I finally took the plunge...

[Kevian]

and purchased my first brisket. I've been using my smoker for 14 months and finally got up enough courage to get my first brisket. NOW WHAT? :lol:

I also purchased 2 Boston Butts that will reside on the top rack. I read somewhere where pork shoulder drippings will help to baste your brisket. This brisket weighs in at 6.58 pounds. My plans for it are as follows:

Rub with Worcestire Sauce and Texas BBQ Rub tonight followed by vacuum sealing.
I will put it on the smoker around 8:00 or 9:00 tomorrow night.
Smoke at 225-235°F till I reach an internal temperature of 180°F.
Remove from smoker and wrap in HD Aluminum Foil.
Put back on smoker and wait for an internal temperature of 195-200°F.
Remove from smoker and allow to rest for 2-3 hours in an ice chest.
Remove from ice chest and cut thin slices across the grain.

How does this sound? How long should this cook last with a 6 1/2 pound brisket? Any pointers will be appreciated.

Kevian

[75fordfan]

kevian, Sounds like you got it figured out. on a brisket that size i would say 8-10 hours, And Don't forget fat-side down. I only foil for an hour. and as far as cooling.. I just leave out on the kitchen counter-top covered with a towl for about an hour, then slice.
As far as the buts just keep them moped every hour on the hour.
Im just a backyard bbq'er. but with the help from these guys on this forum, i have been making better bbq. Let us know how it turns out.


75Fordfan

[jshively]

I normally pull and wrap mine at 160 internal in foil.

I also would pull it off the pit around 190 internal. The reason being is after you put it in the pit and let it sit it will still continue to cook for awhile and possibly just 5 more degrees internal. Hate for you to have shredded brisket.

I would not worry about vacuum sealing it just wrap it in saran wrap and throw it in the fridge. To much of a mess could be made. I actually don't even rub mine down anymore till they are ready for the pit.

You are probably looking at about 13 hours. Also, around 140 internal it will relax and not move for a couple of hours and in fact the temp may go down. Don't sweat it you are looking at the plateau. Crack open a cold one and relax.

[Kevian]

Thanks for the feedback jshively and 75fordfan. This will be my 2nd overnight cook and first brisket. Sure hope I get some sleep tonight. :)

I'm going to get the smoker ready, mow the lawn, and light the smoker.

Kevian

[jshively]

Thanks for the feedback jshively and 75fordfan. This will be my 2nd overnight cook and first brisket. Sure hope I get some sleep tonight. :)

I'm going to get the smoker ready, mow the lawn, and light the smoker.

Kevian

Walk in the park you will do just fine. Most important is just relax and have fun.

[Fire-it-Up]

Good luck.......let us know how it turns out. Sit back and enjoy.

[Kevian]

You are probably looking at about 13 hours. Also, around 140 internal it will relax and not move for a couple of hours and in fact the temp may go down. Don't sweat it you are looking at the plateau. Crack open a cold one and relax.

I put the 2 pork shoulders and brisket on at 9:00 PM. If I hit a plateau at say 8:00 AM, can I still have a cold one or do I have to wait till noon? :?

I guess what I'm wondering is do people operating smokers get special privleges regarding the time of day they can pop open their first cold one?

Kevian

[grillmaster]

Kevian,
As far as i m concerned if yer smokin yer drinkin or should be dats how i do it.

[75fordfan]

If There's SMOKE There's BEER. It's an unwritten rule, kinda like going fishing..tackle box and ice box.
Go on getcha one.

75Fordfan

[Paul Taylor]

Hey Kevian, 1st of all, welcome in. 2nd, go on ahead & experiment with your cooking. Hell that's half the fun man.On your briskets, ya can try doing them like he way that Bill shows us. Hey I have been doing it that way for way over a year now, & guess what?, Never had one go bad on me as of yet(& it's nothing for me to do @ least 2 per month, sometimes more). So there are quite a few ways that ya can do this thing. Same thing as your pork butts aswell. Myself, I just let it sit on the smoker untill the bone comes outta the meat cleanly. That's how I know how it's done. That's just me.Anyways, welcome in & have fun with this thing called "BBQ".

