All Things Brisket

[Henry Hill 3156]

Change your oil during your cook?

[Cajun 11675]

@GreenspointTexasNaw, just a piece of the point that fell off during transfer off the smoker to the kitchen.

29 minutes ago, Henry Hill said:

Change your oil during your cook?

Bare hands feeding lump charcoal into the WSM.

[thunderlounge 7758]

1 hour ago, Cajun said:

Bare hands feeding lump charcoal into the WSM.

Oh hell, just a little extra flavor. Didn’t hurt nobody. 

[Cajun 11675]

On 8/15/2022 at 3:52 PM, oSuJeff97 said:

I want this in my mouth.

nttawwt

 

[tx 3 putt 76400]

So my brother has a bigger set up than my dad ….

 

 

He frequently Smokes briskets for people. Also enjoys smoking bacon, sells it for $25 lb. He sells out every batch. It’s very good bacon, different flavors too 
 

 

[hornian 5205]

6 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

So my brother has a bigger set up than my dad ….

 

 

He frequently Smokes briskets for people. Also enjoys smoking bacon, sells it for $25 lb. He sells out every batch. It’s very good bacon, different flavors too 
 

 

That's not all brisket, but

[tx 3 putt 76400]

[b_p 450]

A recent effort with substandard equipment, but turned out well considering. 
 

[dcbc 14410]

I cooked a brisket overnight on the WSM to vacuum seal, freeze, and reheat in a sous vide at my wife's family reunion on Sunday.  I did this last year, but wanted to improve my odds this time.  What I did.

Rested for several hours before bagging it.  Usually, I'm about an hour and into the cooler to hold. 

 

No butcher paper in the bag.  I'd read that Franklin left his shipped briskets bagged, but that appears not to be the case and it makes it a bitch to get all the air out.

 

Smeared homemade tallow on the inside of the bag with and drizzled the rest on the brisket at the end of the rest.  I've been a skeptic that this is the secret recipe.  There's plenty of fat left on the brisket to keep it moist while cooking.  But since I was bagging and freezing, I decided to increase my odds on the reheat.  So I tossed my better trimmings into a disposable foil loaf pan and put it on the top rack covered in foil.  Had some nice rendered goodness I bagged up for the end of the cook, and piped what was leftover after greasing the bag onto the resting brisket like icing on a cake. 

 

Ice bath before freezing.  Once I had it bagged up, I made an ice bath in the sink and dunked all the sealed packages in it for 15 minutes.  Best not to put anything hot in the freezer. 

 

Pictures on Sunday unless it slammed hard and I didn't have time for pictures (code:  it wasn't worthy).

 

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by dcbc

[thunderlounge 7758]

1 hour ago, dcbc said:

Pictures on Sunday unless it slammed hard and I didn't have time for pictures (code:  it wasn't worthy).

 

you’ll be fine. I know your work. 

[dcbc 14410]

2 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

you’ll be fine. I know your work. 

Thanks.  I'm out of practice a bit.  This might only be my second or third brisket this year.  I love that Arbor Fabricating charcoal basket for the WSM, but the settings that used to get me 238F, now get me 270.  It's fine, but I need to adjust.

Edited September 2, 2022 by dcbc

[thunderlounge 7758]

like riding a bike. 

[Hate 20103]

Like falling off a bike.

[Dbeasy 14969]

On 8/16/2022 at 1:52 PM, utee94 said:

Well, yeah.

And it's tough to explain to newbies because it's counterintuitive that a piece of meat is super-dry because it's UNDERcooked.

So help me understand this. I pull based upon the internal temperature of the meat. If I leave it in won’t it just get more and more overcooked?
 

Sincerely Newbie. 

[dcbc 14410]

7 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

So help me understand this. I pull based upon the internal temperature of the meat. If I leave it in won’t it just get more and more overcooked?
 

Sincerely Newbie. 

Undercooked brisket is tough.  Overcooked brisket is mush.  There's a surprisingly small window of WVB feeling when probed that's what you're looking for.  For me, on my rig, it usually happens between 205--208, but when I haven't wrapped, it's around 195.  And other times, it's been 214.  It's done when it's done.

[Dbeasy 14969]

12 minutes ago, dcbc said:

Undercooked brisket is tough.  Overcooked brisket is mush.  There's a surprisingly small window of WVB feeling when probed that's what you're looking for.  For me, on my rig, it usually happens between 205--208, but when I haven't wrapped, it's around 195.  And other times, it's been 214.  It's done when it's done.

