# First brisket - Need pointers



## Tail_Pincher

So I finally got my first pit at the house and about to take my shot at this whole BBQ thing.

I've done quite a bit of reading cookbooks for the past couple weeks but wanted to get the 2cool input.

What are you're best pointers for my first brisket?


----------



## RB II

The instructions below are for an offset firebox stick burner pit.

Trim fat, season/rub with kosher salt and restaurant grind black pepper (1/2 & 1/2). Establish a good bed of coals and bring pit to an even/steady 225-250 degrees with good clean seasoned hard wood (I prefer oak). Put brisket on grate, fat side up. Cook until internal temp is 150 degrees (maintain steady pit temp at 225-250 degrees). Wrap with either tin foil or butcher paper (unwaxed) when internal temp is 150 degrees. Continue to cook wrapped brisket until internal temp is 190. Remove from pit and let rest one hour. Slice across the grain and serve.

Depending on the size of the brisket, should take about 4-6 hours to reach 150 internal temp and another 4-6 to reach 190 degrees internal temp.


----------



## bigfishtx

Fat side down 

Internal temp should be around 200- 205


----------



## Too Tall

salt and pepper. get a good temp gauge. ^likes fat side down. I cook it fat side up. your call.


----------



## RB II

bigfishtx said:


> Fat side down
> 
> Internal temp should be around 200- 205


 If you pull it at 190 and let it rest for an hour, the internal will be 200+.


----------



## Tail_Pincher

Yeah one bit I read said to wrap in butcher paper and set in an empty cooler for an hour.

I do know that beef continues to cook after it's removed from the heat.

But you guys don't use any kind of rub or mop sauce? I'm afraid of it coming out too dry.

Guess I gotta learn somehow!


----------



## RB II

Either foil or butcher paper work just fine.

The brisket rub we use for competition is just salt and pepper. We do spray it periodically with apple juice, but only after the crust is set. No mops. The key to keeping it from drying out, IMO, is to wrap it at 150 AND to keep the heat even right around 225 until it reaches 190, then pull it off the pit.


----------



## Tail_Pincher

Thanks.

Wish I had time for a test run before Super Bowl Sunday but I guess we'll just see how it goes then.


----------



## biggieg

You got some good pointers above. My only addition to salt and pepper would be a healthy dose of granulated garlic. I make my own BBQ sauce (Grandma's recipe) and we skim the oil off the top to use as mopping liquid starting about halfway through. Good Luck with it.


----------



## sotexhookset

Tail_Pincher said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Wish I had time for a test run before Super Bowl Sunday but I guess we'll just see how it goes then.


You've got this weekend to get a test run in. Go get you an 18 pack and post some real time pics here. It may be canceling all scheduled honey doos like a wedding, dinner at the in laws, yard work, etc. Hell. Deer seasons over so its a no brainer.


----------



## Tail_Pincher

sotexhookset said:


> You've got this weekend to get a test run in. Go get you an 18 pack and post some real time pics here. It may be canceling all scheduled honey doos like a wedding, dinner at the in laws, yard work, etc. Hell. Deer seasons over so its a no brainer.


You're right, but I think I've got the only thing goin this weekend that I wouldn't cancel...bachelor party in Vegas.


----------



## sotexhookset

Oh hell. Excuse of the century. Say no more.


----------



## manintheboat

my best advice would be to start with a more forgiving cut of meat like a pork butt. But if you have your heart set on brisket, that is okay. go for it. The key to making a good brisket is selecting a good cut of meat, a clean burning fire, maintaining a constant low cooking temperature, knowing when to take the meat off of the fire and letting it rest before serving. You will notice that I said nothing about rub, foil or whether you have the fat up or down. 

Good cut of meat. Yes it matters. I like a brisket that has a reasonably uniform thickness from point to flat. I say reasonable because the point is always going to be thicker. You just dont want a brisket that is very thick in the point and has a flat that tapers off to nothing quickly. You will end up having to separate the flat from the point and cooking separately. I like some flexibility in the meat as well. Choice or Prime grade is worth the extra money. 

As for fire management, the biggest mistake I see with new BBQ cooks is a dirty fire. They don't think they are truly smoking unless they have a thick cloud of white smoke billowing out of the chimney. That is dead wrong. Thin blue smoke is what you want. Barely visible at that. 

