Smoked Brisket

[GO-NAD!]

The morning after… The briskets were great – thanks Dan.

Yesterday, about 3 pm, I brought the two briskets and one grilled chicken into the house, and headed for the shower. It was 92° and very humid yesterday, I'd been up since 6 am. Never did get any photos.
The amount of salt in the dry rub is key. You also have to cook the meat until the internal temperature is about 190°F or 88°C. Because I take out the internal meat thermometer when I wrap the meat in aluminum foil, I never know the final temperature for certain. But the books say brisket needs about 190°F to be tender, and I know it gets tender the way I cook it.

Good luck with your efforts. And please let us know your results. I know this recipe has worked for myself, Dan, and at least one other. I'd like to know if it works for you too.

I've taken the liberty of copying your recipe and I'm planning to do this before the end of the month. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I have an 18" WSM as well and I noticed during my first couple of smokes that, when stirring the charcoal to displace the ash, some of it drifts upwards and sticks to the food. So now, prior to stirring the charcoal, I remove the entire grill section - which can be tricky if there is a substantial weight of meat on the grill(s) - then give the charcoal a good stir, wait a few seconds for the ash to settle or drift away, then replace the grill section.
Thanks again!

 

[Swerd]

I've taken the liberty of copying your recipe and I'm planning to do this before the end of the month. I'll let you know how it turns out.

That's why I posted it, I want people to try it .

I have an 18" WSM as well and I noticed during my first couple of smokes that, when stirring the charcoal to displace the ash, some of it drifts upwards and sticks to the food. So now, prior to stirring the charcoal, I remove the entire grill section - which can be tricky if there is a substantial weight of meat on the grill(s) - then give the charcoal a good stir, wait a few seconds for the ash to settle or drift away, then replace the grill section.

To be honest, I never worried about bits of ash on the food. Smoke is nothing more than very small particles from burning wood, suspended in the air. I like it if smoke gets all over the food.

Removing the entire grill sections, while smoking, sounds like a lot of work. I use meat and grill thermometers, and their wires make removing the hot grill even more work. All the time the lid is removed, everything cools off. I try to avoid that. It seems to take about 15 minutes to get back to the intended temperature.

I am concerned about non-wood contaminants in charcoal. Most of the commonly available charcoal brickets, such as Kingsford or Royal Oak, contain coal dust to help the scrap wood and saw dust burn evenly. Coal has some toxic heavy metals in it like mercury, cadmium, cobalt, etc. In addition, inert binders, such as calcium carbonate, are added to hold the brickets together. It doesn't burn, it's not toxic, but it makes for a lot more ash. I don't want any of that on my food.

Fortunately, in the US it's now easy to find charcoal made from hardwood, with no additives like coal dust. This hardwood charcoal is also called 'lump' charcoal because the bits have irregular shape. This type of charcoal burns cleaner and produces much less ash. All the major charcoal brands now sell hardwood or lump charcoal. I hope you can find some in Canada.

Lately, I've bought this type, but others will do just as well.

 

[Dan]

I agree strongly about the charcoal with Swerd. The Briquettes put a nasty flavor in the food that I thought was grill flavor till I tried the lump, then I realized it was the flavor of soot. Lump has a much cleaner taste better revealing the wood smoke flavor. On the down side it burns hotter and is less consistent because of the irregular shape. There is much less ash.

 

[GO-NAD!]

That's why I posted it, I want people to try it .
To be honest, I never worried about bits of ash on the food. Smoke is nothing more than very small particles from burning wood, suspended in the air. I like it if smoke gets all over the food.

Removing the entire grill sections, while smoking, sounds like a lot of work. I use meat and grill thermometers, and their wires make removing the hot grill even more work. All the time the lid is removed, everything cools off. I try to avoid that. It seems to take about 15 minutes to get back to the intended temperature.

I am concerned about non-wood contaminants in charcoal. Most of the commonly available charcoal brickets, such as Kingsford or Royal Oak, contain coal dust to help the scrap wood and saw dust burn evenly. Coal has some toxic heavy metals in it like mercury, cadmium, cobalt, etc. In addition, inert binders, such as calcium carbonate, are added to hold the brickets together. It doesn't burn, it's not toxic, but it makes for a lot more ash. I don't want any of that on my food.

