Beef Brisket - Help for NewB


 
J

Jim Creasy

TVWBB Fan
Kids,

My wife picked up a "... Beef BNLS Brisket" from K-Roger, not what I would have picked for my first attempt, but there you have it.

I am thinking of slow cooking on indirect heat in my 18.5 kettle. Can anyone share any thoughts on seasoning before hand, marinating, methods or tips/pointers?

It is defrosting now and I was going to salt/pepper and let it rip for as long as I can. (My method of slow cooking on the kettle is a pile of charcoal on one side and the meat on the other with vents over the meat to draw smoke/heat over that way.

Help?!

Thanks in advance,

JKC

PS I mainly do butts, whole chickens and ribs and know nothing about slow cooking beef or briskets, so no advice is too basic.
 
What weight and thickness? Quite trimmed?

You'll likely want to foil it during the last part of cooking.
 
Kevin,

1.67 lbs. Trimmed with a thin fat cap on top... Looks that anyways, I've not opened it. Again, I know nothing about these things.

I am assuming you cook all the way done... Not to medium rare... Correct?

JKC
 
Ooo. That's a tiny piece of brisket, a small piece of the flat at that. Those are often harder to cook. Full packers are best, followed by full flats of 6 pounds or more, not very trimmed.

Yes, cooked though till tender.

Don't overdo the pile of charcoal. Add some smokewood to it, if desired, then put the meat on the grate opposite, as you note, with the lid positioned as you note. Smoke to an internal of maybe 150-155. Remove it to a piece of foil then pour on a little beef or chicken stock, about 1/4 cup or so, pull the foil up around it and crimp to seal well. Return to the cooker and continue cooking. Check it in, say, 30 min, opening the foil and sticking a probe in it. If the probe goes in with little to no resistance it is ready. If not, recrimp the foil and go another 15-20 before checking again.

I normally do not suggest adding liquid to the foil but with a small piece of meat, especially one that is trimmed, I think it's better safe than sorry.

When tender, remove to a board still in the foil; lightly close the foil and rest about 7 min. Slice against the grain to serve.
 
In a word... Horrible. I cooked with very few charcoal briquettes on the cool side of a kettle for about 4 hours.

Came out dry and tough.

The flavor was good and I appreciated beef instead of pork/chicken for a change, but not my best efforts.

Wife and kids ate it up. Good news is that I am encouraged to try it the correct way, with a bigger/better cut and probably on the WSM.

Thanks for the feedback and encouragement.

Regards,

JKC
 
I'd have gone with a pile of coals, as noted - just not a huge one. Hotter and faster might well have worked better. Smoking for a bit (to the 150s tops) then foiling with some liquid works best, imo, for small pieces. It's still a bit of a crapshoot with them. Low/slow can work okay for larger cuts (though I do not low/slow myself) but rarely works for small pieces unless foil is employed, but low/slow is not necessary even in that case.

Give it another shot. But get a packer or good sized flat.
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...and pay attention to what Kevin said about cutting the brisket. I don't really cook it myself, but made some years ago, and cut it the wrong direction, making it very difficult to chew.
 
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