Michael Richards
TVWBB Emerald Member
You guys know how I have been wanting to take the leap to do my first brisket, but keep not doing it. Yep that's me. So Thursday when I got sent on a late night grocery store shopping run, while doing my "meat case check" I hear my butcher buddy's voice say, "Richards, perfect timing... I was just checking what needed marked down, here you want this." As he slapped a 50% off sticker on a 7.5 lb brisket flat and placed it in my cart. He literally placed it in my cart!!! Brisket was already on sale, down from $7.99 to $3.99 a pound, so with the marked down sticker, it ended up being $1.99 per pound, so just over $15!!! If that isn't a message from the BBQ Gods then I don't know what is. So I said to the BBQ Gods "OK". Last night I went for it. Trimmed the fat and this is what I ended up with.
I was worried that with being only the flat it might dry out so I injected it with some beef broth and WS.
Made a rub up of:
2 Tb Pepper
1 Tb Salt
1 Tb bbq rub
1/2 Tb White Lightning Seasoning
Got it on the WSM 14 with two pieces of hickory and two pieces of pecan using Blue Hogs Briquettes. Pit ran really steady between 230 and 240 from 10 pm until 6 am when I took the brisket off to wrap in foil. Here is what it looked like at 6 am.
Fat cap side.
And ready to be wrapped with a little more rub, beef broth, and WS.
It went back on the WSM 14 and after one adjustment of the bottom vent the pit settled between 265 and 275 unit the meat was reading 202 to 204 at 8 am and I took it off and put it in the cooler. There was nice wiggle to the little piece of meat and juices dropped out of corner crack so I was feeling really excited for the final results.
And many hours later I opened it up.
Oh man did that smell good!
And the first slice.
More slices.
And plated.
I made some bbq chicken breast on the kettle. When they reached 155, I placed them in a CI skillet with some bbq sauce and let them finish up, no pictures, but I used that warm bbq sauce to finish the plate and it went perfect! I had like nine (thin) slices of brisket.
I was really really happy with that as a first attempt at brisket. The smoke flavor come through the strongest and a kick of black pepper hit me just a little bit. It was super tender. It may be viewed as a bit dry, but that did not take away from the eating experience at all.
Another thanks to the BBQ Gods and everything here because without both I would never done a brisket!!!!
A continued review of Blue Hogs Briquettes (BHB):
This is my forth cook and I am into my second bag of BHB, and I love the stuff. I got the no ridged, pillow version. After a cook with the CI griddle, two with the vortex, and one with the WSM 14 I have been overly happy every cook. With Weber Briquettes no more, I have been really looking for a briquette that could last a long time in the WSM 14 for those low and slow long cooks. This is what was left after I shut down the vents 11 plus hours after putting the 8 Briquettes minion method started was dumped. I did not have to shake it or stir the coals, it just ran steady!!!
I will be picking up two more bags of BHB here in the next few weeks, I am also going to pick up a bag B&B Briquettes. I tried two bags of B&B last fall right when we heard Weber was being discontinued, and I was really not impressed. I want to try another bag and see if that was a bad batch.
I was worried that with being only the flat it might dry out so I injected it with some beef broth and WS.
Made a rub up of:
2 Tb Pepper
1 Tb Salt
1 Tb bbq rub
1/2 Tb White Lightning Seasoning
Got it on the WSM 14 with two pieces of hickory and two pieces of pecan using Blue Hogs Briquettes. Pit ran really steady between 230 and 240 from 10 pm until 6 am when I took the brisket off to wrap in foil. Here is what it looked like at 6 am.
Fat cap side.
And ready to be wrapped with a little more rub, beef broth, and WS.
It went back on the WSM 14 and after one adjustment of the bottom vent the pit settled between 265 and 275 unit the meat was reading 202 to 204 at 8 am and I took it off and put it in the cooler. There was nice wiggle to the little piece of meat and juices dropped out of corner crack so I was feeling really excited for the final results.
And many hours later I opened it up.
Oh man did that smell good!
And the first slice.
More slices.
And plated.
I made some bbq chicken breast on the kettle. When they reached 155, I placed them in a CI skillet with some bbq sauce and let them finish up, no pictures, but I used that warm bbq sauce to finish the plate and it went perfect! I had like nine (thin) slices of brisket.
I was really really happy with that as a first attempt at brisket. The smoke flavor come through the strongest and a kick of black pepper hit me just a little bit. It was super tender. It may be viewed as a bit dry, but that did not take away from the eating experience at all.
Another thanks to the BBQ Gods and everything here because without both I would never done a brisket!!!!
A continued review of Blue Hogs Briquettes (BHB):
This is my forth cook and I am into my second bag of BHB, and I love the stuff. I got the no ridged, pillow version. After a cook with the CI griddle, two with the vortex, and one with the WSM 14 I have been overly happy every cook. With Weber Briquettes no more, I have been really looking for a briquette that could last a long time in the WSM 14 for those low and slow long cooks. This is what was left after I shut down the vents 11 plus hours after putting the 8 Briquettes minion method started was dumped. I did not have to shake it or stir the coals, it just ran steady!!!
I will be picking up two more bags of BHB here in the next few weeks, I am also going to pick up a bag B&B Briquettes. I tried two bags of B&B last fall right when we heard Weber was being discontinued, and I was really not impressed. I want to try another bag and see if that was a bad batch.
Looking good, Michael!