Jim's All Night Brisket


 
J

Jeff Calhoun

TVWBB Fan
I've had good success with Pork Butt, Baby Backs, Brined Turkey, Chicken, and some other recipes. I think I'm finally ready to try Brisket on my WSM.

There are so many different methods for Brisket that I'm confused. I have the Weber's Charcoal Grilling book. There's a recipe by Jim Minion that sounds like I can follow. I've also read Chris's section here on Brisket.

Can anyone give me some tips on my first Brisket? Living in Southern California, it's not the most popular meat served here. I've only tasted Brisket at a BBQ joint in Algonquin IL--my wife if from the area. The Texan BBQ

I think I would like to start with a whole brisket instead of a flat. Should I cook the Brisket entirely on the WSM or should I finish it in the oven? If I don't go the oven route, should I finish it in foil? I hear some folks like to target a higher temperature somewhere around 260°.

Is there another recipe out there I should follow for the first time?

Wish me luck....
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff Calhoun:
I've had good success with Pork Butt, Baby Backs, Brined Turkey, Chicken, and some other recipes. I think I'm finally ready to try Brisket on my WSM.

There are so many different methods for Brisket that I'm confused. I have the Weber's Charcoal Grilling book. There's a recipe by Jim Minion that sounds like I can follow. I've also read Chris's section here on Brisket.

Can anyone give me some tips on my first Brisket? Living in Southern California, it's not the most popular meat served here. I've only tasted Brisket at a BBQ joint in Algonquin IL--my wife if from the area. The Texan BBQ

I think I would like to start with a whole brisket instead of a flat. Should I cook the Brisket entirely on the WSM or should I finish it in the oven? If I don't go the oven route, should I finish it in foil? I hear some folks like to target a higher temperature somewhere around 260°.

Is there another recipe out there I should follow for the first time?

Wish me luck.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jeff,
Don't be intimidated by a brisket! Look for a choice brisket with a decent fat cap and marbling. Trim the hard fat off of the fat cap down to 1/4" or so. Season with your rub of choice or keep it simple with just kosher salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper, be liberal with both.

I cook my briskets fat side up with a dome temp in the 235-260 degree range. Normally I foil flats when they hit around 165* and when they have a nice color to them. But when I cook a whole packer, I do not foil during the cooking process. Cook the brisket until you can easily slide a temp probe in and out of the flat with just a very slight resistance (normally in the 185-190* range). Once you feel the flat is done you will want to remove the point from the flat. There is a "Natural Seam" of fat between these two muscles and should be very easy to identify and cut through. Once you have removed the point, double wrap the flat and let it rest preferably in a dry cooler wrapped in towels for a couple hours.

While the flat is resting put the point back on the WSM and continue to cook cook cook, there is alot of fat that you want to render out, should probably take another 2-3 hours after the flat is done, but will be worth the wait. Once you're able to slide a temp probe in and out of the point like butter, it's done. Cut into small bite size chunks and eat as is or simmer in a bit of BBQ sauce and you have "Burnt Ends" my favorite part of the brisket!

Good luck on your first brisket!!
 
Alternatively, see here, and also the links within that thread.

I don't remove the point from the flat when the flat is done (because I have other uses for it) but if that's the route you want to go don't let that step intimidate you--it's easy to do, as Larry notes. (If doing a high heat cook, cooking the point further after removing the flat takes less time, maybe an hour, give or take 15 min.)

Whatever cooking approach you choose, I agree that a whole brisket, preferably Choice, would be the best, especially for your first time. Cooking it start-to-finish in your cooker is also best for increasing your skill level. Have fun with it!
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm going to the butcher tomorrow since my local grocery store probably won't have a good cut of Brisket.

How should I order the Brisket from the Butcher? Should I ask for a Whole Brisket Choice Grade? What size should I shoot for? I don't need anything too large for my virgin voyage.

One last question. Jim Minion says to cook the Brisket with the fat side down. I know this is debatable. Should I cook fat side up or down?

Thanks in advance...
 
Cook fat side down. (It's not that debatable in my opinion. The fat protects the flesh from the heat emanating from below.)

Yes, ask for a whole brisket, Choice. Virtually every butcher gets briskets in whole but with the deckle (a piece of fatty flesh) already removed. My preference is 10-12 lbs (I lean toward 10 if I have a selection). Next thing I look for is some continuity of thickness. The point end is usually bulbous--fine. I prefer the flat to be relatively evenly thick--or as much as possible. An errant cut when the brisket was removed (among other possibilities) can leave the end of the brisket much thinner toward the very end. If the choice is between, say, a 10- or 11-lb brisket (a weight I prefer) with a excessively thin taper at the end of the flat, and a 14 lb brisket which much more even thickness, I'll go for the larger one.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
Cook fat side down. (It's not that debatable in my opinion. The fat protects the flesh from the heat emanating from below.)

