the rest. I don't use a ton of salt and the cayenne is obviously as desired.

Some guys will swear by putting the fat side up claiming the juice permeates the meat better. Others will say that the juice mostly runs off and that you want to put the fat side down to protect from the more volatile heat zone directly between the water pan and the meat (or heat and meat if you don't use a water pan).

Some guys use a mop, I personally do not (not on beef). I just don't like beef having too much sweetness and I don't think a vinegar mop for beef. If you're curious, just google 'brisket mop' and you can find some recipes you may like.

Like I said, they're pretty hard to mess up.

Questions:

Does the sugar burn? Maybe I want that crust don't know.

How many hours or did you leave a thermometer in it the whole time.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by houstonwhodat

Questions:

Does the sugar burn? Maybe I want that crust don't know.

How many hours or did you leave a thermometer in it the whole time.

FMB kinds spoke to that. Yes, it can. However, it's been my experience that it really doesn't at 225. That's a pretty low heat and more than anything, it just kinda liquifies.

As to the time - boy I don't have much to offer there and whatever I did would be wrong. I say don't ever expect anything to cook in less than 8 hours. I don't leave a probe in (I leave that on the grate to check the heat in the chamber), but every couple of hours I'll just hit it with the instant read to get a feel for where it is.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

FMB kinds spoke to that. Yes, it can. However, it's been my experience that it really doesn't at 225. That's a pretty low heat and more than anything, it just kinda liquifies.

As to the time - boy I don't have much to offer there and whatever I did would be wrong. I say don't ever expect anything to cook in less than 8 hours. I don't leave a probe in (I leave that on the grate to check the heat in the chamber), but every couple of hours I'll just hit it with the instant read to get a feel for where it is.

I was just about to say the best thing you can buy if you're going to get into BBQ is a wireless probe thermometer... Goes to show you how different people can do this kind of food and still come out with outstanding results.



I use a probe. You lose a ton of heat every time you open the grill. I think I read somewhere you need to add 30 minutes to your cook time every time you open that lid. So I try to do it as little as possible.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I was just about to say the best thing you can buy if you're going to get into BBQ is a wireless probe thermometer... Goes to show you how different people can do this kind of food and still come out with outstanding results.



I use a probe. You lose a ton of heat every time you open the grill. I think I read somewhere you need to add 30 minutes to your cook time every time you open that lid. So I try to do it as little as possible.

Never found a probe that I trust enough. It seems like every one I've ever used has read temperature past just the tip so my readout is always much higher than the actual meat temp (because the ambient air is screwing with it).

But you're right, the less you can open the grill, the better.

[houstonwhodat]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I was just about to say the best thing you can buy if you're going to get into BBQ is a wireless probe thermometer... Goes to show you how different people can do this kind of food and still come out with outstanding results.



I use a probe. You lose a ton of heat every time you open the grill. I think I read somewhere you need to add 30 minutes to your cook time every time you open that lid. So I try to do it as little as possible.

I have a probe that I use for the oven that I can use.

It's not wireless but doesn't matter the cord is meant to hang out of an oven or grill or whatever.

[Loneiguana]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

. I think the lower temp gives you a little more time in the smoke and a slightly better smoke ring before you hit that 145ish range where it stops accepting the smoke flavor.

I had not heard of this before. Thank you.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I think the lower temp gives you a little more time in the smoke and a slightly better smoke ring before you hit that 145ish range where it stops accepting the smoke flavor.

Ah - the great brisket debate. I don't think this has ever been proven one way or another. Some guys swear this to be gospel an others don't. Obviously there's a point where a cut is going to be smoke saturated but I'm not sure it has been scientifically proven anywhere specific.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Phobia

Ah - the great brisket debate. I don't think this has ever been proven one way or another. Some guys swear this to be gospel an others don't. Obviously there's a point where a cut is going to be smoke saturated but I'm not sure it has been scientifically proven anywhere specific.

I learned a long time ago that there isn't "a way" to do barbecue. If there was a holy grail, the pros would've figured it out by now.

Even guys like Myron Mixon (who is the mouthiest, know it all prick around) don't win every time out. The guys that have been barbecuing professionally for 30 years still tinker with how they do it.

I think there are certainly verified truths out there...I guess. But shit like "put on hot vs. cold" isn't one of them. Fat up vs. fat down isn't either. There are ways to do it and then there are ways I do it. There are a ton of people that do a better job than me and ultimately our NOLA friend may end up one of them. But there are still things that he can take away from my method if he so chooses and there are a bunch of things I can learn from other guys.

That's what makes it fun. Unless you're Myron Mixon. Then you have fun calling everyone else an asshole for not doing it exactly like you do. That or you accuse them of 'stealing' from you because they combined pepper and paprika and that's what you did last week.

I ****ing hate Myron Mixon.

[In58men]

Originally Posted by candyman

Not sure if serious...if so, just...no.

I always use this method, its time consuming but the brisket is amazing.

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisket2.html

EDIT: Reading comprehension fail. Sorry, just noticed all you have is a kettle.

[DJ's left nut]

Yeah. If I could ever figure out a way to get the crust I want without adding the brown sugar, I'd do it. But I've always had far more luck getting a bark by using brown sugar in the rub.

I'm sure it's a technique error, but that's part of the process, I s'pose.