Pan

[Luis L.]

Do you smoke your briskets in a pan? Or do you place a pan on the bottom grate to catch the juices, brisket on top grate?

In my offset I always put the brisky fat cap up. I'm reading that some people put it fat cap down in their WSM. Why?

 

[Dave/G]

No pan here. I always use the top grate since I never smoke enough meat to use the bottom grate too. I use foil, so I collect the liquid that accumulates in it.

 

[K Kruger]

Fatcap down protects the underside of the brisket from the more direct heat emanating up from the bottom. It also protects, if you will, the rub on the lean side from getting scraped off by the grate. I cook them fat down on offsets as well.

I don't use a pan either. I cook briskets ~350 so I foil them during the cook. Packers throw off plenty of juices during cooking so I have those for adding to the sauce and making a paint.

 

[Tim L.]

Kevin-this is the second reference to paint you've made in the last few posts I've browsed through...what are you referring to?

Thanks

 

[E Mann]

I would assume that the "paint" would be a finishing sauce that would applied to give the meat a glaze. Many people "paint" the meat with a mixture of sauce & drippings. Now I could be completely wrong and talking out of my a$$ but that's what my thought is!!

 

[K Kruger]

Correct. In my case I do not use sauce. I use defatted drippings, a hint of butter, and usually an emulsifier of some sort, often a touch of Dijon. I use the paint on the slices, on the sides. (Sauce I serve on the side.) It adds and also helps hold in moisture. Brisket, as many know, once sliced, can take on a dry appearance even if the meat isn't dry in reality.

 

[Tim L.]

Thanks for the responses, Kevin and E. I think I'll focus on trying to cook a brisket properly first then maybe incorporate some paint once I get that down!

 

[George Curtis]

fat cap up, no pan, no foil, no spraying nor basting.