As for temperature, that really all depends on your cooker. Some cookers seem to run well close to 300, while being difficult to maintain at 225. It all depends, really. Just know that any temp between 225 and 325 is okay. I like to be around 225, but that is just me. Just make sure that you keep your temps as consistent as possible. 

The most important thing about a well cooked brisket is knowing when to take it off of the pit. An undercooked brisket will seem dry. That is because the collegens still have not broken down and lubricated the meat fibers. An overcooked brisket is no brueno either. A brisket will be done when the internal temperature is between 190 and 200. Most cooks, know when to remove the meat by feel. Put a probe or skewer into the flat and remove it. If the meat grabs at all, it is not done, regardless of temperature. If the probe slides in and out like you are poking into butter, you are good to go. Once the internal hits 190, I really start paying attention to the meat to make sure I get it off at the exact right time. Invest in a good meat thermometer. I use a thermapen. 

For any large cut of meat, resting is important. A small cooler is helpful here. Wrap in foil or butchers paper, then wrap in an old towel and place into a cooler for an hour or two. This is a very important step. 

As far as rubs go, that is personal choice. I have made my own rub with several ingredients and used just salt and pepper. Honestly, salt and pepper is very much good enough. You are going to get tons of flavor from the fat in the meat as well as the smoke, so you can afford to take it easy on spices. 

Fat side up or down? I always go fat side down because on my cookers, the heat is always coming from the bottom so i use the fat cap as a protective layer. But do what you want. Wrap with foil or butchers paper? Sure, if you want to, but you do not have to. I only use foil if I want to speed up the cooking process. It will help render some fat out of the cut. Do not wrap until the internal has hit at least 165 and make sure you do not wrap until you are happy with the bark. 

That is all I have. Learning to cook briskets is a trial and error deal. It is fun to learn. If you screw it up, don't worry, chop it up, mix it with sauce and you have some good chopped beef sandwich material.


----------



## Black Dog

^^^ Manintheboat is right on here "As for fire management, the biggest mistake I see with new BBQ cooks is a dirty fire. They don't think they are truly smoking unless they have a thick cloud of white smoke billowing out of the chimney. That is dead wrong. Thin blue smoke is what you want. Barely visible at that."

I did this my first time and the meat would make your tongue go numb. White / off color smoke means creosote which is nasty.


----------



## w_r_ranch

Fat side up @ 225 & watch your smoke. Fat side up will self-baste the meat so there is no need to open the smoker to mop (which will ruin your bark IMO). Pull it at an internal temp of 190 & let it rest in an old cooler for 1 hour.


----------



## CaptJack

I'm grandpa (both) old school. I use clean brown paper grocery bags to wrap when the meat hits the "stall" - same temp for more than 30'min. brown paper sack paper "breathes" better than butcher paper or foil. it doesn't make the bark mushy.
I also prefer fat cap up for basting, but that's just my preference?
I use a Maverick ET-732 remote thermometer so I know what the meat is doing during the cook. I also use a Thermapen for exact temp control. 
I'm a firm believer in the "probe" test. as said above, if the meat grabs the probe it ain't done yet, regardless of the temp. gotta feel like soft butter

the best test cook is the cheapest Select at Walmart. it won't be near as good as the Prime Angus from HEB, but it's a great hunk of meat to learn on


----------



## bigmike

Fat side up. 225-250 until 195 internal. Rest in cooler for an hour then slice. We're cooking at ODC Friday night if you want to come out and take some lessons.


----------



## dinmax82

Fat side up for me. No Texas Crutch for me either. About 195 is what I am for and then it sits wrapped up in a cooler.

Meat selection like said above, getting something that tapers off too much is a no no.


----------



## rwnitro

Not trying to hijack the thread but there seem to be several people on here that really
sound like they know what they are doing. There has been no mention of a water tray/bowl in the coals under the meat. Would this be a good idea or not for brisket?


----------



## Tall1

I would use a water pan for smoking just about anything


----------



## bigfishtx

We started seperating the point and the flat at 150 degrees, then I wrap the flat and cube the point to make burnt ends. They always go first.


