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Weird wet covering on Brisket


 
R

Russ Turner

TVWBB Member
My first post, sorry if I screw this up or if its too long... I have the smaller bullet for 1 yr, smoked several times, mixed results.
Here is a problem that I had on Sunday and seen last smoke about 2 wks ago.
Smoker Prep: One charcoal starter full of plain kingsford with 3 pieces of dry mesquite on top (3 inch diameter, 4 inches long, bark on). I let it burn until the mesquite breaks apart and hardly smokes....kingsford is half the original size by then.
I put the kingsford on the grate, add about double amount on top of new, not started briquettes, put mesquited embers on top of that. New briquettes are smoking like crazy.
I put a 3 pound pork tenderloin on the bottom rack, fat down, and 7 pound brisket (flat only) fat down on the top rack (both were cryovac, not frozen at the time, warm rinse, rubbed with mustard, dusting of Lowry's seasoned salt, covered with brown sugar)
Temp outside is mid 40's.
Temp rises gradually and in about an hour I'm at 200-225 where I stay.
At 3 hours I open the top for the first time. I had a wired temp probe in the tenderloin and it says 175, so I take the tenderloin out. It looks very nice...(gave to my daughter, will get a report on taste tomorrow).
I decide to put bbq sauce on the brisket when I put the top rack back on. I notice that the brisket is covered with a brownish grayish wet spotty coating...doesn't smell great. I wipe it off with paper towels, apply bbq sauce. 4 hrs later I take the brisket off. It looks pretty good, but has the same brownish grayish wet look and this liquid is even puddled in the low spots...edges are burnt well, but no bark on top.
Got a nice smoke ring but the taste is too smokey and kinda harsh...leaves a bad after taste.
What am I doing wrong?
Results...
 
Welcome to the board Russ.

I'll let the experts chime in, but my question:
Do you keep the top vent open at alll times?
 
For what it's worth, sounds like your wood was smoldering (not burning clean) or you had ash getting thrown up.

I would cook a bit hotter and use smaller pieces of wood. Also make sure your wood is properly seasoned.
 
Try The MM. Put your unlit in the charcoal bowl and dump the lit ontop of the unlit. You will get a much,much cleaner burn. That's alot of mesquite wood to be using. Mesquite wood is pretty strong stuff. But you are burning it down pretty good though. I'd try the MM and just use one piece of mesquite, and work up from there. FWIW, I only use mesquite on beef as I don't like the taste on anything else. Might want to try some other woods as well. Link to the MM for you.
 
Welcome Russ, you came to the right place.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russ Turner:
My first post, sorry if I screw this up or if its too long... I have the smaller bullet for 1 yr, smoked several times, mixed results.
Here is a problem that I had on Sunday and seen last smoke about 2 wks ago.
Smoker Prep: One charcoal starter full of plain kingsford with 3 pieces of dry mesquite on top (3 inch diameter, 4 inches long, bark on). I let it burn until the mesquite breaks apart and hardly smokes....kingsford is half the original size by then. <span class="ev_code_RED">As others have suggested: try minion method. Also, you can put your smoke wood directly in the cooker, with the unlit charcoal.</span>
I put the kingsford on the grate, add about double amount on top of new, not started briquettes, put mesquited embers on top of that. New briquettes are smoking like crazy.
I put a 3 pound pork tenderloin on the bottom rack, fat down, and 7 pound brisket (flat only) fat down on the top rack (both were cryovac, not frozen at the time, warm rinse, rubbed with mustard, dusting of Lowry's seasoned salt, covered with brown sugar)
Temp outside is mid 40's.
Temp rises gradually and in about an hour I'm at 200-225 where I stay.
At 3 hours I open the top for the first time. I had a wired temp probe in the tenderloin and it says 175, so I take the tenderloin out. <span class="ev_code_RED">Try taking pork to 138-142, it will be much moister</span> It looks very nice...(gave to my daughter, will get a report on taste tomorrow).
I decide to put bbq sauce on the brisket when I put the top rack back on. I notice that the brisket is covered with a brownish grayish wet spotty coating <span class="ev_code_RED">Have you ever seen this coating on other long cooks like pork butt? It could be ash from the briquettes mixing with the juices from the brisket, the ash can fly if you lift the lid too quickly. Briskets throw off a lot of liquid.</span> ...doesn't smell great. I wipe it off with paper towels, apply bbq sauce. 4 hrs later I take the brisket off. It looks pretty good, but has the same brownish grayish wet look and this liquid is even puddled in the low spots...edges are burnt well, but no bark on top.
Got a nice smoke ring but the taste is too smokey and kinda harsh <span class="ev_code_RED">That could be the mesquite. Try less mesquite or try Oak or Hickory with beef instead. You also probably don't want to apply BBQ sauce until as or after you slice a brisket. The sauce coating probably picked up a lot of smoke in 4 hours.</span> ...leaves a bad after taste.
What am I doing wrong?
Results... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
I too think the aftertaste is the mesquite, it is very strong wood, and especially if it is not seasoned properly, you will get that nasty aftertaste.
As for the coating on your brisket, they do throw off a ton of liquid, and that couple with the brown sugar and a little ash sounds like that's what was going on. I do high heat briskets, so 200 is only seen for about 3 secons when the temps are on the rise. Maybe you can try a high heat brisket and see if you like those results better. Lots of info here on how to do it if you do a search for it. I'm a convert to the HH method, as are many others here.
 
Thanks for all the answers. I thought I was using the Minion method, but I had it backwards.

I will take the advice given and avoid Mesquite, not put BBQ sauce on until slicing and be more careful with the lid.

I will try again with Minion and with HH as well and remember to watch the temp on the pork too.

Thanks again!

Russ
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russ Turner:
Got a nice smoke ring but the taste is too smokey and kinda harsh...leaves a bad after taste.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You got a lot of good advice.

In regards to your statement above, a smoke ring and smoke are two different things. If you didn't already know that, do a search and read on, a smoke ring seems to have more to do with temp and time.

Smoke, on the other hand, can get very overpowering. I use very little wood these days and wouldn't hesitate to cook with just lump charcoal for as much smokeyness as I care for. Work up to a level of smoke you desire and watch out for poultry (very easy to over smoke).
 
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