Fortunately, in the US it's now easy to find charcoal made from hardwood, with no additives like coal dust. This hardwood charcoal is also called 'lump' charcoal because the bits have irregular shape. This type of charcoal burns cleaner and produces much less ash. All the major charcoal brands now sell hardwood or lump charcoal. I hope you can find some in Canada.

Yeah, I understand that the smoke is just tiny bits of ash, but - and maybe it's just my imagination - I find that getting ash on the food tends to add some bitterness to the flavour.

There's no real work to it, I leave the lid on and remove the grill section as an assembly - the lid keeps a lot of the heat in. I also use a remote reading thermometer. I just hang the receiver/transmitter from the fuel door handle while I lift the grill section off. The whole procedure takes less than a minute.

Any idea what the proportion of coal dust one would find in briquettes?

You can get lump charcoal here, as well. I find that it burns much faster though. I have used it before and one thing to look out for - I have found lumps that, in a previous incarnation, were clearly plywood.

 

[GO-NAD!]

That's why I posted it, I want people to try it .
To be honest, I never worried about bits of ash on the food. Smoke is nothing more than very small particles from burning wood, suspended in the air. I like it if smoke gets all over the food.

Removing the entire grill sections, while smoking, sounds like a lot of work. I use meat and grill thermometers, and their wires make removing the hot grill even more work. All the time the lid is removed, everything cools off. I try to avoid that. It seems to take about 15 minutes to get back to the intended temperature.

I am concerned about non-wood contaminants in charcoal. Most of the commonly available charcoal brickets, such as Kingsford or Royal Oak, contain coal dust to help the scrap wood and saw dust burn evenly. Coal has some toxic heavy metals in it like mercury, cadmium, cobalt, etc. In addition, inert binders, such as calcium carbonate, are added to hold the brickets together. It doesn't burn, it's not toxic, but it makes for a lot more ash. I don't want any of that on my food.

Fortunately, in the US it's now easy to find charcoal made from hardwood, with no additives like coal dust. This hardwood charcoal is also called 'lump' charcoal because the bits have irregular shape. This type of charcoal burns cleaner and produces much less ash. All the major charcoal brands now sell hardwood or lump charcoal. I hope you can find some in Canada.

Yeah, I understand that the smoke is just tiny bits of ash, but - and maybe it's just my imagination - I find that getting ash on the food tends to add some bitterness to the flavour.

There's no real work to it, I leave the lid on and remove the grill section as an assembly - the lid keeps a lot of the heat in. I also use a remote reading thermometer. I just hang the receiver/transmitter from the fuel door handle while I lift the grill section off. The whole procedure takes less than a minute.

Any idea what the proportion of coal dust one would find in briquettes?

You can get lump charcoal here, as well. I find that it burns much faster though. I have used it before and one thing to look out for - I have found lumps that, in a previous incarnation, were clearly plywood.

 

[Swerd]

There's no real work to it, I leave the lid on and remove the grill section as an assembly - the lid keeps a lot of the heat in. I also use a remote reading thermometer. I just hang the receiver/transmitter from the fuel door handle while I lift the grill section off. The whole procedure takes less than a minute.

Now I get what you meant. You remove the entire center section with the lid in place, to stir the coals. That should be much easier.

Any idea what the proportion of coal dust one would find in briquettes?

No. But I see no reason why there should be any coal dust at all.

You can get lump charcoal here, as well. I find that it burns much faster though. I have used it before and one thing to look out for - I have found lumps that, in a previous incarnation, were clearly plywood.

Yes, lump charcoal burns faster, and a bit hotter. But I adapted to those differences without trouble when I stopped using standard charcoal.

I worry much less about the possible existence of any formaldehyde remaining in plywood, than I worry about toxic heavy metals in coal dust. Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound, and probably burns off as the plywood is heated to become charcoal, before you buy it. If any remains in the charcoal, it will rapidly oxidize into something harmless as you start your fire. The heavy metal contaminants in coal do not burn or vaporize. They remain in the ash. They are a major reason why the ash produced from coal-burning electric power plants is so dangerous.

