Newbs 1st brisket


 

AmberB

New member
Hey y'all! I wanted to share with you my first brisket! This is my 2nd time ever smoking something and I'm using my 18" WSM that I got a few days ago. Let me just say, I am so happy with my purchase bc it help temps like a champ!

I prepped a 13.5 lb USDA choice brisket, that's all we have in our small town. I trimmed it, which I still need a lot of practice on. I used a combination of rubs just to use them up. It was mainly salt, pepper, paprika and garlic. I meant to put a binder on it, like mustard, but I forgot. 🙄 I let this sit in the fridge for 24 hrs.

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Then I fired up the WSM the next morning with some JD XL briquettes with some apple and mesquite chunks. Still waiting on my chimney to be delivered so this part took longer than expected. However, I went ahead and threw it on at 275. I put some wood chunks under to make it fit and to try to keep it from pooling liquid.

It was running hot, then started running low, then I got her steady at 275 exactly. It maintained exactly 275 over 12 hours. Here is the half way pic:
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Oh yeah, at the last minute I decided to put the water pan in, without water, but wrapped in foil.

After 5 hours I started spritzing every 45 minutes or so and then would check for rendering. I also went ahead and wrapped the bottom of the brisket with foil and threw it back on.

Once it felt rendered enough to me, I went ahead and temped and it was right at 205 on each end and in the middle, so I pulled it. Total cook time was around 9 hours.

Here's the finished product:
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I was really impressed for my first brisket. The flat was just slightly dry, but I tried from the very end and didn't eat much since I was exhausted from work and smoking. I also had some really hard pieces at the bottom, I am not sure what that is from, but I chalked it up to a not so great trim job. If you've read this far and have any ideas I would love to hear them!!

Last but not least, I had my husband pick up some BBQ sauce and told him to pick a kind that looked like it came from a pit master or a backyard BBQer. We used to only get name brand stuff. Let me tell you tho, we will never go back!!! We tried the Blues Hog Original and their Championship blend. It was AMAZING! I can only hope the other ones I try, as I go on the rub and sauce exploration, are this good or even better. 🤤

If you read it all, thanks for sticking it out. Look forward to many more cooks with y'all. Have a blessed week! ✌️💚
 
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Nice work! That is a good first brisket.
Now, that said I’m really lazy, I don’t spritz, I don’t wrap, I don’t open unless something seems really wrong.
I tend to go overnight on brisket, touching them off, and going to bed., I’ve been surprised and found the brisket sitting at 203 when I have awakened at 6:00 AM, flown down the stairs and pulled the thing off and foiled, toweled and, dropped into a cooler until feasting time.
Then, on the other hand, I’ve started the same way and not pulled the brisket off until noon! So, remember, “Good Barbecue will not be rushed! It will be done when it’s finished.” So, take your time and enjoy every cook!
 
Nice work! That is a good first brisket.
Now, that said I’m really lazy, I don’t spritz, I don’t wrap, I don’t open unless something seems really wrong.
I tend to go overnight on brisket, touching them off, and going to bed., I’ve been surprised and found the brisket sitting at 203 when I have awakened at 6:00 AM, flown down the stairs and pulled the thing off and foiled, toweled and, dropped into a cooler until feasting time.
Then, on the other hand, I’ve started the same way and not pulled the brisket off until noon! So, remember, “Good Barbecue will not be rushed! It will be done when it’s finished.” So, take your time and enjoy every cook!
I need to try that method as well. I too, can be a bit lazy so this really excites me to know that I can make it even easier than what I thought my process was. You have also given me a reason to scrub out the ol Igloo water cooler and start using it for resting.

I think now I'm going to try the pork butt!
 
I tend to not trim smaller briskets, say less than 16#. The fat just helps protect the meat better. Sure, take out the chunk at the point over the flat. But I’d leave the rest on top, especially if it’s not more than 3/4”.

Great looking cook!
 
I tend to not trim smaller briskets, say less than 16#. The fat just helps protect the meat better. Sure, take out the chunk at the point over the flat. But I’d leave the rest on top, especially if it’s not more than 3/4”.

Great looking cook!
This is a pro tip right here. I will remember that next time.
 
Congratulations Amber on an excellent Brisket cook ! And a congratulations to your husband on choosing what is staple at pro bbq competitions... Blue Hog BBQ Sauce ! On the dry issue... a dry brisket can be either undercooked or overcooked. If the meat's collagen has not yet 'denatured' into gelatin, the meat will lack what is perceived as moisture and be difficult to chew. Under this condition, it's undercooked. But if that collagen has not only turned into gelatin, but run out of the meat, the meat will again lack that moisture but will just fall apart due to the lack of that collagen & gelatin holding the meat fibres together. This condition is said to be overcooked.
 
Congratulations Amber on an excellent Brisket cook ! And a congratulations to your husband on choosing what is staple at pro bbq competitions... Blue Hog BBQ Sauce ! On the dry issue... a dry brisket can be either undercooked or overcooked. If the meat's collagen has not yet 'denatured' into gelatin, the meat will lack what is perceived as moisture and be difficult to chew. Under this condition, it's undercooked. But if that collagen has not only turned into gelatin, but run out of the meat, the meat will again lack that moisture but will just fall apart due to the lack of that collagen & gelatin holding the meat fibres together. This condition is said to be overcooked.
Thank you for this! I was wondering for sure. There wasn't any liquid after I wrapped it and stuck it back on the WSM. When I saw videos of other people doing it, there was lots of juice in it after they let it rest. I immediately thought that maybe I undercooked it.

We finished eating the rest of it last night and some of the pieces that were left had thick layers of fat still. I fried them up in a pan and that made em pretty tasty.


So my question is, would all of that fat had been rendered as well if it was cooked perfectly? TYSM for the informative feedback.
 
The thing that some folks stop remembering is that, no matter just how much we debate every detail, the important thing, maybe the most important thing is simply; Did the meal make everyone happy? If the answer is yes, it was a successful cook. If not, try again. It’s nourishment with friends and family which should be enjoyed no matter what you cook! Enjoy the process, consume the product with joy.
I think every one of the members has learned so much from fellow members with the volumes of information about not just cooking recommendations but, equipment maintenance and all given with no thought of any personal gain.
Sorry, that became a bit more “sermon” than intended but, I thank Chris for maintaining this place every time I need to look something up!
 
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Fat and collagen are two completely different animals. Collagen plays a major part in the meat's texture while fat plays a major part in the meat's taste. That extra liquid could be either one or both. But the fat portion really does not play a part in the meat's texture.
 
Amber, that is a GREAT looking brisket! Really nice job on that. I didn't even attempt a brisket until I had been using the smoker for about a year; I psyched myself out about it. You just jumped in and did it, and did it good.
 
Well, Fletch that would have actually been my dad. He died “The Most Reverend William O. Lewis, Archbishop of the Original Province of the Anglican Catholic Church” I should Google him! But, thank you!
I hope my post wasn't offensive; I was thinking in terms of a father figure rather than a spiritual leader :)
 

 

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