Paul Taylor

[BBQ101]

Also unwrap it 30 minutes before slicing accross the grain. Save them jucice from the foil. When you wrap it put about a 1/2 cup of apple juice or BBQ sauce in the foil.

[Kevian]

Thanks again for all the helpful advice. The brisket was a big hit with my family. The DW said it was the most tender meat she had ever eaten. She also asked if I had used the same rub I used on my ribs last time (this was the 1st time I had used the Texas BBQ Rub). I don't believe she'll ever let me use any other rub.

I took some photos, but they didn't turn out as good as the brisket :cry: Oh well, if I had to choose one or the other I'm glad the brisket won.

Click on the link below to view my first brisket:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=fi2zqbe.3mjkmo6a&Uy=f3p75o&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1

Kevian

[txbbqcarrie]

Brisket looks mighty good! Glad you and your family enjoyed the rub!

[Thom Emery]

Kevian
What did you cook the Brisket on? WSM?

[Kevian]

Yes Git ur Done...I smoked the 2 pork shoulders on the top rack of my WSM and let the drippings fall on the brisket which was on the lower rack.

I wrapped the brisket in HD aluminum foil about an hour after it finally got through the plateau and put it back on the smoker until I reached an internal temperature of 192°F. I used a mixture of 3/4 apple to 1/4 hickory for this smoke.

I prefer a little more texture with my meats, so I would like to pull the brisket off at maybe 185°F next time. However, everyone liked it so much I'm hesitant to try anything different but (as Paul Taylor said) experimenting is half the fun.

Kevian

[BBQ101]

:lol: Thats a fine lookin brisket for a first try. :shock:

[Mac]

Kevian,

Real nice looking piece of BBQ. Excellent looking smoke ring as well. Congratulations on being the next BBQ addicted person to the forum!

:D :D 8) 8)

[Woodman]

Kevian, that brisket looks good to me! Who's helmut is that in your avatar? Woody

[Kevian]

Kevian, that brisket looks good to me! Who's helmut is that in your avatar? Woody

Thanks Woodman; and the helmet represents Clemson University.

Kevian

[Thom Emery]

Kevian
You inspired me so I am 2 hours into my 1st brisket with 1 hour on a
Webber rib rack full of spares our WSM is a cooking and NASCAR is TV what could be better? GIT UR DONE Thom

[Kevian]

Kevian
You inspired me so I am 2 hours into my 1st brisket with 1 hour on a
Webber rib rack full of spares our WSM is a cooking and NASCAR is TV what could be better? GIT UR DONE Thom

Hey...somebody's gotta do it, right. :D
I hope your brisket turns out as good as mine did. I'll be having left-overs for dinner.

My wife liked it so much, she doesn't want me to smoke pork shoulders anymore. :(

Good luck;
Kevian

[jshively]

Kevian
You inspired me so I am 2 hours into my 1st brisket with 1 hour on a
Webber rib rack full of spares our WSM is a cooking and NASCAR is TV what could be better? GIT UR DONE Thom

To top it off it was a Tony Stewart victory. Where did I put my Smoke bbq sauce at??

[Thom Emery]

Yes it was a good race
Hey any new ideas about what to do with the
left over brisket
BBQ beef on a bun
Thom

[75fordfan]

Kevian That there brisket looks mighty good, i believe you got it. Crazy thing is. It makes you want to do it again, don't it ?
And yes it was good to see that 20 car in victory lane again.

75Fordfan

[Kevian]

Kevian That there brisket looks mighty good, i believe you got it. Crazy thing is. It makes you want to do it again, don't it ?
75Fordfan

You bet. I'm just mad because I waited 14 months to try it. I guess that means I need to make up for lost time now.

Kevian