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Thanks Dave, I agree that choice briskets from Costco aren't going to compete with briskets from boutique ranchers (I heard Franklin uses Creekstone briskets). Marbling and meat quality does matter in making a great smoked brisket. Regarding the issue of humidifying the smoke chamber, its my...

My 20+ year old 18.5 WSM with a Cajun Bandit door, compression latch, and HeaterMeter ATC is able to hold 160F without issue. I use it as a holding oven after I have let my briskets rest from being cooked on a Minion Method fire. -- Mache

Since the WSM water pan is directly below the brisket catching all its rendered fat and drippings and because fat floats on water, I believe that water evaporation would be inhibited during a smoke and you would not get humidification. That is why is put a disposable loaf pan filled with water...

Yesterday, I did another brisket which came out pretty well. I have been using Aaron Franklin's method for cooking brisket and I thought I would share my experiences with the group. I typically use choice packers. 1. Trim the fat to about 1/4". 2. Use 50/50 coarse ground pepper and kosher...

I visited this Costo a few days ago. 1. The single briskets they had in the case were small with the largest one being 11.5 pounds. They had approximately 15 to choose from. 2. I suggested to the store manager that they start carrying prime and CAB briskets. I told her that if they did, they...

I just did a L&S brisket for a dinner party and started a little before 1:00 AM today. Since I use a HeaterMeter ATC, I use its available Android app (PitDroid, there is an iPhone app as well) to set alarms on pit temperature and internal temperature. If something goes out of whack while I am...

When I started out doing briskets, I trimmed them to a 1/4 inch of fat and smoked them until probe tender at the flat at 225F as measured at the grate. I did not wrap or spray and the briskets were tender but dry in the flat. I would suggest that you smoke briskets at 250F as measured at the...

I do mine at 250F and get the same doneness from right below the surface all the way to the center. When you roast at higher heat (350F with Chris' method), the more shrinkage you see, and the more gradation you have in doneness -from very done nearest the surface to more rare in the center...

I cook smaller boneless rib roasts (rib eye roasts) all the time and have great results. For a bone in rib roast, I would consider a roast that after trimming the exterior fat but still raw is around 3/4 lb to 1 lb per person (figuring in left overs, bone, and cooking shrinkage). In doing the...

No clue, never tried it. -- Mache

There are different types. You want unwaxed. I prefer pink butcher paper (breathes better than brown) and get it gratis from my local meat market. You can order it online (Aaron Franklin get his at Abco in Austin TX). You could google pink butcher paper and get lots of leads. Oren International...

The general consensus is that unwaxed butcher paper gives you a better bark, flavor, and texture because it is semi-permeable which is a fancy way of saying that it does release some moisture. Most people find that if you double wrap in foil you retain almost all of the moisture, the brisket...

There are folks that do not wrap but the spritz frequently to keep a brisket moist. The analogy is doing heavy exercise in a dry environment like the desert. You sweat and the evaporation cools you to maintain safe body temperature. Over time if you do not drink to replace the water lost you...

Where ever you run your smoker, make sure it is well ventilated area with a big opening to the outdoors. -- Mache

Thanks Chris I did not know about this and live 30 minutes and a bridge away. As you know, for our area, Smart and Final, Restaurant Depot, Cash N Carry have been the only options for reasonably priced USDA choice packers and this looks a great new option. I am going to check them out as well...

I agree with the earlier poster. Nothing like doing a trial run smoking a packer on the WSM before the big day. It will give you confidence and experience that you can use when you are doing both brisket and ribs on Memorial Day. -- Mache

I think you could overlap the brisket and the ribs at 250F. Obviously I would put the ribs below the brisket so they would not drip on them. Typically folks split the time between unfoiled and foiled ribs when smoking or you could do 3-2-1. You should read up what you expect the total cooking to...

Cooking brisket with the BBQ Guru will allow you to maintain temperature without a water pan. I cook briskets on my WSM with an ATC and routinely foil over my water pan and use it strictly as a heat defuser. That said, you will want to insure that the brisket does not dry out and there are...

Thanks Todd, I have a pretty tight WSM with a HeaterMeter and hope I can use it to hold my brisket after its done. Sounds like your experience suggests that it is very possible. -- Mache

How low? Its not how low the ATC can bet set, but how low a temperature the WSM will actually maintain if its tight. -- Mache