WVB?

[dcbc 14410]

@Dbeasy

 

From the Shaggy Glossary:  Warm Vagina Butter

Edited September 2, 2022 by dcbc

[Sam Lin 3541]

57 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

So help me understand this. I pull based upon the internal temperature of the meat. If I leave it in won’t it just get more and more overcooked?
 

Sincerely Newbie. 

Brisket and other cuts high in connective tissue (shank, chuck, pork shoulder/butt, chicken dark meat, etc) cook differently than "lean" meats that don't contain connective tissue.

If no connective tissue, then your statement above is correct; "moist" meat is largely based on water content of the meat, and if you keep cooking, it just loses moisture, and gets dry and overcooked. You will never be able to do a 6hr cook on a lean cut like a filet or a pork tenderloin, those are zero connective tissue and the cook is all about managing water content. Cook out the water and they are dry as fuck. Internal temp is of utmost importance here.

 

Connective tissue breaks down into gelatin after some time and temperature. What is happening in a brisket is first you cook off the water (hence the stall), but then you keep cooking to break down the connective tissue into gelatin. A "moist" piece of brisket is largely gelatin. If you undercook a brisket, you have cooked off all the water, but you have not converted connective tissue to gelatin, resulting in a totally dry piece of meat that is also chewy as fuck. As you continue to cook, the chewiness decreases because the chewy connective tissue is converting into gelatin, which is also increasing the "moist" feeling of the meat.

For low and slow, internal temp is completely irrelevant, as different animals and cuts have differing amounts of connective tissue. Hence the probe test. It's done when it's done.

[Hate 20103]

[mention=540]Dbeasy[/mention]
 
From the Shaggy Glossary:  Warm Vagina Butter

Damn, I’ve been “here” for 13 years and I didn’t know we had a glossary.

[dcbc 14410]

8 hours ago, Hate said:

Damn, I’ve been “here” for 13 years and I didn’t know we had a glossary.

We don't as such.  Kind of like everyone knows that Custard died at little bighorn.  But what this book presupposes is, maybe he didn't.

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by dcbc

[Dutch 4465]

11 hours ago, Dbeasy said:

So help me understand this. I pull based upon the internal temperature of the meat. If I leave it in won’t it just get more and more overcooked?

You don't pull based on temperature.  You pull "when it's done."  One brisket might be done at 195 and another might not give up until 208. The most reliable measure of doneness is probing the flat.  A thermometer should probe the thickest part of the flat with little to no resistance (like it would a stick of warm butter).  That was the hardest thing for me to get through my thick skull: cook it till it's done, and it's done when it wants to be - not when I want it to be.  Also very important is letting it rest at least an hour or two.

Briskets are stubborn, like the animal that bequeaths them to us.  

[utee94 15746]

Right.  I think most of the confusion comes from folks who are accustomed to grilling steaks, where cooking to lower internal temps is what results in tender and juicy meat, and overcooking results in tough and dry food.  Briskets don't behave in the same manner, for all of the reasons outlined above.

 

 

[Dbeasy 14969]

11 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Brisket and other cuts high in connective tissue (shank, chuck, pork shoulder/butt, chicken dark meat, etc) cook differently than "lean" meats that don't contain connective tissue.

If no connective tissue, then your statement above is correct; "moist" meat is largely based on water content of the meat, and if you keep cooking, it just loses moisture, and gets dry and overcooked. You will never be able to do a 6hr cook on a lean cut like a filet or a pork tenderloin, those are zero connective tissue and the cook is all about managing water content. Cook out the water and they are dry as fuck. Internal temp is of utmost importance here.

 

46 minutes ago, Dutch said:

You don't pull based on temperature.  You pull "when it's done."  One brisket might be done at 195 and another might not give up until 208. The most reliable measure of doneness is probing the flat.  A thermometer should probe the thickest part of the flat with little to no resistance (like it would a stick of warm butter).  That was the hardest thing for me to get through my thick skull: cook it till it's done, and it's done when it wants to be - not when I want it to be. 

Hugely helpful explanations. I learn more from Surly people…..appreciate it. 