Yes, ask for a whole brisket, Choice. Virtually every butcher gets briskets in whole but with the deckle (a piece of fatty flesh) already removed. My preference is 10-12 lbs (I lean toward 10 if I have a selection). Next thing I look for is some continuity of thickness. The point end is usually bulbous--fine. I prefer the flat to be relatively evenly thick--or as much as possible. An errant cut when the brisket was removed (among other possibilities) can leave the end of the brisket much thinner toward the very end. If the choice is between, say, a 10- or 11-lb brisket (a weight I prefer) with a excessively thin taper at the end of the flat, and a 14 lb brisket which much more even thickness, I'll go for the larger one. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Kevin. What temperature should I shoot for being a rookie? I've hear a lot of discussion about high temp Briskets at around 350°. Should I stick to the normal 240/250 range at the lid?

What's the advantage going so hot? I'm assuming it is for reduced cooking time?

Oh, what's a Packer? Is that the same as a whole Brisket? Sorry for lame questions. I can't wait.....
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Minion:
Who is debating fat side up or down? I haven't heard of that! LOL

Jim </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jim, I'm glad you chimed it. Is that your actual recipe in the Weber book or did Weber change some things? I'm going to follow it this weekend. Any tips for a rookie that we haven't covered? Thanks for your help.
 
Jeff-- Since you have a recipe and approach at hand, I'd go with that approach. You can try different recipes and cooking techniques on future cooks but you have to start somewhere. Jim's recipe would be an excellent place to start.

I do high heat briskets, cooking at temps from the low-mid 300s (but I didn't start that way). The advantage, imo, yes, the shorter cook time, but more importantly that that approach seems to work best with the briskets I am most able to get. Since it's likely that there are many brisket cooks in your future, try it on a future cook.

Yes, a packer is a whole brisket, deckle removed. It is how most briskets are cut and shipped from the packinghouses.
 
Thanks for all the help Kevin. How many Briskets do you think you have cooked so far? It sounds like you have done this for awhile. Is Brisket your favorite cook?

I'm assuming I slice the flat portion and serve in slices and grind up the point for sandwiches? When you order a Brisket sandwich from a BBQ joint do they typically use the point? I've only had Brisket in sandwiches--never in slices. It's not very popular where I live for some reason. Too many Sushi eaters here...
 
Yes, I've done it for a while. I've no idea how many I've done, hundreds I'd guess. (Minion is probably into the thousands by now as he's much older...
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Okay, kidding, he competes and caters though.)

Definitely a top 3 cook, especially since I do the high heat thing so little planning is necessary. As long as I hit the butcher sometime before noon and get the brisket on sometime between noon and 2, I'm good to go.

Chopped brisket is usually made from the point--and often the thinner end of the flat if it happens to overcook before the main flat portion is done. I do indeed use the point for pulled or chopped brisket (pulled usually) and in that case return the point to the cooker after separating it from the flat, as Larry notes upthread. The point needs more cooking after the flat is done.

By far, most often I do not return the point to the cookerfor further cooking. I chunk it large and let it cool on the counter while we eat the sliced flat, then I pack and fridge or freeze. I use the point for chili, taquitos, meat pies, sauces, etc. In all those cases the meat gets cooked more at that time, so I'd no need to return it to the cooker when I first cooked the packer.
 
Jeff
That recipe is one we came up with in 1998, Worked well, have made some changes to it over the years. Good luck with the cook.

Jim
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Minion:
Jeff
That recipe is one we came up with in 1998, Worked well, have made some changes to it over the years. Good luck with the cook.

Jim </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Jim. The Weber book says to fill the ring with only one chimney full of charcoal. I'm going to fill it to the top of the ring. Would only one chimney make it 12+ hours? Thanks for answering a rookie.....

I found a 10lb Brisket today. I'm just getting ready to throw it on. Wish me luck....

Brisket
 
The weather plays a role in the equation but normally I will start with a full ring of charcoal. If the weather is real windy you may need to add more charcoal late in the cook.

Jim
 
OK, my first Brisket went pretty good--I think. It was a 10 pounder. I put it on at 11:00PM Saturday night and it hit 190° at 3:00 PM Sunday. Damn, that took a long time--16 hours. I also put the point back on for another two hours.

My WSM held at 250° (lid temp) for most of the cook. When I went to bed at 1:00AM it was at 250° and when I woke up at 7:00AM it was still at 250°--I was really surprised. I'm not sure what it did when I was sleeping though.

I had a hard time knowing when it was finished. At 1:00 PM, it was at 190 in the middle section of the flat but it took another two hours for the thickest section to reach 190. Now I know why you want to select a Brisket with even thickness.

I don't have much to compare it with but it was fairly moist. You could cut the flat with a fork. I made BBQ sandwiches with the point. We also sliced some of the flat and served with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce.

My wife liked the sandwiches much better. She didn't care for the flat. She said the flat tasted like a smoked roast. The outside was favorable but the mid section was bland. Perhaps I over cooked it somewhat? Maybe I need to go to a butcher for a better cut next time. I guess I was expecting something to taste a little better for all the time I put into it. It was a fun experience though.

I attached some photos. Maybe someone can tell me if I did anything wrong.

