How to get a crispy brisket crust/bark?


 
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I am on my 10th brisket and have had good success with getting the meat tender but the thing I crave almost as much is that thick, crispy black crust on the outside.

I have finished my briskets just about every way imagineable, on the smoker at 225 for the last hour, on the smoker at 275 for the last hour, in the oven, on the smoker wrapped in foil, on the smoker wrapped in saran wrap and foil and never seem to be able to get that crust.

I realize that wrapping it isn't the answer because the juices get all over the meat.

I have a 7lber on the smoker right now that I put on about 5.5 hours ago. I rubbed it with Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce and then applied a pretty generic salt/sugar/garlic/onion/paprika/chili rub.

I have been mopping it with a cider/beer/worscht/rub/garlic mop about every couple of hours.

My plan was to take it off after 10-11 hours or 190 degrees then let it sit loosely wrapped in foil for about 30 minutes.

I put it on fat side up and plan on keeping it that way for the duration or until it looks like it is drying.

Any idea on how I can get that crispy black crust and still have moist meat?
 
Ben,
I've been applying mustard to the meat before my rub and getting a real nice bark that way.Leave the foil off all together.Wrapping in foil will steam the outside creating a soft bark or crust.

Willy T.
 
I find I only get that bark on the point of a whole brisket. Must be the extra fat content. Are you doing wholes or just flats? You could try the "Brisket - Wet Rub" recipe on the website-- the brown sugar in the rub might give you what you're looking for, but don't foil it.
 
What would happen if you quit mopping it? Doesn't mopping tend to keep the bark less crispy?
 
Thanks guys. Willy, I tried mustard on my first few and couldn't tell any difference. It did help the rub stick a little better, but I get the same with Hot Wing sauce and it does seem to add a little kick that I like.

I am doing wholes. Maybe I am not trimming off enough of the fat to start. I try and leave 1/4 inch, but don't usually get out the ruler.

Rob, this is the first one I have mopped. I sprayed the first few I did with AJ every time I opened the door.

I assumed there was probably a fine line between keeping the brisket moist on the inside an having a nice crust outside. If you push the limit on the thick crust you probably end up with beef jerky.
 
Ben...

I know exactly what your talking about... and it's almost impossible to obtain on a smoker... That's the biggest drawback I have found using the smoker... The meat is charred not dried and you can only get the charred flavor over an open flame... it's the one flavor missing using the smoker and I have tried for years to duplicate it.

The charred flavor is obtained by cooking meat slow, directly over an open flame. When the fat from the meat drips on the hot coals it causes the coals to flame up.. The fire from the flame chars the fat and outer meat thus requiring you to move the meat or douse the fire.. It's a lot of hard work to cook over an open pit or an open fire but that's where they get the outer crust or charred meat that really adds the flavor your looking for...

Here is one method I have found that works but you really have to be careful are you can burn the meat, however I think it's worth the trouble to get that wonderful charred flavor...

You need to mix up a squirt bottle of "Barbara's Secret Stuff"...

Barbara was the best Bar B Q cook I have ever known... She cook all her meat on an open pit... She had a squirt bottle full of ?her secret stuff? that she would squirt the meat and coals if they got too hot. She was constantly moving and turning the meat. Very hard and hot work..

She mixed two galleons of her ?secret stuff? when she cooked her meat. Her ?secret stuff? was made up of the following:

* gallon of red apple vinegar,
* gallon of water and
* two cup of Seasoning Salt

You want need that much for one brisket...Mix one half red apple vinegar in the empty bottle, then pour some seasoning salt in the bottle and fill bottle with water. Shake well ... You now have Barbara?s ?secret stuff? to squirt on your meat and fire.

Fire up a charcoal grill and about 45 min before the meat is ready and take it off the smoker...move your meat from the smoker to the grill... You will need something heavy duty to turn the meat.. Let the fire flame up and touch the meat but keep the meat moving on the grill... Keep turning it ... cool the meat and the fire with the squirt bottle if it get too hot or the fire get out of hand ... If the coals are hot enough you will start seeing the beautiful charred crust appearing on the surface of the meat. Continue until if are satisfied with the amount of char... you CAN'T leave the meat alone and you have to keep moving it out of the fire..however leave it in the flames long enough to char the outer fat and meat..

The Charred flavor is wonderful mixed with the other meat.. Well worth the extra work for the taste of open pit Bar B Q..

One other thing you need... plenty of cold beer...

CHEERS!!!

bugg /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
Replace the water pan with a pizza stone, keep the temps low and slow. You need to understand that the chances are it will cook a little faster. The brisket needs to be cooked fat side up, the radient heat from the pizza stone will give you the desired results.
You need to keep an eye on things or the crisping is going to go too far, pratice and perfecting the technique needs to be your goal.
Jim
 
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