[YGIFS 19449]

Free brisket sandwiches from Aaron Franklin at the Breed & Co. on 29th street right now.  If you're in Austin and you don't get one, you're fucking stupid.  I just ate 2.  Fuck off, your mom hates you. 

Oh, and no line.  Just act like you're gonna buy one of his $5000 smokers.  Just fucking go get one, I'm probably going back so you can throw your sandiwch at me.  

Edited September 2, 2022 by YGIFS

[Hpara759 1777]

10lbs.... 12 hours

[thunderlounge 7758]

I’m listening. 

[CycleTex87 2954]

I’ve got an HEB Prime1 going onto the smoker Monday morning. 

[UTexasFight 9380]

This worked

 

[tx 3 putt 76400]

that looks damn good, sides ?

[UTexasFight 9380]

7 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

that looks damn good, sides ?

Smoked Mac and cheese for one

forgot to take pics this time but here it is the last time I did it

would recommend 

 

https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/recipe-smoked-mac-and-cheese/amp/

 

 

[dcbc 14410]

I got rushed to get people fed and got no pictures.  Everyone seemed pretty pleased and I got lots of compliments.  My take is that it tasted great and was very tender, but the bark gets pretty soft in that bag in the sous vide.  If I didn't have hungry people lining up, I'd have put it on the cool side of the gas grill or in the oven for about 10 minutes to firm up the bark.  Otherwise, not bad for something I made ahead of time and froze.

Edited September 6, 2022 by dcbc

[b_p 450]

Buddy bought a new Traeger so we had to break it in

 

[Etexhorn13 3036]

Kroger still had some choice briskets at 2.97/lb yesterday in Houston, so I picked one up for this weekend. I would imagine there are still some deals leftover from the weekend elsewhere too.

[utxmike05 1825]

Got two 15 pounders on the pit to take to Austin for a tailgate. Apparently there is some big game tmrw.

Fuck wood prices though. This brand and exact bag used to cost me $15. I paid $23 yesterday.  I need to plant my own tree. 
 

At least prime was still "low" at $4.29 at Costco. 
 

 

[utee94 15746]

5 minutes ago, utxmike05 said:

Got two 15 pounders on the pit to take to Austin for a tailgate. Apparently there is some big game tmrw.

Fuck wood prices though. This brand and exact bag used to cost me $15. I paid $23 yesterday.  I need to plant my own tree. 
 

At least prime was still "low" at $4.29 at Costco. 
 

 

Where do you live?  Surely there's a bulk wood supplier somewhere nearby that you could use, rather than buying it bagged from a retailer?

In NW Austin, I always go to Harley's.  It's just a little lot wedged off of 183 near Anderson Mill.  It's still not exactly cheap but I pay $10 for a small wheelbarrow full, which has more wood than that.

 

 

[Da Fino 2740]

1 hour ago, utee94 said:

Where do you live?  Surely there's a bulk wood supplier somewhere nearby that you could use, rather than buying it bagged from a retailer?

In NW Austin, I always go to Harley's.  It's just a little lot wedged off of 183 near Anderson Mill.  It's still not exactly cheap but I pay $10 for a small wheelbarrow full, which has more wood than that.

 

 

Judging by that bag, he's in Katy. 

[utxmike05 1825]

29 minutes ago, Da Fino said:

Judging by that bag, he's in Katy. 

Correct.  I am sure there are options out there, just a last second thing to go to the tailgate so I scrambled yesterday for wood.  B&B is usually my go to though when it was cheaper.

[elfenix 34171]

Earlier this year, I was out of town, and HEB had packers for $1.99. Texted my sister to look thru the bin to see if there were any choice. She bought 2. Last weekend I went out to smoke the first one, finding that it was ungraded. Turned out ok, cooked hot and fast and pulled at 203.

[UTexasFight 9380]

Nice looking bark.

wrap at all?

[elfenix 34171]

24 minutes ago, UTexasFight said:

Nice looking bark.

wrap at all?

0 wrap.  bark is great.  maybe the best i've done myself.  not sure if that's the heat or the lack of water bowl (usually have a dutch oven under the brisket as both a water bowl and a charcoal ring holder).  ate a whole piece of nothing but bark that just slid off some fat. 

Edited September 10, 2022 by elfenix

[tx 3 putt 76400]

Should have called me, I have a pack of tortillas ready to go !