----------



## Big Guns 1971

Important things are Quality meat and clean burning fire. Fat up or down is your choice as are seasonings. Just season it like you would a steak and you will be fine. Cook it long and slow with constant temperature and clean smoke. I pull mine when the temperature is at 195 and let it rest for 1-1/2 hours wrapped in foil to hold the heat. If you are wanting to speed things up wrap it in foil at 165 degrees and pull off at 195 and let rest in the foil. Cut it against the grain and adjust thickness to meat tenderness. If its a little tough cut it thinner and if its falling apart cut thicker slices. As far as wood goes you have many choices like Oak, Pecan, hickory, peach and even apple wood. Just make sure your wood is seasoned at least a year and that it is dry. Start off with a pit full of coals and add wood as the temperature starts to drop. Good luck....


----------



## BATWING

Great info in this thread. I gave up BBQ for a while and concentrated on other cooking techniques. Now a little more trained in the mixed arts I cannot stress enough selection of your proteins. I would love to hear more from the pros about selection and finding "tells" on quality. It kind of takes the wind out of your sails when all the effort was wasted on a poor choice of meat.

Good brisket is not easy. I maybe get 1 home run out of 10 at bats.


----------



## RB II

rwnitro said:


> Not trying to hijack the thread but there seem to be several people on here that really
> sound like they know what they are doing. There has been no mention of a water tray/bowl in the coals under the meat. Would this be a good idea or not for brisket?


My big pit is a reverse flow and yes I have water pans beneath all of the meat racks.


----------



## rwnitro

Thanks for responding about the water trays and thanks to all who shared their information, there is a lot of really good information in this thread.


----------



## cabolew

The slicing can make or break a brisket too. If your not sure then there are some good YouTube videos.


----------



## Big Guns 1971

BATWING said:


> Great info in this thread. I gave up BBQ for a while and concentrated on other cooking techniques. Now a little more trained in the mixed arts I cannot stress enough selection of your proteins. I would love to hear more from the pros about selection and finding "tells" on quality. It kind of takes the wind out of your sails when all the effort was wasted on a poor choice of meat.
> 
> Good brisket is not easy. I maybe get 1 home run out of 10 at bats.


Yes choice of meat is important for cookoffs. For home use I just go to sams and pick one out the size that I'm needing. There is no time limits and any brisket will come out tender if cooked long and at a low temperature. I just look for one that has the biggest or thickest flat. For competition I go with a prime Angus and trim off 90% of the fat.


----------



## PETSPOON

How bought injecting?


----------



## RB II

PETSPOON said:


> How bought injecting?


We do not inject our briskets. Some do with an au jous type of mix, but too often it is too salty. Beef/brisket holds the flavor throughout the entire cut of meat, really no need to inject.

We always inject pork butts and shoulder clods, typically with apple juice.

We also brine chicken and turkey, just thought I would throw that in there!!!! Also inject them.


----------



## kweber

a lot more labor intensive than an off-set, but we used to do 1500lbs of clods or briskets(clods are better) in a big D'Hanis brick pit over direct mesquite coals...church BBQ.
this isn't SETx style BBQ...
we'd season then put on the meat...'make a sop w/ vinegar,lard, onions and turn and sop every hr and add coals as necessary from an outside big mesquite fire.
I still BBQ this way for our annual family BBQ'
a lot of fire tending and meat tending, but great BBQ, but you need to wanna work.
only good hot coals are shoveled under the screen.


----------



## randeg

*Brisket*

This is a good series on YouTube. Franklin has a pretty good reputation and doesn't mind sharing some of his knowledge.


----------



## charlie23

manintheboat said:


> As for fire management, the biggest mistake I see with new BBQ cooks is a dirty fire. They don't think they are truly smoking unless they have a thick cloud of white smoke billowing out of the chimney. That is dead wrong. Thin blue smoke is what you want. Barely visible at that.


 so how long you have to burn your woods/coal to get that thin, blue, clear smoke before you put in the brisket?


----------



## stdreb27

randeg said:


> This is a good series on YouTube. Franklin has a pretty good reputation and doesn't mind sharing some of his knowledge.


Thanks for posting that. I just spend 45 minutes watching his YouTube videos. He's remarkable interesting.


----------



## bigfishtx

charlie23 said:


> so how long you have to burn your woods/coal to get that thin, blue, clear smoke before you put in the brisket?


Charlie the smoke will clean up as soon as the moisture and impurities on the outside burn away, if the wood is cured.


----------



## manintheboat

charlie23 said:


> so how long you have to burn your woods/coal to get that thin, blue, clear smoke before you put in the brisket?


Icook with a ceramic cooker mainly now. Some days it takes longer than others to get to clean blue. I normally like to have my pit at temp for at least an hour before throwing meat on.


----------

