Hi All,

Been a few months since I posted but I'm doing a 11# packer overnight Friday. I found the rub below from Rick H in an old post and wanted some opinions:

Wet Rub

2 Tbl Cayenne
1 Tbl Paprika
3 Tbl Brown Sugar
1 Tbl Salt
1 Tbl Onion Powder
1 Tbl Black Pepper
1 Tbl Cumin
2 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbl Tobasco
3 Cloves Crushed Garlic

I cut the cayenne to 1 TBL and used 1 TBL of granulated garlic instead of the crushed. I noted that Rick said he only does the bottom (meat) side and I understand because this doesn't look like enough to cover top and bottom.
Prep /cooking will be pretty standard. Trim the fat, apply rub around 4 hrs prior to cooking, full ring Minion with 4 chunks of cherry and try to keep it between 210 and 270. I expect I will need approximately 12-15 hrs to tender but will see.

Any thoughts or comments?

Thanks,

JDH

Sounds good to me. I'm not sure why you'd rub one side of the meat only. I'd rub all over -- more flavor. It's hard to get flavor in a smoked meat anyway... up all ingredients for rub by 50%; you'll have enough to cover.

James, I'm doing the exact same thing - overnighter for about a 10-pounder (after trimming), to be ready for a 6pm Feeding Of The Hordes. Given how small a brisky is involved for both of us, how much time you fixin' to give it? I'm guessing close to an hour a pound at about 230 or so?

I suppose it depends on how close you trim your fat cap. I usually don't trim it much at all around the flat, and prefer to remove most of it before serving, so I don't rub it.

The point however, gets most of the fat trimmed off so it gets rubbed all over.

Peter - I've only done a brisket once before and it was my 2nd WSM cook so I had some temp issues. It ended up tender but a little dry. I'm going to watch this one close and check it for tenderness a little earlier than normal (at the 1hr / lb mark). If int temp is a little lower (I went to 205 last time) but it seems to pull well I'll take it off. So, my simple answer for time is, I don't know. I'm using 1 1/2 hours per lb as my worst case because I want to eat around 2pm. If it finishes earlier I'll foil it and toss it in the cooler until we're ready to eat.

I've decided to make a 2nd batch of the above rub and do the whole thing. Can't hurt and makes me feel better.

Next question, should I trim the fat cap close or leave it fairly thick as J B noted? I'd prefer to be close to meat to get the benefit of the rub but I really don't want to dry this one out.

Thanks all.

Leaving it alone (as I do as well) or trimming it a little or a lot is up to you. Drying out comes from overcooking not trim level )unless completely trimmed as so many so-called butchers do). I suggest cooking fat side down whatever you choose.

Thanks Kevin but why fat side down? Isn't it supposed to slowly render and moisten the flat as it goes?

Fat side down protects the meat from the more direct heat emanating up from below. It has the added benefit of better keeping the rub on the lean side intact as, being up, it doesn't scrape on the grate.

There is not a whole lot of fat rendering that occurs to the fatcap during cooking because it is hard fat, not soft like some of the interior fat deposits. It loses moisture during cooking, as so it shrinks somewhat, but it does not effectively 'baste' the meat. Even surface soft fat when it renders does not 'soak into' the meat.

Fatcaps are usually placed up when meat is cooked in a pan in the oven. Despite what yu read here and there this has nothing to do with 'keeping meat moist' or even basting. It had to do with how drippings and the formation of fond (the sticky concentrated dripping used as a base for gravy/sauce) best occurs.

Sounds reasonable. Thanks Kevin. I'll do it point down (fat down) with half my usual trimming of the cap.

JDH