First time smoking brisket on the Bull. Full packer

[Roaniecowpony]

Sounds like you did much better than I did my first few briskets. Congratulations!

I would recommend that you seek out a better grade of brisket than Choice, as this will have a big effect on the end result.

 

[C. Keeper]

Sounds like you did much better than I did my first few briskets. Congratulations!

I would recommend that you seek out a better grade of brisket than Choice, as this will have a big effect on the end result.

Meat quality matters and it's getting tougher to find good meats. (See what I did there?)

Remember, when the pros cook a brisket they use only the best and still sort thru to find the best of the best.

I cooked what was supposed to be a corned beef "flat" only to find out it was both the point and flat. It was eaten, but it's not what I paid for

 

[frankpizz]

Oh, and failed to mention....Grate looking brisket there Opie.

I am awaiting my 700 to be delivered. I see your location and I'm in the same town. Looking forward to getting some tips from you

 

[Skillet]

I read that you wrapped your brisket in foil. In my opinion, it absolutely ruins the bark, really destroys it. I have done about a dozen so far and they have become really simple to me. I am using a 590

1. Put binder on (yellow mustard) and rub of choice. I use Killer Hogs TX. I add celery salt, black pepper and garlic salt to it, sit over night covered.
2. Place on smoker at 225F, cook until about 165F internal.
3. Double wrap in butcher paper, NOT FOIL. Will royally F up your bark.
4. Cook until internal 200F, take off and wrap the whole mess up in a large towel. Leave the butcher paper on doing this.
5. Let sit inside an ice chest at least 1.5 hours, 3 hours is not too long.

It is really that simple. I was using Lumberjack pellets, but always got a bit of a weird taste on the initial bite. Changed over to a brand called BBQr's Delight I pick up at a grill store here in Tulsa. This method brings a solid brisket every single time for me.

 

[Smoke'n Hot]

So I tried my hand at a brisket last night. I am brand new to smoking meat, so this was quite the endeavor. Just shy of 10 lbs untrimmed. There was a lot of oxidized, hard, dark grey looking meat on the one side that had to be trimmed. And what I assume is the usual amount of hard fat. The soft fat was already in the ballpark of ¼" and didn't need much trimming. All told, I probably trimmed 2 or 3 lbs off the brisket.

I put a very light coat of yellow mustard on it and seasoned liberally with 4 Rivers Smokehouse brisket rub. Then I put it on the Bull on low and let it smoke at 180° for about three hours, spritzing with water every hour. Then I bumped it up to 225° and tried to let it ride till IT reached 165°. At about 4 hours it began to stall at around 150°. I tried to wait it out till 165° but the flat began to feel very hard to me and I feared it was drying into jerky. So around the 5 hour mark, I gave it a final spritz, then wrapped in foil and put it back on the Bull at 250°. That kicked the stall right in the ass. At about the 8 hour mark it hit 190° and I started probing for doneness. The point felt like I was sticking a probe in jello, but the flat still offered resistance. One of the times I probed, I accidentally went all the way through and came out the bottom of the foil. Enough juice drained out to fill the grease bucket over a 3rd full. I let it ride till the IT reached 203 and then pulled it. I opened the foil to stop the temp from increasing, for about 5 minutes, then closed the foil and placed it in a cooler for 2 hours.

And then the moment of truth came. I sliced enough pieces off the flat to have a little snack while it was fresh and warm, and enough for my lunch today. At first I thought it was going to be a brick. But after a slice or two it began to look much better. All told, it was a touch on the dry side, but not terribly so. But the flavor was out of this world. The bark was dark and soft but not soggy or slimy despite having stewed in its own juices in the foil. If not for the slight dryness of the flat, this easily could be the best brisket I have ever eaten. And really, only the first bits of the thin part of the flat were noticeably dry. The slices would bend and hang limp when hung over my finger, but didn't quite do the falling apart when stretched thing.

So, things I might do differently next time are:

Start at 225° instead of 180°.

Wrap as soon as it begins to stall, regardless of internal temp.

Keep it at 225° the whole cook, instead of raising to 250° after wrapping.

NOT poking a damn hole in the bottom of the foil and letting all those delicious juices run out.

All in all I am pretty damn satisfied with how it turned out. This is only my third big cook on any kind of smoker. Ever. So I think I am pretty fortunate to have gotten away with not destroying this brisket.

Any suggestions or input is always appreciated!

I m no Aaron Franklin and have only smoked 4 flats since getting the 700 at Christmas. My first one was dry but I injected the next 3 on 1 inch grid and they were amazing. I wrapped all three briskets at the stall with paper. Then I talked to a friend who owns the Haywood Smokehouse in Dillsboro,NC.Joe asked if I wrapped and I said yes.. He said next time don't and smoke at 225 all the through and to trust him.. His brisket is absolutely amazing. So. on my last one I let it ride through the stall unwrapped. Sure enough the bark was outstanding . I am going to do the 225 without wrap again.

 

[Dirtydiver76]

Quick question regarding the rec teq brisket recipe. I've had my rt700 for almost 2 months and having a blast with it. Most of the app recipes give perfect results and I have no doubt this one will be no exception. My question: after I hit the stall at 165 degrees the recipe says to double wrap in foil and add a cup of left over injection. Is this to be injected at this time or poured into the foil for moisture? At the risk of sounding like a newb, any suggestions would be appreciated since its on the grill for Christmas eve dinner. Thanks

 

[C. Keeper]

Quick question regarding the rec teq brisket recipe. I've had my rt700 for almost 2 months and having a blast with it. Most of the app recipes give perfect results and I have no doubt this one will be no exception. My question: after I hit the stall at 165 degrees the recipe says to double wrap in foil and add a cup of left over injection. Is this to be injected at this time or poured into the foil for moisture? At the risk of sounding like a newb, any suggestions would be appreciated since its on the grill for Christmas eve dinner. Thanks

If you were going to "inject" it would typically be done prior to cook. The double foil with liquid is a form of braised.

 

[Buckeye1]

Just pour into the foil.

 

[Dirtydiver76]

Thank you. This makes sense. Its my first brisket and I want to nail it. 3 hours in and looking good! Happy holidays!