 

[herbu]

Swerd, you and I may occasionally disagree, but when it comes to smoking meat we're cut from the same cloth. It's clear you've developed your process from years of experience. Me too. Through the years I've been through several smokers from the Brinkman/Weber type you mention, to a big stick burner from GatorPits in Texas, to finally a Big Green Egg. I can tell you for versatility and ease of use, you can't beat the Egg. I can load it up with lump, adjust the air to ~250deg and simply walk away. It will maintain the temp for 20-24 hours depending on the temp outside. Now doing a butt, butts, brisket(s) or any low-and-slow meat, I don't have to tend to it during the cook. Honestly it is worth the $$$ in convenience. And I use it for grilling also. No flare-ups. As with any new grill/smoker, there is a learning curve, but the process is fun and delicious. In fact, I haven't used my grill since I got it. Between the Blackstone griddle and BGE, I'm covered.

Regarding the lump, if you can find Rockford, give it a try. Considerably less smoke than Cowboy, and lasts a long time... but costs more. I've started getting Cowboy from Costco for grilling, and Rockford from Ace Hardware for low-and-slow. Out of a dozen Ace Hardware stores in the area, only one carries the Rockford, so you may have to do some online search on the Rockford site to see who has it.

May have to try your sauce. Have used many and always like to try new ones. Thanks!!!

 

[Swerd]

Swerd, you and I may occasionally disagree, but when it comes to smoking meat we're cut from the same cloth.

Through the years I've been through several smokers from the Brinkman/Weber type you mention, to a big stick burner from GatorPits in Texas, to finally a Big Green Egg. I can tell you for versatility and ease of use, you can't beat the Egg. I can load it up with lump, adjust the air to ~250deg and simply walk away. It will maintain the temp for 20-24 hours depending on the temp outside. Now doing a butt, butts, brisket(s) or any low-and-slow meat, I don't have to tend to it during the cook. Honestly it is worth the $$$ in convenience. And I use it for grilling also. No flare-ups. As with any new grill/smoker, there is a learning curve, but the process is fun and delicious. In fact, I haven't used my grill since I got it. Between the Blackstone griddle and BGE, I'm covered.

Your experience with the BGE is good to know. I've known two neighbors who had BGEs in the past. Both had theirs develop cracks. I wonder if it was operator error, as they both were the type who seem to rapidly go through many things, especially grills & smokers. You are a seasoned BBQ man, and have had no trouble with your BGE.

Regarding the lump, if you can find Rockford, give it a try. Considerably less smoke than Cowboy, and lasts a long time... but costs more. I've started getting Cowboy from Costco for grilling, and Rockford from Ace Hardware for low-and-slow. Out of a dozen Ace Hardware stores in the area, only one carries the Rockford, so you may have to do some online search on the Rockford site to see who has it.

I'll keep an eye out for Rockford charcoal. Never tried it. Cowboy is readily available where I am, sometimes at Costco, and always at a very nearby Lowe's. I like the smoke from Cowboy charcoal. They make a 'Southern Style' that is made with oak and hickory, as opposed to just any hardwood.

For the big feed on Saturday, I started with over 16 lbs. of brisket before trimming. Afterwards, we gave some away for people to take home, along with BBQ sauce. Today, I was dismayed to see how little is left over . Oh well, it's great as a left over. I can put several cold slices on a plate, spoon on some frozen BBQ sauce, it has the same consistency as ice cream and is easily scooped out without thawing. Nuke it briefly, and eat it.

As a matter of fact, I think I'll do that right now.

 

[panteragstk]

I think I've only tried to smoke a brisket in a smaller smoker once. Didn't care for it, but boy do I know a lot of people that swear by them. Glad you've got yours down to a science.

I use a very large smoker (my first nice one. Love it) and I can smoke about 8-10 15lb briskets at once. I prefer whole packer just because that's what I've always used and I like the extra fat, but I want most of it to cook away. Preferably down into a pan so I can make brisket sauce.

I typically shoot for 225 degrees and smoke until the meat has an internal temp of 203. This takes forever, but wrapping in foil at the end helps a lot.

At the end the meat has a nice crust on the outside and is juicy and tender on the inside. Love it, but it takes SO LONG to cook.

I typically use post oak or mesquite since that's what's available here. Full logs. I've tried other wood in the past, but didn't get the flavor I was looking for.

I've got a 12lb whole packer in my freezer. You're making me want to start up my smoker.

