Smoking brisket with mesquite


 
Johnson Ian

Johnson Ian

New member
Hi everyone new member here been reading up on all your good information here but...

I need some info and tips on smoking with (mesquite wood only )
Im doing my first brisket this weekend and just wondering how many chunks to use I love the taste but don't want to spend a half day smoking something that will turn out bitter so any advice would be great from anyone that's good with mesquite
 
In my experience, mesquite is strong stuff. I would go light, maybe just 2 or 3 smallish (about tennis-ball-sized) chunks (assuming a 10-12 pound brisket). Personally, I use hickory and/or cherry for brisket. If you can get some cherry, maybe 1 chunk mesquite and 1 or 2 cherry to balance it out.
 
ChadVKealey said:
In my experience, mesquite is strong stuff. I would go light, maybe just 2 or 3 smallish (about tennis-ball-sized) chunks (assuming a 10-12 pound brisket). Personally, I use hickory and/or cherry for brisket. If you can get some cherry, maybe 1 chunk mesquite and 1 or 2 cherry to balance it out.
Click to expand...

What Chad said. ;)
 
I do got some cherry I can mix in with it.
I could do 2 chunks mesquite 2 chunks cherry all about tennis ball size we shouldn't have a problem with to much smoke I'm guess ?
 
It also depends on:

1) where you set your chuncks? Buried not buried middle buried ???
2) when you put the meat in the smoker. Just some minutes after lighting briquettes or 1 hour or more after lighting briqs???
 
BillA said:
Okay I am a somewhat newbie is it better to put chunks on top or buried?
Click to expand...

You'll probably hear a dozen different opinions on where the wood should go, but I usually put them in the top layer of charcoal. So, not buried, but not on top...kind of even with the top layer of briquettes. I've found that if you put them on top, they'll burn up too quick, and if you bury them too deep, they take too long to produce the thin blue smoke you're looking for.
 
My first cook with ribs I did not wait long Enough for the charcoal to burn off 5 hrs later bitter ribs
I was putting the chunks right on top

My 2nd cook I waited till all charcoal was grey then I put a pork butt on and used hickory and keeping it simple I put 1 chunk on every hour for 4 hours, 5 chunks total putting them all on top too
That's been my best cook so far
 
In my opinion, mesquite is great stuff to smoke with but moderation is the key or you'll end up with a bitter taste. I use approximately 4" x 3" chunks of mesquite and the maximum number of chunks I use is 5 in the first 4 hrs. 1 chunk to start and 4 additional (1 chunk an hour) will do the job nicely.
 
thats some great advise I'm looking for thanks Jim

For chunk size on mesquite are you going fist size or more tennis ball size
 
I have a bag of mesquite chunks I purchased more than ten years ago. I used them once, and never tried them again. I decided I hate mesquite. For brisket, I use oak and hickory. Bold taste, without the ashtray. :)
 
BillA said:
Okay I am a somewhat newbie is it better to put chunks on top or buried?
Click to expand...

I bury mine because I use the Minion method of firing the charcoal, i.e., starting a partial chimney of charcoal and pouring it on top of the unlit charcoal so it burns slowly downward. If you put the wood of top, it burns right away and not throughout the cook.
 
My 0.02¢.
I use mesquite only when cooking hot and fast. That way the meat doesn't get a prolonged exposure to what I think is an intense flavoured wood.

As for smoking. I'll bury about 6/7 small chunks mid-briqs, (either maple, apple, cherry, oak or olive). When I remove the tin-can I stick a couple of smallish chunks just touching​ the hot coals. This gives the meat a bit of a quick smoke blast before the buried chunks take hold. I have never had a cook I couldn't eat coz it was oversmoked.

2vae2bn.jpg
 
I use strictly natural lump in my smokers with 2-3 small chunks of cherry, pecan or hickory. Lump is a lot cleaner burn and it doesnt have any binders. Normally I fill ring with lump leaving a small opening nearest a vent, then start a chimney with 1/3 full with lump or briquets untill red hot then pour in the opening at the vent. I also put my flavor wood on top just behind the burning lump, if you place your wood on the burning lump youre just wasting smoke up until you put the meat on. Just remeber a little wood goes a long way and you can over smoke expecially with mesquite, and you want a clean burning fire with thin blue smoke. Also, B&B or Lazaro makes a mesquite natural lump!

Good luck....
RonW.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top