Break in Brisket

[Darryl - swazies]

Picked up a couple of brisket points the other day. Finally had some time to get a long cook in.
So these are about 9 pounds, mostly just the point.
So break in on the new E6.
Used Weber briquettes
2 hunks of hickory and 2 smaller pieces of pecan.
Put Oakridge SPOGOS on the bottom, I didn’t have a lot left so I just used salt and pepper on the sides and top.
Filled the charcoal chamber all the way up and used about 3/4 of a hot chimney.
So I started closing down vents at 197. It ended up running pretty hot and hard to control.
I know this thing is brand new, I really think that there was a lot of little air leaks all over. It took many hours to cool off too.
I had a good 240 grill temp for an hour or so but it really wanted to run at 266 for many hours.
Eventually, about 6 hours in it would start hitting 300.
I ran the bottom vent all the way closed and the top vent about 1/8 open and it just sat at 280 and wouldn’t drop.
It was hot but I have faith it will get gunked up and I will be able to have the bottom vent open a bit and get some more control.
Anyways I have a bunch of pics.....this was some good stuff, better than pretty much all the brisket I have had anywhere.
Beef went on at 6:05 and I had it in the cooler by about 4:30, it was as soft as butter with the insta read.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

I took out a nice sized hunk of fat from a wagyu steak out of the freezer I cut off, warmed it up to add to the brisket when I went to wrap it. I may have seen someone do this before....
I got some nice dark bark, I wasn’t going to wrap due to the hotter cook but I went for it at 180, I really just wanted to get that tallow on the brisket.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

The MRS wanted to help out and decided to make the sides. I recommend red beans and rice and corn bread. She makes cornbread on the reg but the rice and beans was new for her. She read a few different recipes and decided to just go by feel.........
It was sautéed veggies, 1 can of rotes with juices, and the red beans. A few spices, it was going to dry up a bit so I just added some water and butter. It didn’t look like it was going to be good at all but it turn d out pretty good.
The jalapeño and cayenne really came through and it was really good on top of the rice.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

The brisket was a nice piece, the right amount of fat and it was a bit salty but man was it tender.
The fatty portion was super good too, it melted like cotton candy.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

I was able to get it in the cooler and have it rest in a foil pan while still wrapped for 2 hours.
Came out hot still and it was so tender it was hard to cut pencil thick so slices were a bit thicker.
I wish I had guests over for this one.
Thanks for looking.

 

[Todd NC]

Looking at that finished brisket is causing the Pavlovian dog symptoms here. Nice job, Darryl. I'm hoping to do a brisket Memorial Day weekend and I hope it turns out as good as yours looks. Do you think the butcher paper is better than using foil?

 

[Darryl - swazies]

I moved to paper and never went back to foil.
I really wanted to not wrap it but the wagyu fat I wanted to really soak into the meat.
If I didn’t have the fat I would not have wrapped.
I had one time on pork where I used foil and the bark that took me all day to make went soft.
This has never happened with paper before.

 

[Michael Richards]

Great cook from start to finish. Love the new grill. You will get the hang of locking in temps!

 

[Colin]

Great job Darryl, thanks a million for sharing it with us.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

I ran the cook for 10 hours including warm up. It also took about 3 hours to cool off and this is how much charcoal I had left in the smoker.
I took out what was solid and large still and it filled about 3/4 of a regular sized pail, the size you would use to wash our car with.
Feels like it would maybe of been able to cook as hot as it was for another 8 to 10 hours. I love the new E6 so far, can't wait to get a bunch of gunk in it so the vents work a bit better.
Thanks for looking.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

Brisket looks fantastic!

 

[Joe Anshien]

Have you tried filling that catch try with cool water like a WSM? That could help keep the temps down like it does in the WSM

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Thanks for the compliments folks....I was really impressed with the final result.

Have you tried filling that catch try with cool water like a WSM? That could help keep the temps down like it does in the WSM

I did have a bunch of water in the catch tray to start, maybe 1/4 full. I wasn't paying much attention to it, it is pretty hot right on the diffuser plate and a lot of water did steam out. Maybe that is why it was a cooler cook for the first 6 hours and then it was getting hard to manage for the last few hours. I didn't think it would go through all the water, will use water again next time and pay more attention to it too.
Next time however I have what my butcher calls a popular item. Bought a boneless beef rib section.
Looks amazing to be honest....lots of marble.....and its a nice sized hunk for $20.
Will be sure to take pics and show it off too...less pics hopefully.

 

[Matt Rector]

I don't know where to start, the perfect bark, the awesome smoke ring, the great pictures! Nice post!

 

[Matt Rector]

I ran the cook for 10 hours including warm up. It also took about 3 hours to cool off and this is how much charcoal I had left in the smoker.
I took out what was solid and large still and it filled about 3/4 of a regular sized pail, the size you would use to wash our car with.
Feels like it would maybe of been able to cook as hot as it was for another 8 to 10 hours. I love the new E6 so far, can't wait to get a bunch of gunk in it so the vents work a bit better.
Thanks for looking.

View attachment 28231

I think you're right, that's about what I estimate I can get out of my S6. Uses at least half the fuel of my WSM.
That top vent firms up real quick with a couple cooks.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Yeah the top vent was so loose when I first put it together that if you opened the lid, you lost its setting because it would just turn to fall where the heavy side of the handle is. I noticed after just one cook it had a bit more grip but didn't check to see if it was holding yet.
Same thing for the bottom, I need to get some gunk down there too.
It makes a horrible scratching nails on a chalkboard sound when cleaning the ash....It feels like it is close to the bowl so it is all good as far as being made to fit, just need some crap in there to keep that a bit more quiet. My Performer was new back in October, while I don't remember all the small things like this I do remember things being questionable. I think it will be okay in maybe 2 or 3 more smokes.
Maybe you can give me some more insight on the bottom vents and if you have to cook with them closed, or did have to on the first couple of cooks.
But the charcoal usage is amazing to be honest. Not a worry in the world, I think if you cleaned the ash out every 6 hours or so it would burn for a long time. I would like to think that 20hours can be done without and issue. I have yet to try the lump in there, but I will next time.

 

[Ron De Hoogh]

Good looking brisket!

 

[Darryl - swazies]

Thanks again for looking everyone.