 

[jliedeka]

I get whole packers at my Costco. I actually saved the point from my last one and just smoked the flat. I'll either do burnt ends or chili with the point. Pre-smoked point meat makes awesome chili.

I use a Thermoworks smoke and go by temperature. I wrap when it hits the stall and cook to 195-205. My method is to dry brine overnight then add a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper. That's my only rub. While butcher paper is the trendy thing for wrapping, I prefer heavy foil with nothing added.

 

[Swerd]

I'll either do burnt ends or chili with the point. Pre-smoked point meat makes awesome chili.

I'll remember that, although its tough to keep any leftovers.

While butcher paper is the trendy thing for wrapping, I prefer heavy foil with nothing added.

As I spent much of Saturday outside, I ran into a number of neighbors who smelled the BBQ, and were curious about what I was doing. They knew all about Aaron Franklin and his use of butcher paper. They'd either read his book or watched his YouTube videos. Only a few had ever smoked anything, most had only gas grills, but they were glad to tell me all about it .

I read Franklin's book two summers ago. It was fun, but other than his tip about wrapping brisket in butcher paper, I didn't learn anything useful – except that running a BBQ restaurant must be very hard work.

 

[Old Onkyo]

I'll remember that, although its tough to keep any leftovers.
As I spent much of Saturday outside, I ran into a number of neighbors who smelled the BBQ, and were curious about what I was doing. They knew all about Aaron Franklin and his use of butcher paper. They'd either read his book or watched his YouTube videos. Only a few had ever smoked anything, most had only gas grills, but they were glad to tell me all about it .

I read Franklin's book two summers ago. It was fun, but other than his tip about wrapping brisket in butcher paper, I didn't learn anything useful – except that running a BBQ restaurant must be very hard work.

It’s sad, but I am going to Austin for the express purpose of waiting hours in line to taste me. Franklin’s food!

 

[panteragstk]

I'll remember that, although its tough to keep any leftovers.
As I spent much of Saturday outside, I ran into a number of neighbors who smelled the BBQ, and were curious about what I was doing. They knew all about Aaron Franklin and his use of butcher paper. They'd either read his book or watched his YouTube videos. Only a few had ever smoked anything, most had only gas grills, but they were glad to tell me all about it .

I read Franklin's book two summers ago. It was fun, but other than his tip about wrapping brisket in butcher paper, I didn't learn anything useful – except that running a BBQ restaurant must be very hard work.

No kidding. I wouldn't want to do that.

Really sucked when the place burned down. Glad he's doing well again.

 

[panteragstk]

It’s sad, but I am going to Austin for the express purpose of waiting hours in line to taste me. Franklin’s food!

I still haven't made the drive to see what it's all about, but I plan to at some point. I just want something better than what I've had (when it comes to brisket).

My wife's uncle made a "competition" brisket and that's the best one I've ever had. It was wagyu beef and is easily one of the best things I've ever eaten.

I think he paid close to $100 for a 12 lb brisket, but good lord was it worth it.

 

[Dan]

If you're going to Austin for barbecue try going to the Salt Lick. I went to the one in Driftwood south west of Austin. There is also one North of Austin and apparently in the airport in Austin but I wonder how good it can be there. Well worth it. And no lines! Great sauce and fabulous smoked sausage too. Better than Black's in Lockhart IMO. I'm no longer interested in waiting hours in line for food

 

[Midwesthonky]

Thanks for the write up! I also use a Weber Bullet for smoking. I've done 2 briskets this year with very different results. First was a 4.5 lb flat from my butcher that was nicely trimmed. I seasoned that baby overnight and it was awesome!

The second was From Costco like you had. Like you, I learned two things. One, I forgot to season/dry brine overnight so it only got 1 hour in the morning while I was firing up the smoker. Second, I really don't like the extra thick fat layer on the cuts from Costco. It's too much fat. While tender, the fat layer didn't break down well and the flavor was only ok. I suspect the fat layer reduced the smoke intake and also greatly reduced the ability for the rub to do it's job. Also, not getting an overnight brine hurt the flavor. On the other hand, eating the leftovers on a nice hard roll smothered in a good BBQ sauce the next day was very nice.

I'll have to try your posted rub recipe. I'm always looking to smoke up some meats. I need to do a pork shoulder.

I've also put brats on the smoker with the brisket. Lets me get a tasty lunch since they take much less time.

