questions re: texas brisket


 
P

Philip A

New member
I'm going to cook a whole brisket on my performer 22.5" I've cooked one before, and while delicious, it didn't have that red smoke ring. Last time I held fire between 275 - 300 for about 13 hours. This time, I plan to cook lower and slower, to try to get a smoke ring. I'll shoot for 225 degrees, which means an overnighter.

I have a performer with a 22.5 inch kettle. My questions are:

1) Best way to keep the temp steady. I don't want to lose sleep, so I'm hoping to figure out a way to keep fire going for 8 hours. My grate flips up to add charcoal without moving meat.

2) What is minion method? I've heard that discussed.

3) What is best way to get a good bark? I don't like anything on my meat except salt, pepper, and maybe paprika. And I don't like to overseason my meat with too much salt or pepper.

4) I've heard people talk about using the point for "burnt ends". What's the process for making those? I've always just sliced the point and flat together, so every slice of point has a little flat.

Thanks in advance
 
1. Get a WSM. Seriously, a kettle is the wrong tool for the job for overnight smokes with zero attention. The WSM with a full charcoal ring will do it without blinking.

2. It's where you make a big pile of unlit coals and add a few lit coals on top. The coals light slowly, allowing for a longer cook at low temperatures.

3. That varies, depending on what you call "bark". Meat will eventually cook and harden, even with just salt and pepper. If you use a pretty thick rub, especially if there is sugar in it, that will all caramelize and get hard, creating a bark.

4. When the flat is cooked, remove the brisket from the pit and cut off the point. Cube the point into 1" squares. Add more rub, sometimes add sauce. Put them back in the pit (usually in a pan) for more cooking.
 
What Dave said. You'll also get a bigger smoke ring if you put the meat on cold as opposed to letting it get to room temp. You can try the snake method on your kettle, but I wouldn't bet on getting more than 6 hours out of it. I can squeeze 8 hours on my 26.75 kettle on a good day.
 
Also do some searches on here and read some of these fellows cooks, you will learn more doing these two things than possible anywhere else.
Also, the Minion Method has several variations depending on what you are doing and what has worked best for you.
 
If my brisket tasted good but lacked a smoke ring I'd be happy. The smoke ring doesn't affect taste. One thing that can help with the ring is to put the meat on cold with your charcoal in place. Start the fire only after the cold meat is on the grill and use the minion method by lighting one or two spots on your coal pile
 
Dave Alvarado said:
1. Get a WSM. Seriously, a kettle is the wrong tool for the job for overnight smokes with zero attention. The WSM with a full charcoal ring will do it without blinking.

2. It's where you make a big pile of unlit coals and add a few lit coals on top. The coals light slowly, allowing for a longer cook at low temperatures.

3. That varies, depending on what you call "bark". Meat will eventually cook and harden, even with just salt and pepper. If you use a pretty thick rub, especially if there is sugar in it, that will all caramelize and get hard, creating a bark.

4. When the flat is cooked, remove the brisket from the pit and cut off the point. Cube the point into 1" squares. Add more rub, sometimes add sauce. Put them back in the pit (usually in a pan) for more cooking.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave. I do agree 100% that the kettle is the wrong tool for a brisket, but it's what I've currently got to work with. If I put a big stack of wood on before bed, and it dies down below 200 before I waked up, is that a deal killer, or can I just restoke in the morning and have it ready in the afternoon? If I wait until morning to start it, it won't be ready by dinnertime.

When you put the chunks in the pan for burnt ends, do you trim any of the fat off? How long do you cook in the pan? Still indirect heat? How hot?
 
One more question. I got a slab of ribs to cook. I figure as long as I'm smoking a brisket for Friday, might as well use that smoke for ribs thursday. Can I cook them at the same time? can I just throw the ribs on top of the brisket?
 
A brisket is *really* sensitive to temperature fluctuations. You'll get the best brisket if you can hold a really consistent temperature.

If the kettle is all you have to work with, I'd say put heavy smoke on it for about 4 - 5 hours (which will also help with your smoke ring development) then bring it inside and throw it in the oven. Sleep like a baby and let the oven hold the temp steady for you.

Once you have the bark set, the smoker is really just a heat source anyway. There's no major difference in final product if you use an oven instead of a smoker to do the cooking after that point. In your case, the final product will probably be better due to consistent cooking temps.

I've never made burnt ends so I can't answer your other questions about them.

Don't put ribs physically on top of your brisket. Your bark won't set where they touch.
 
Getting my grill set up, 1 more question. I checked the temp on the grill where meat will go, and when dome temp said 300, probe hadn't even hit 200. Reluctant to cook with dome temp that high. Last time I used done temp and 9 pound packet was done in 13 or 14 hours, about right. Would u use probe or dome?
 
Philip, I know you are getting a lot of advice and reading material. You can easily cook a High Heat brisket with your kettle as long as you pay attention to it's needs and are willing to check it the odd time. Here is some really good info on set-up, http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?43255-Science-of-BBQ-diagramed

This is one of the best articles to read on HH brisket. I did one last weekend for a nephew on his Vision Komado Grill. 12lbs, 6 hours, grill temp 330 degrees with some fluctuations plus another hour for the burnt ends. Have a read, you do not need to use the rubs or the paste, that's up to you. There are lots of rubs that work well.http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?718...d-A-Compilation&highlight=Brisket+compilation

Give it a try and let us know how you make out.
 
Philip A said:
Getting my grill set up, 1 more question. I checked the temp on the grill where meat will go, and when dome temp said 300, probe hadn't even hit 200. Reluctant to cook with dome temp that high. Last time I used done temp and 9 pound packet was done in 13 or 14 hours, about right. Would u use probe or dome?
Click to expand...
Use what works for you.

What the grate reads is what the meat will actually get, assuming your grate thermometer is calibrated. If the meat is on there, make sure you've got a few inches of space at least between the meat and the temp probe so you get an accurate reading.

If you did it last time using the dome thermometer, nothing wrong with using that again. It's all about knowing your setup.
 
Philip if you have a probe at the grate that is what you should be concerned about as far as getting your temps where you want them. There can be as much as 50 degree difference in dome and grate and that is huge. So far for me in the beginning of a cook the dome always reads higher than the grate. Shortly the grate starts rising and eventually gets higher than the dome. Sometimes they level off and are very close, which I do not understand the dynamics of (I think it has to do with your bowl and whats in it) but the meat is sitting on the grate. Go by your probe at the grate and adjust accordingly.
This is with a WSM mind you but should be similar with the grill
 
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