[Etexhorn13 3036]

Cooked this bad boy overnight Thursday to bring to Austin. Had a nice dinner last night and some breakfast tacos this morning. Hook em!

[kevwun 15653]

 

2 creekstone primes on the menu for today.

[utxmike05 1825]

My "Fuck Bama" Briskets went hard last weekend. Made some brisket tacos last night. I swear brisket leftovers always ages well when properly sealed and refrigerated. 

[Hpara759 1777]

On 9/3/2022 at 5:40 PM, Hpara759 said:

10lbs.... 12 hours

did this in my Green Mountain Pellet (mesquite) salt/pepper rub HEB (trimmed) ....250 degrees.  Spritzed with beef broth every 30-45 minutes, wrapped in butcher paper at 165 (turned fat side up) and finished it off.....

[utxmike05 1825]

5 minutes ago, utxmike05 said:

My "Fuck Bama" Briskets went hard last weekend. Made some brisket tacos last night. I swear brisket leftovers always ages well when properly sealed and refrigerated. 

 

 

 

I know everyone likes to know cook plans so I will share mine, since I always have a different scenario as far as when to serve, etc...this time was precook and getting to Austin:

• Thursday night - Smoked both 14 lbers for 14 hrs w/ post oak.
• Friday afternoon - Pulled from pit, wrap in foil, put in pan, and into the oven at 250deg.  Briskets were at 165-170.
• I actually went to a dr appt down the road for 2 hours, and monitored temps on Weber connect app.
• They were both ready about 6 pm.  Opened foil and let them cool a little on counter to stop cooking.
• Wrapped again, put into Yeti cooler, load into truck, drive Katy to Austin at 7pm.
• Unloaded in Austin, let briskets cool a little more, and then put into fridge at midnight.
• Saturday AM - Put them in the oven at 275degs to warm up while still wrapped for about 1 hr until internal temps 165.
• Wrap again, load in yeti, head to tailgate, setup brisket station.
• Tried not to cry when Ewers got hit and have flashbacks of Colt.
• Display my meat, slice up, serve, meat sweats.
• Fuck Bama still.

I always want to serve it fresh fresh same day, but brisket is resilient if you store it and wrap it right.  And you can serve it days later and tastes damn good.  

 

 

 

[dcbc 14410]

Cross posted from WSM thread. I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out. Strayed from my usual methods and may have landed on new methods.

I used the John Lewis rub with Lawry's and SPG (ratio: 3/3/8/1) but added a little cayenne (1/3 pt) and still am firmly team "no binder."  I also rendered the better part of the trimmings on the stove (thought doing it on the smoker was a little too smokey last time), and put little pats of tallow on the brisket when I pulled it to rest.  I resisted when it was a Franklin rumor, but Goldee's was doing it in that video; who am I to refuse. Sliced it up after a 2 hour rest.

225F until I wrapped at 165. Then 250--260 until done (pulled at 205).

[pearlandhorn 3269]

3 hours ago, dcbc said:

Cross posted from WSM thread. I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out. Strayed from my usual methods and may have landed on new methods.

I used the John Lewis rub with Lawry's and SPG (ratio: 3/3/8/1) but added a little cayenne (1/3 pt) and still am firmly team "no binder."  I also rendered the better part of the trimmings on the stove (thought doing it on the smoker was a little too smokey last time), and put little pats of tallow on the brisket when I pulled it to rest.  I resisted when it was a Franklin rumor, but Goldee's was doing it in that video; who am I to refuse. Sliced it up after a 2 hour rest.

225F until I wrapped at 165. Then 250--260 until done (pulled at 205).


 

[ConferenceRoom 6130]

On 9/9/2022 at 9:15 AM, utee94 said:

Where do you live?  Surely there's a bulk wood supplier somewhere nearby that you could use, rather than buying it bagged from a retailer?

In NW Austin, I always go to Harley's.  It's just a little lot wedged off of 183 near Anderson Mill.  It's still not exactly cheap but I pay $10 for a small wheelbarrow full, which has more wood than that.

 

 

McLaren and Ferrari shopping at the same wood pile. Will wonders never cease? 

[utee94 15746]

6 minutes ago, ConferenceRoom said:

McLaren and Ferrari shopping at the same wood pile. Will wonders never cease? 

I'm headed to a McLaren event on Wednesday, anything you want me to pass along to Zak Brown while I'm there?