K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
So, yesterday afternoon I finally got around to smoking a Select brisket I've had buried under other stuff for 2 months(!) in my fridge.
15 pounds. Trimmed a little of the fat knob between point and flat. Other than that, no trimming, as usual.
Made a paste rub of ground dark roast Sumatran coffee beans, a little Nutella, some hot NM chile, white pepper, thyme, sage, a little chicken base and a little olive oil. Salted the fat side of the brisket, flipped it, spread on the paste, then topped with dried herbs - thyme, sage, marjoram, oregano, bay, rosemary:
Prepped the old kettle, left here by the previous owners, with Stubbs on two sides, the foil drip 'pan' from my last cook, and a couple pieces of foil tucked in to deflect the heat away from the brisket's sides:
Partially lit 10 Stubbs and a couple pieces of lump from an old bag. Split that among the two piles and stuck a pack each of cherry pellets on each. Immediately loaded on the brisket, fat side down of course. Initial temp was 150? after 10 minutes; climbed to ~320 over the first 1.25 hours and pretty much stayed there.
I made a sauce, meanwhile, of an onion sautéed in evoo and ghee, with thyme sage and white pepper, till just caramelized. To that I added maybe a 1/4 cup of TJ's ketchup, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup stron brewed coffee, a T of guajillo flakes and about 1.5 T of pineapple preserves. I simmered till the preserves were melted in well then handblended till smooth. I adjusted the salt and added a T of orange blossom water and a little splash of malt vinegar. I reserved the sauce off heat till service.
I foiled the brisket 2.25 hours into the cook and added a little unlit lump to the piles. I checked it after an hour-and-a-half and it needed more time. I did not check it again - my guests arrived - but simply removed it after another 45 minutes.
Tender and quite tasty.
15 pounds. Trimmed a little of the fat knob between point and flat. Other than that, no trimming, as usual.
Made a paste rub of ground dark roast Sumatran coffee beans, a little Nutella, some hot NM chile, white pepper, thyme, sage, a little chicken base and a little olive oil. Salted the fat side of the brisket, flipped it, spread on the paste, then topped with dried herbs - thyme, sage, marjoram, oregano, bay, rosemary:

Prepped the old kettle, left here by the previous owners, with Stubbs on two sides, the foil drip 'pan' from my last cook, and a couple pieces of foil tucked in to deflect the heat away from the brisket's sides:

Partially lit 10 Stubbs and a couple pieces of lump from an old bag. Split that among the two piles and stuck a pack each of cherry pellets on each. Immediately loaded on the brisket, fat side down of course. Initial temp was 150? after 10 minutes; climbed to ~320 over the first 1.25 hours and pretty much stayed there.
I made a sauce, meanwhile, of an onion sautéed in evoo and ghee, with thyme sage and white pepper, till just caramelized. To that I added maybe a 1/4 cup of TJ's ketchup, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup stron brewed coffee, a T of guajillo flakes and about 1.5 T of pineapple preserves. I simmered till the preserves were melted in well then handblended till smooth. I adjusted the salt and added a T of orange blossom water and a little splash of malt vinegar. I reserved the sauce off heat till service.
I foiled the brisket 2.25 hours into the cook and added a little unlit lump to the piles. I checked it after an hour-and-a-half and it needed more time. I did not check it again - my guests arrived - but simply removed it after another 45 minutes.

Tender and quite tasty.