First brisket, a bit nervous


 
T

Tim O

TVWBB Fan
So I'm going to cook my first brisket soon on my 18.5. I've read up on the forums, watched Aaron Franklin videos on YouTube, and scoured many recipes. Still, I'm feeling a bit weary of ruining a perfectly good piece of beef. Here's my plan with a few questions:

- low and slow @225. How many hours (average) am I looking at? 12? I do not plan to wrap.
- what is the deal temp to pull off the cooker?
- best wood? I've only got apple and feel like that's too mild.
- I feel dumb asking but how can I tell what way the grain of the meat is going?
- going salt and pepper, nothing more.
- using water in the pan
- since I'm not wrapping,is it as easy as letting her go for 8+ hours undisturbed?

Thanks guys, starting to get excited!
 
Relax, this is fun right?

- low and slow @225. How many hours (average) am I looking at? 12? I do not plan to wrap.

No, cook at 275, could take 12. You want to rest it for a while too.


- what is the deal temp to pull off the cooker?

Wrap at 165. Pull off at 203.


- best wood? I've only got apple and feel like that's too mild.

It will work if that's all you have.


- I feel dumb asking but how can I tell what way the grain of the meat is going?

Are you able to see the grains?


- going salt and pepper, nothing more.

Perfect.

- using water in the pan

Ok

- since I'm not wrapping,is it as easy as letting her go for 8+ hours undisturbed?

No, wrap.
 
Tim O said:
So I'm going to cook my first brisket soon on my 18.5. I've read up on the forums, watched Aaron Franklin videos on YouTube, and scoured many recipes. Still, I'm feeling a bit weary of ruining a perfectly good piece of beef. Here's my plan with a few questions:

- low and slow @225. How many hours (average) am I looking at? 12? I do not plan to wrap.

250 grate temp. Cook time depends on size/thickness, prob 1 hr per lb for an average 8-12lb packer.

- what is the deal temp to pull off the cooker?

go for probe tender in the flat not a temp. Tender could come at 180-200+

- best wood? I've only got apple and feel like that's too mild.

Oak or Pecan or both

- I feel dumb asking but how can I tell what way the grain of the meat is going?

http://virtualweberbullet.com/brisketselect.html#prepping

- going salt and pepper, nothing more.

Up to you, if your going simple add onion and garlic at least.

- using water in the pan

Nothing wrong with water at all. Some fuss about the mess, here's a tip: spray the pan with cooking oil before adding water and it will clean up easily with paper towels afterwards.

- since I'm not wrapping,is it as easy as letting her go for 8+ hours undisturbed?

Yes, using water will aid with not foiling or wrapping.

Thanks guys, starting to get excited!
Click to expand...


Have fun :wsm:
 
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There are many ways to cook a brisket correctly. There are also things you should not do. Alan & Glenn have each given you sound advice. Glenn's method seems to be more in line with the plan you had. Probe tender is very important. I've found that to happen more in the 190+ range but in any event enjoy the cook. You will learn from it and good luck. The water pan is a great idea for the first time out.
 
Tim, I'm with Gary. There are about as many ways to do this as there are fingerprints as you can see from Glen and Alan's very different replies to your questions. They both have their merits and I think they're both spot on: have fun. Do your thing and see how it goes. Some cook low some cook high. Some wrap some don't. Some don't use any wood some use a very specific kind. ...and that's cool. No right or wrong ...just opinions and trial and error.

Here are my opinions: you have a good plan - go for it.

- low and slow @225. How many hours (average) am I looking at? 12? I do not plan to wrap. Time is going to depend on weight. I didn't see yours. 225* will get you somewhere around 2 hrs per lb I think -- maybe slightly less depending on the critter cooked. Remember this my friend: temp is a range - not an exact number. It is not going to go to 225* and stay there. It is going to rise and fall in a range. Let it happen. Don't chase temps or you'll be stressed out when this is over trying to maintain exactly 225*.
- what is the ideal temp to pull off the cooker? Go with tenderness in the flat. Check with a probe -- if it goes in like soft serve ice cream - it's done. Start checking around 185* or so. If it's not done come back when it hits 190*. Still not done? come back when it's 195*. etc, etc.
- best wood? I've only got apple and feel like that's too mild. I like Oak. If you have Apple -- cool. My opinion: don't overdo the smoke or you'll get what I call the "ashtray effect". Some like a LOT of smoke. I'm not one of them.
- I feel dumb asking but how can I tell what way the grain of the meat is going? Some times it's hard to tell. Glen gave a good link.
- going salt and pepper, nothing more. I like it -- a good basic dalmation rub.
- using water in the pan. Me too. Don't freak when there is a brown film on the inside of your smoker afterwards - it happens. Wipe it or spray it out with a hose afterwards.
- since I'm not wrapping, is it as easy as letting her go for 8+ hours undisturbed? Kinda. Since water boils at 212* keep an eye on temp and the water pan. When temps start going up after a few hours check the water pan. I recommend HOT water so your fire doesn't have to cook and heat water.
 
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Guys,
Thanks for the good tips. I take it that 225 is a bit low. As I am a believer in low and slow BBQ, I'll try and keep it in the 250 range as I understand it will likely fluctuate. I'm almost never able to get the WSM over 300 with water in the pan anyway...Also, I have a thermapen so I'll have to start checking the flat at 180 and then for tenderness at that point, correct? Thanks for the tips guys!
 
I have a thermapen so I'll have to start checking the flat at 180 and then for tenderness at that point, correct?

Yes. Couple of important tips: Like I said above thickness is key to how long it will take not weight, some are wide and thin and others can be the opposite!

Cook until tender, remove and tent with foil for at least 20 min to stop the cooking then you can slice or wrap and hold if you need to. If you cook to tender then wrap/hold without tenting it will overcook.


Let us know how it goes.
 
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Post some pics when your done. Even if it doesn't turn out "perfect" it's still a good cook because you will have learned something. Keep a log on what setting you use and refer to them the next time you cook so you can dial your method to what you view as "perfect" as that is what counts. Good luck and only worry about what you can control. Like the amount of ice to keep your beverage of choice cool while your smoker does the work.
 
I did a brisket a couple of weeks ago with pretty much the same plan you have. I followed the Franklin YouTube video as well. I cooked between 225 - 250 and used salt and pepper. Smoke wood was hickory and it took about 12 - 13 hours (10 - 12lb brisket). I wrapped it in parchment paper around 160 degrees until it got to 180 as I didn't have any butcher paper and started probing around 185 and it took up to about 190 - 195 until it was tender. Like everyone said above, use temp as a guide but let the probe tell you when it is done. I used water in the pan and spritz occasionaly with apple juice/water mixture just to keep the outside moist.

The brisket was great and I'll use this method again.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
 
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