# Trying a brisket?



## jd99problems (Sep 20, 2009)

I want to try a brisket when I get home in a couple of weeks.....any suggestions on time/temp to cook?....wrapped first/unwrapped first?...rub suggestions....any input will be helpful..i'm willing to try all kinds of stuff...thanks 2coolers!!


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## whistech (Jul 25, 2005)

Since no one has answered yet, here's what I would do. Cook your brisket low and slow, trying to keep your smoker between 220 and 250 degrees. When the internal temperature of the brisket reaches between 160 and 170 degrees, wrap it in foil with whichever bbq sauce you like poured over it. Don't drown the brisket in sauce, probably between 1/2 and 3/4 cup is plenty. Spread the sauce evenly over the brisket and wrap completely. Once the brisket temperature reaches between 200 and 205 degrees, start checking the brisket to see if it's tender. Do this by sticking a toothpick in the brisket. It should be easy to stick all the way in (about like sticking a toothpick in a stick of room temperature butter). When the toothpick slides in easily, remove the brisket from the smoker and place in an ice chest and close the lid. let the brisket rest in the ice chest for at least one hour, two is better. Remove the brisket from the ice chest, open the foil (be careful because the brisket will still be very hot) and carefully drain the juice from the brisket in a bowl. Slice your brisket and enjoy. Cooking times are just an estimate, no two briskets cook the same. Probably looking at between 8 and 10 hours, maybe longer. Cook to temperature and feel instead of time and you will enjoy the results.


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## jd99problems (Sep 20, 2009)

thanks for the advice, whistech......i've done some research and i'm getting all kinds of ideas...if you think of anything else, don't be shy...i'll post to let everyone know how it comes out....


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## FishingMama (Jan 4, 2013)

My son-in-law did the best one ever outside on the pit. He put a brisket rub on it, no sauce, put a cut-up onion on top, wrapped in heavy duty foil and put it on the 250 degree pit at 6 AM. We went fishing, got back around 3. He took it off, brushed BBQ sauce on it, put the foil back on and cooked for about 1 more hour. He taste tested it before taking if off - it was soooo tender and juicy. Simple yet effective way to do a brisket.


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## jd99problems (Sep 20, 2009)

FishingMama said:


> My son-in-law did the best one ever outside on the pit. He put a brisket rub on it, no sauce, put a cut-up onion on top, wrapped in heavy duty foil and put it on the 250 degree pit at 6 AM. We went fishing, got back around 3. He took it off, brushed BBQ sauce on it, put the foil back on and cooked for about 1 more hour. He taste tested it before taking if off - it was soooo tender and juicy. Simple yet effective way to do a brisket.


Great info....fishing while the brisket cooks?....sounds like a great way to pass the time!!!


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Smoke it don't ruin it on a pit. My buddy tried cooking one on my pit. I told him to smoke it . Didn't listen & ruined it. The chickens wouldn't even eat it. Use the second posters advice.


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## mike1970lee (Jan 19, 2009)

http://bbq.about.com/od/brisketrecipes/r/bl70906a.htm if you like it a little spicy this is a good recipe


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

IF you have a smoker style pit, heat to 225, place the rubbed down brisket on the pit and cook/smoke for 4-6 hours at 225. Wrap with foil and continue to cook for 4-6 more hours (I like to cook them 12 hours total, but they are generally done enought to eat around 9 or 10).


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## Dukman (Sep 21, 2007)

Don't cook by time, cook by temperture. Get yourself a good meat thermometer. 

As others have said, not on a grill. Use an offset smoker.
Use a rub. There are plenty out there and most of them are good.
Smoke 3-6 hours depending on how much smoke flavor you prefer. Keep in mind that strong woods like mesquite can be overbearing. How much smoke to use is a learning experience. Make notes of what wood you use, how long you smoked, and the taste results. I prefer to wrap around 150ish when the temp stall is going on. If you don't know what the stall is google it.
I add a very very small amount of water to the foil. Some use apple juice, some use BBQ sauce. I never understood the BBQ sauce as I truely believe sauce should be served WITH not ON. 
I prefer to pull mine off at 190-195 but some go higher. The higher the internal temp you slow cook it to the mushier it will become.
Wrap in a couple of towels and place in a cooler for a few hours.
Slice is thin across the grain.
Helps to have good BBQ gloves and a sharp knife.

Likie I said earlier, cooking brisket is a learning experience and fine tuning it takes some time. Make notes on everything. Most of all, enjoy the process. Good Luck and post up pics of your results.


