Brisket/ Butt to room temp


 
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Sonny Jordan

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Is it best to let the brisket and butt for a cook get to room temp or just going from the fridge to the WSM?

I trim and put on the rub, foil, and fridge the night before so there will be less to do the day of the cook.
 
I put brisket, butt and other large cuts on the cooker right from the frige when doing low and slow, grilling I allow the meat to get to room temp.
Jim
 
I have always let it sit and come to room temp. I really don't have any reason other than I read it on forums like this. Why do some people recommend it? If you don't (Jim), then I feel sure that it is not necessary and I won't anymore. I just wonder why so many people do it. Is is just like me? Are they doing it just because they read it?

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Taking meat off of refrigeration for a period of time just prior to cooking gives your cooker a head start on its way to your final target meat temp.

Alternatively, for those who are looking for an increased smoke-ring formation, it is preferable that the meat is exposed to smoke while it is between refrigerator temp and 140*, and putting the meat on right out of the refrigerator facilitates that.
 
The reason normally given for not cooking cold meat is the belief that it will cause creosote production. This is mainly a view held by those cook on offsets. I have found that green wood, bad fire or closed exhaust is normally the reason not cold meat.
Jim
 
I certainly like the smoke ring so I will put my meat on cold from now on, and see if I can tell the difference. I usually get about a 1/4 inch or just a little less.

Jim, you have mentioned the creosote before. How would I know if I was having this problem? I don't recognize any tastes that I would relate to creosote, but I'm not sure that I would notice if it was very slight. I keep the top vent completely open when cooking, because I have read that trapping the smoke can cause creosote to attach to the meat, but other than that, I don't do anything. On another post you mentioned not getting enough air to completely burn the smoking wood. I did notice after my first cook on the WSM that the smoke wood chunks that I used were still in my ash pile. They were not whole, of course, but they were identifiable. Does this mean that they did not burn properly? When I get home I think I will have some more of that briskit just to check. Like I need an excuse to eat briskit. Let me know if I should do something different to make sure they burn completely.

Royce
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OK guys, I'm gettin there. Brisket is spelled with an "e", not briskit with an "i". I'll get better, I promise.

Royce
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With a WSM creosote is not much of a problem because we use small amounts of wood, with a log burner it's a different story.
The taste is bitter, oily tasting and will numb your mouth.
I notice it with cookers that use the exhaust as part of temp control.
Jim
 
OK then, I don't think I have ever had that problem. I certainly haven't noticed any tastes like that and I never closed the exhaust vent any at all. Most of my cooks have been on a NB Bandera. The exhaust vent on that thing is like 4 or 5 inches square. I didn't even put the lid on the the thing, so it stays wide open all the time. I guess that explains why it took 5 to 7 splits of wood to get through a cook. I even insulated the cook box and welded up most of the vent openings so that I could control the air and keep the fire from blazing out of control.

With the WSM, my "feed the fire"days are over. I hope to cook again this weekend, but I will definately do a Turkey for Christmas.

Royce
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