Brisket critique wanted


 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alexander:
Well my 6 lb. Brisket rubbed overnight went in at 10:30. Fro
the various posts, I should expect it to be done by 7:30 or earlier depending on tenderness. Am I right? I also placed it right on the rack. Thanks Dave. I used 3 small hickory chunks and 3 small cherry chunks. I hope that's not too many. I also put a half chimney of unlit right on top of a full of lit. Is that correct? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I doubt that a six lb flat will take that long. Check tenderness much sooner to get an idea of where you are, say after 5-6 hours. If you foil, be careful taking the meat off the smoker. There will some very hot juice in that package. Have a pan available so you can take it off the smoker and put in the pan. As mentioned, careful when poking the meat in the foil so you don't come out the other end and pierce the foil. I quickly grab the foiled meat with some gloves and transfer to a container i take outide.
 
Yes, I will check it at 3:30 or 4 which will be about 5 hours. I don't know if I should foil or just leave it in there till its tender? I thought I would keep it in there till tender (six hours or so). My family wont be here till 7. If it is done early what should I do? Foil and towel inside cooler?
This temp variation between the Weber lid and the Maverick is killing me. the lid says 230 and the Mav says 276. Whats the deal here and what do you recommend i stick with? I'm way too OCD to deal with this!! Please give me some guidance. The Mav grate thermometer is on the clip and next to the meat (not touching).
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alexander:
Yes, I will check it at 3:30 or 4 which will be about 5 hours. I don't know if I should foil or just leave it in there till its tender? I thought I would keep it in there till tender (six hours or so). My family wont be here till 7. If it is done early what should I do? Foil and towel inside cooler?
This temp variation between the Weber lid and the Maverick is killing me. the lid says 230 and the Mav says 276. Whats the deal here and what do you recommend i stick with? I'm way too OCD to deal with this!! Please give me some guidance. The Mav grate thermometer is on the clip and next to the meat (not touching). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, you can wrap and rest in a cooler. Depends on when it is ready vs when you plan to eat. If it's ready say an hour early, you can just let it rest in foil on the counter. Open the foil, if used, about 15 minutes before slicing.
I don't know what the deal is with the Weber therms in the new models, but I'd go by just one therm and stay with just that one. To try to reconcile the difference is an excercise in futility. Leave it, it won't matter. When I use my Maverik, I drop the smoker probe through a lid vent hole so it's away from the meat and not touching the grate. The minion method calls for filling up with unlit then adding some lit, your wood, the meat, cover and leave it alone making as few vent adjustments as possible to maintain a steady burn. I find that if I close vents to about 20% open when temp gets to about 215-225 I'm usually good to stay within 240-260.
 
Hey Dave I think you figured out my problem. If i am using the metal clip for the smoker therm and sliding the therm in the clip, it has to transfer the heat from the clip to the therm?? Im going to drop it down the vent and see if there is a difference. As for the foiling while cooking, what do you think??
 
the smoker probe needs to stick out a bit from the clip without touching meat. if it does you are ok. you want to measure the air temp not anything else. I use foil with flats, just my preference. your meat must be past 165 by now, no? Maybe not, as i check my clock. On Sundays I go by Eastern NFL time.
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It is your call on the foil. I recommend it, but you can try without today, use it next time and determine for yourself. If I may say, don't need to be so scientific about all this. Just use some common sense and what you learn here from experiences of others as well as your own. I'm no expert, but i do generally get pretty good results now.
 
Hey Dave, Thanks for the advice! I will take it. I tend to get to wrapped up on the small details and as I see, they are pretty insignificant.
Yes my internal temp is 165 right now. I am going to try the foil. I have never foiled. I guess i do not need to mop it. Is the target meat temp. 190-195? Time to turn on the game. Go Dolphins!!!
It looks like the brisket will be done around 4 and we wont be eating till 7 or 7:30. If I foil it and wrap in a towel inside a cooler, will it stay hot?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alexander:
Hey Dave, Thanks for the advice! I will take it. I tend to get to wrapped up on the small details and as I see, they are pretty insignificant.
Yes my internal temp is 165 right now. I am going to try the foil. I have never foiled. I guess i do not need to mop it. Is the target meat temp. 190-195? Time to turn on the game. Go Dolphins!!!
It looks like the brisket will be done around 4 and we wont be eating till 7 or 7:30. If I foil it and wrap in a towel inside a cooler, will it stay hot? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The internal temp while in foil doesn't mean much because of the cooking dynamics within the foil, the liquid that will be in the foil etc. I'd check for tender, in your case with a 6 lb flat, after 2-2.5 hours in the foil. If not tender, just leave it and check about 20 minutes later. When you foil, have it so you can just open the top and check the meat and rewrap easily if needed. It'll stay hot wrapped and insulated in a cooler for a good amount of time. You can monitor the meat temp in the cooler with your food probe. The danger zone high is around 130, but the meat should stay above that. Even if it goes below that, there is still a window of opportunity to eat the meat with about 2 hours
 
It'll be good enough. You won't be cracking any teeth on it. Stop worrying so much.
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Tonight you'll be posting about all the raves you got with a perfectly smoked brisket. Post some pictures later if possible and don't be shy about it. I demand some pics. LOL. enjoy dinner and consider yourself lucky. I'm shoveling more snow today
 
LOL Thanks Dave. I really appreciate your help. I'm sitting tight till 4:30 and will check for tenderness. Right now the meat temp is at 189. All is well! I will definitely post pics. I just didn't post them prior to cause everyone knows how a raw rubbed brisket looks like. It's 61 degrees here and this morning it was 52. I'm not complaining though!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alexander:
Dave, i know you told me not to worry about the temp. It is at 245 Maverick and 225 Weber lid temp. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
So if you aren't worrying about the two, how come you know the temp of each?
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Just kidding. The thing is, one temp probe is all that you need for one cook. Otherwise you will be headed for the nearest asylum. Worry about the tenderness of your brisket instead.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alexander:
61 degrees here </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ya, well guess what? It's not here.
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Well I just probed it to check tenderness and the thickest part still has some resistence. This is the six hour mark of my 6 lb. Brisket. I'll check it in 40 minutes or so. Since we are planning on eating at 7:30, I'll double foil, towel and place in cooler. Dave I'm done messing with the temps. You are right. Pics will be up later! Thanks for hanging with me on this!
 
Quite the brisket saga we have going here! I have yet to check a brisket for temperature, so I can't tell you what the meat temps should be. I only check for tender, and when its tender, its done. Sounds like you are well on your way to a tasty brisket. I ALWAYS plan to have it rest for a while if I'm doing a low and slow, at least an hour in a cooler just to let the juices recirculate so they don't all run out when you cut it. Don't be afraid of the rest, they can handle it.
Next time, give high heat a try with a flat, very very easy and no worrying about temps, just get the cooker HOT and you're all set. Plus, it only takes about 3 hrs and little more for a flat.
 
Hey Mike, I've been communicating play by play the entire day. It's downhill from now. I'll give the high heat method a shot. Pics will be up soon!
 
I got to tell you guys, this brisket saga thread is one of the funniest things I've read in days. Maybe you can sell it as a mini-series to TLC.
Dave's right -- don't worry, be patient, it'll all work out fine. Just don't panic and pull the brisket off the heat too soon. Congrats Alex on the successful Q!
Cheers!
 
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