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## FishBurd27 (Sep 18, 2012)

Rubberback said:


> Smoke it don't ruin it on a pit. My buddy tried cooking one on my pit. I told him to smoke it . Didn't listen & ruined it. The chickens wouldn't even eat it. Use the second posters advice.


Rubberback, what do you consider a pit? A smoker is a pit in my world.. Just curious.


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## jd99problems (Sep 20, 2009)

Great info!!....much appreciated!!..keep it coming


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## Poppie (Feb 6, 2013)

*My 2cents*

Pit or smoker the same, a non direct heat source, invest in a good thermometer, maverick makes one that has duel temps one for smoker one for meat, with high and low alarms wireless to 300'. Brisket is cooked by temp not time but a rule of thumb is 11/2 hours per pound with a pit temp of 225-250 not less than 220 bacteria problems add 1 hour to rest and add 20 minutes for every time you open the pit. The smoke from the wood should be a thin blue smoke, heavy white smoke will tend to cause bitter meat the fire needs good amount of air it's better to let it burn hot with smaller amount than pile on wood and cut back the air. The brisket, buy a packer brisket with the hump trim to 1" fat, use a good dry rub coat as much as it will hold if it's not sticking yellow mustard will be a good base. The next thing put it back in the frig to get it cold here's why. The bark of the brisket or the red ring is caused by a reaction with the 190+ compounds in the wood and and the red blood cells, it only happens when the meat is cold so the longer the transition in temperature occurs the better. When a brisket cooks it drys out and that prevents the smoke from absorbing so you have add moisture to facilitate the reaction and absorption . I use 25% oil 75% apple juice or even water in a bottle sprayer mist ever hour or so for the first 7-8 hours after that the bark is done. The temp will rise at a good rate until it reaches 160 degrees and stalls. The fat starts to melt and cools the brisket off causing the stall , this stall temp will last about 6 or so hours then start to climb again the brisket will be done at 180 start to get tender about 195-200 The test I use, stick the flat with a serving fork and turn 90 degrees the brisket will give easily. I remove from fire wrap in foil put in empty cooler, the smaller the better and let rest for 1-3 hours until ready to serve it will stay very hot for up to 5 hours. Separate the hump frm the flat, the hump i take care of first, shred the meat from the fat chop the hump meat for chopped sandwiches, now the flat trim the fat and reserve plus reserve the fat from the hump, slice cross grain, final trick all briskests are different make a couple slices, if it s real tender slice thicker to keep it together, if its still tough slice real thin and no one will notice, place the reserve fat in the bottom of the pan will keep it help keep the meat moist. Oh by the way BBQ sauce is a condemint used when the meat is to dry to eat. The enjoyment is from all the variables it takes to get it right, sometime it's not and we can cover it up sauce or slice it thin but when the BBQ gods are smiling on you it is something to behold.


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

Smoke it Low and Slow!


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## jd99problems (Sep 20, 2009)

Poppie, thanks a bunch for your "2 cents"....excellent info there!!..I knew y'all would come through with some great stuff....I will definitely examine all the advice given and give it a go...I will let y'all know how it turns out!!...thanks again for your time!

You too, Law Dog!!..


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

don't go over a 12lb brisket esp for a first one, when you pick it out, it should be one that folds in the bag easily , the stiff ones have alot of fat in them

take it home rinse it well , dry and cover w a good rub both sides, go easy on the salt tho. wrap in saran and trow in the frig. in a deep metal cookie sheet

next morn. unwrap and throw in the oven at 250, this will save you a huge amnt of time, put the juice in the pan in your mopping sauce.

get your fire settled in , you will need a lot of wood (i prefer post oak,live oak, hickory,then pecan )and knock the bark off as much as poss. you want a clear smoke, not a heavy white one. scrape the racks , have everything ready and put the brisket on.... we are talking offset cooking not direct under.

baste w a mopping sauce if it is trying to dry out and only flip the meat once.

as it nears being done, wrap in heavy foil and baste heavily w mopping sauce, you can up the heat to 250-275 for an hour , this will steam and tenderize the meat, be careful and ck for done-ness you can go too far at this point.

take the meat off and let it rest for 15 mins in the open foil before you slice it.

slice only what you need , the whole brisket leftover keeps and freezes better than sliced

you will want to trim and half the brisket for fat if poss. , there are videos on this process.

it is alot of work, i have done hundreds, so cook other stuff and enjoy the process.


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## jd99problems (Sep 20, 2009)

Great info, Coastal....thanks for posting.....this is the type of stuff I was looking for!


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