 

[2channel lover]

As I write this, I'm mid way into the first 3-4 hours of smoking.

Yesterday, I made a batch of BBQ sauce that I simply love. No store bought BBQ sauce comes close. Here's the recipe. It's called Fritz's BBQ sauce, and I found in another book, Weber’s Big Book of Grilling by Jamie Purviance & Sandra S. McRae (page 45). The recipe below makes 2 pints, but I've also made 4 pints by doubling everything.

Fritz's Barbeque Sauce

• Extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup - 2 oz.
• Chopped red onion ½ cup
• Minced or pressed garlic 2 teaspoons
• * Chicken broth (low salt) 1 cup - 8 oz.
• * Frozen OJ 4× concentrate ½ cup - 4 oz.
  OR
• * Better Than Bullion 1 teaspoon
  * plus 1× OJ 8-16 oz.
• Ketchup ¾ cup - 6 oz.
• Steak sauce (A1 or other) ½ cup - 4 oz.
• Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbl spoons
• White wine vinegar 1 Tbl spoon
• Finely ground coffee 1 Tbl spoon
• Dried chervil (or parsley) 2 teaspoons
• Ground celery seed ½ teaspoon
• Fresh ground black pepper ½ teaspoon

In a medium saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Add onion and garlic, cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add remaining ingredients and mix.

Frozen OJ concentrate is getting difficult to find. This is concentrated 4×, four ounces = 16 ounces of 1× OJ. Instead of using prepared chicken broth in a can or box, use ‘Better Than Bullion’ concentrated paste, 1 teaspoon of paste plus 1× OJ in the amounts shown in the table. This provides half the amount of orange juice without adding any extra liquid. If you do have frozen OJ concentrate, use Better Than Bullion plus water.

Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Use a blender to make sauce smooth (optional). I use a handheld blender that works directly in the sauce pan after the sauce cools for about 10 minutes. This way, I don't have to chop the onion into such small pieces.

Transfer to a bowl or glass jar and cover. Keeps well in the refrigerator for about 1 week, indefinitely if frozen. With all the sugar, this BBQ sauce can easily grow bacteria, so keep it cold.

For hotter sauce, set some aside in a smaller bowl; add Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper to taste.

Thanks!

I'm going to look into this sauce for my next brisket smoke.

I have a Primo XL ceramic smoker/grill...some of the same processes you've laid out here for brisket...I trim most all of the hard fat as well....instead of water I used whiskey and apple cider.

 

[panteragstk]

If you're going to Austin for barbecue try going to the Salt Lick. I went to the one in Driftwood south west of Austin. There is also one North of Austin and apparently in the airport in Austin but I wonder how good it can be there. Well worth it. And no lines! Great sauce and fabulous smoked sausage too. Better than Black's in Lockhart IMO. I'm no longer interested in waiting hours in line for food

I've heard a few people say that Salt Lick is good, but others not so much. I'm not sure they're going to the original though so that matters.

We have a Blacks here, but I wasn't impressed with their Brisket at all. Again, not the original Blacks, but everything else was pretty good.

I went to college with one of the Coopers and he told me that the original is the only one to go to. The others were garbage. The one in town wasn't good at all when it came to their meat, but their sides were excellent. Thought that was weird.

 

[Midwesthonky]

Thanks!

I'm going to look into this sauce for my next brisket smoke.

I have a Primo XL ceramic smoker/grill...some of the same processes you've laid out here for brisket...I trim most all of the hard fat as well....instead of water I used whiskey and apple cider.

I put a bit of apply cider and some bourbon (cheap stuff) in the pan with the brisket when I seal it up after the 3-4 hours initial smoke. It's tasty.

 

[2channel lover]

I put a bit of apply cider and some bourbon (cheap stuff) in the pan with the brisket when I seal it up after the 3-4 hours initial smoke. It's tasty.

I just used a 50/50 mix in a shallow aluminum pan and refilled once it got low (about 5 hrs in)...I'm more of a tequila drinker than a bourbon guy, but I used what I had in the liquor cabinet which was Buffalo Trace I think...my "good" bourbon is 4 roses single barrel.

It adds a nice flavor in addition to the moisture. I'm probably going to smoke another brisket for Labor Day weekend so I'm going to hang onto the this thread for the BBQ sauce recipe