First WSM Brisket


 
J

Joe

New member
Hi guys, this is my first post on the site. Also, I just did my first smoke.

I bought an 8 lb Brisket flat on Sunday thinking 1.5 hours per pound would be plenty (12 hours). I did not trim it at all.

But by hour 12, I was still looking at 150 degrees, and by hour 15, I was at 175, and I had to take it off at that point because it was 1:30 AM.

For the most part, I kept the temperature between 225 and 250, although I ran it a little hotter for the last hour.

The bark really tastes nasty too. Guess I put to much hickory in.

After reading some other posts, I guess I should have wrapped it at some point. Any comments.
 
You should wrap at 160-170. I would also recommend doing a high heat cook(between 325 and 350), it saves you time. Some say you sacrifice the bark by doing high heat, I did not experience that. I tried my first high heat a couple of weeks ago and it came out really good. I did a 10# full packer and it took my 6 hours.
 
Welcome aboard Joe. For me Briskets are harder to cook than Boston Butts. It takes practice and foiling really helps with the time part. I foil at 160 internal temp. Here's a good discussion on smoke wood.
 
The bark tastes terrible, probably oversmoked right ?

I have it in the fridge. I should be able to eat it if I just pull the bark off, correct ?
 
Sounds like it, Joe. Here are some ideas that may help on your next brisket cook and may help you salvage this one.

First, as others have said, foil @ 160° and use a little beef broth and/or apple juice in the foil. This will help to keep the brisket moist and tender.

I might suggest using wood only up to the point of foiling, as the meat will take on smoke flavor as long as you continue to add smoke wood to your fire. Maybe consider using a lighter flavored wood like a fruit wood ( apple & cherry are good choices), or maybe use pecan wood.

You can maintain higher temps by cracking the WSM lid a little, or propping the door open. You can also start more coals in your chimney to get higher temps too.

You should be able to eat it with the bark removed, but I find that smoked meat can taste smokier after being in the fridge overnight. Maybe put it in some chili or beef stew as an alternative plan to throwing it out if it is not edible to you.

Lew is right - brisket can be harder to cook than a pork shoulder, but kudos to jumping in with both feet for your first cook on your WSM. Take a look around the forum, as there is a ton of great advice and how-to information here about cooking on your WSM.
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Jim,

My first and last brisket came out flavorful but dry. If a target temp is 160 to foil, can you please explain what happens next? How often should I open the foil and check the temp? Do I leave it in the foil until about 185-190? What do I do when target temp is reached? Thanks!
 
R,

I'm still learning, but this is what happened with my brisket on NYE. Based on what I read here I targeted 160 to foil. Problem was the temp stalled at 155 for over an hour. So I foiled with a little broth at 155 degrees. I checked it an hour later and it was at 172. An hour after that it was at 192. The lid temp was 250 during that 2 hours. It turned out very moist and delicious.

MSkeet
 
Mark,

How much did it weigh? 2 Hrs from 150 to 192 isn't bad. Was that single or double foiled ?
 
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