Trimmed

Rubbed

Almost done

Sliced Flat
 
Jeff, looks like you did a good job. If you could cut the flat with a fork, it was done. The one thing I would recommend on the next cook, is to test for 'doneness' with a probe or fork. As you learn more about brisket, you'll find that temps only tell you so much. Brisket is done when there is very little resistance to a fork or probe. Many also have used a description of a jello-like jiggle when it's done. If you go strictly by temp you run the chance of over or under cooking it. Under cooking = chewy, over cooking = dry. The high temp method Kevin refers to makes for a moist brisket as it is in the foil for about half the cook. That is not to say that you can't make a moist brisket with the traditional low and slow. As to the flavor being somewhat 'bland', that could be a number of things; over cooked and is a little dry, needs more rub, that particular brisket just wasn't a great piece of meat, different mix of wood, etc. At least make some mental notes of what and how you did this cook and make a few changes on the next. You're off to a good start. I hope Jim and Kevin add their thoughts too, as they are so experienced and we all learn from their input.
 
Thanks for the info Paul. I trimmed a portion of the flat tonight and chopped it up very fine and made BBQ sandwiches. The sandwiches were very good.

I had a hard time finding a whole Brisket in my area. Mine was not Choice Grade so I'm not sure if that made a difference.

I think I might have over cooked the Brisket. Three hours before I pulled it off the cooker it felt pretty spongy but it only measured in the low 180's so I left in on longer. I'll go more on feel next time....
 
Jeff
It looks like you over trimmed the brisket or at least much more than I would. I remove almost no fat (some of the hard fat that you find will be trimmed off). Cook fat side down and let the fat protect the brisket from drying out.

When slicing slice across the grain in the flat.

Looks good, the more you cook them the easier it gets.

Jim
 
I sometimes though rarely remove some of the fat from the pocket on the side where the point meats the flat. Other than that I don't trim.

When it felt spongy--that would be the time to test for done, inserting the probe to get the feel of the meat. It will go in with little to no resistance when tender and done. When you get used to the feel of done, you can take the brisket to a point just shy of that, remove it, and let residual cooking during the rest finish it off.

Varying grade points can make a difference. I buy no-roll briskets (no-roll means they are ungraded) that, most often, I get directly out of a 26F walk-in cooler. They are stiff and in cryo so there's no telling what the marbling is like before purchase. From experience with this butcher (the only one around for miles), briskets vary in grade. One of the reasons I like high heat brisket cooks is because that approach handles a variety of grades very well. Try again with a low/slow aproach and try a high heat too. Plenty of time for plenty of cooks and you'll learn more every time you cook.

'Bland' can be cause by a number of things as Paul notes. If you wish, you can salt the brisket ahead of time, wrap well in plastic then stick in a Zip-loc, and allow to sit in the fridge 20-24 hours. The salt will draw moisture from the meat but then most of the moisture will absorb, taking the salt along with it. (This is dry brining.) Care must be taken not to go too short a time as interior dryness can result if the meat has not has time to absorb the exuded moisture. (Most moistness in barbecued meat comes from the rendered fat and connective tissue, however, not from moisture--i.e., retained water--but too short a time can be problematic nevertheless.) Too long a time can begin to ruin the meat's structure, as one sees when meat is marinated for an excessive time. This can hurt the finished results as well.

If using a paste rub, you can put some of the paste on the meat rather than the salt alone, and wrap and fridge as noted above.

Simpler, and a technique that doesn't require forethought (which means a technique I use most often), is to paint the brisket slices as they are sliced with a flavorful mix. Many briskets cooked with a high heat approach tend to throw off quite a bit of moisture. I drain much of this then de-fat it while the brisket rests. It's already flavored but often needs a bit of a salt adjustment and, perhaps, a little pepper. Into a bit of this I add a little melted unsalted butter and whisk very well. As I slice, I dip a pastry brush into the mix and dab the slices.

It may seem counterintuitive to de-fat the juices then add fat but butter isn't just fat. First, you add just a little, not anywhere near as much as the fat you remove from the liquid; second, the milk solids that are in the butter go a long way toward helping the mixture cling to the meat slices. (And the bit of butter flavor in the background can't be beat, imo.)

Many low/slow cooks result in a decent amount of exuded liquid to use, but to be certain I usually add a little homemade beef stock to the foil for the resting phase. This allows it to mix with and pick up some flavors from the cooked brisket. (If homemade stock is unavailable, a 50-50 mix of canned beef and low-salt chicken stock is okay.) When the rest phase is over drain the juices and, if necessary, add some of your homemade stock or canned stock blend to increase the quantity. Adjust seasoning. Since homemade and canned stocks are already de-fatted, whisk a little unsalted butter into the juices and you're good to go.
 
Jeff, not to steal your thread, but...
(Hey, I did say we all learn from them
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)

Jim and Kevin; good comments. Kevin, why do you recommend the combination of beef and chicken stock? I would have assumed a straight beef broth would work; is it too strong?

Paul
 
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