Smoked brisket & other BBQ recipes

[Swerd]

I think this is a good time to start a recipe thread on here...

Smoked Brisket & Dry Rub
from Legends of Texas Barbecue by Robb Walsh, page 218

This should be enough dry rub for 2 flat briskets, about 5 lbs. each.

3	Tbl spoon	Sea salt or kosher salt *
2½	Tbl spoon	Dark brown sugar
2	Tbl spoon	Paprika
2	tea spoon	Dry Mustard
2	tea spoon	Garlic powder
2	tea spoon	Onion powder
1½	tea spoon	Dried basil
1	tea spoon	Ground bay leaf
¾	tea spoon	Ground coriander
¾	tea spoon	Ground savory
¾	tea spoon	Dried thyme
¾	tea spoon	Ground black pepper
¾	tea spoon	Ground white pepper
⅛	tea spoon	Ground cumin

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* Note: The original recipe in the book called for ¼ cup (4 Tbl spoons) of salt. It was too salty. My brother tried 50% salt (⅛ cup, 2 Tbl spoon) and the meat didn’t tenderize despite plenty of extra cooking time. He later tried a kosher brisket (brined with salt water), dry rubbed it with 50% of the salt in the original recipe, and that did get tender. It seems the salt in the rub or the brine soak helps to keep moisture inside the meat during cooking. Apparently, this is needed to get it tender. Finally, I tried 75% as much salt (3 Tbl spoon) with a non-kosher brisket and it was just right.

I never have found ground bay leaf, so I've always done this without that. I don't think it made a big difference.

Liberally cover the entire surface of the meat with rub mixture and press it in. I let meat sit refrigerated in rub for ~36 hours (Thursday evening to Saturday morning). Overnight is OK. Smoke for 3-4 hours at ~250°, then wrap meat in aluminum foil and cook 3-4 more hours:

• I used Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) smoker with a water pan. Other smokers should do this just as well. I did not use a meat thermometer, but did monitor smoker (top rack) temperature in the smoker.
• I poured 1 large starter chimney of unlit hardwood charcoal into the fire bowl. Then I refilled the chimney, lit it, and added lit charcoal on top of unlit ones. I added cherry and pecan wood chunks, 4-6 each. I have also used apple and mesquite wood chunks successfully.
• After ~15 minutes of open burning, I assembled rest of smoker with water pan and meat on two racks and lid. Smoked for about 3 hours at ≤250° F. Add charcoal or wood as needed. After that, I removed meat, making sure to put the lid back on so that fire didn’t heat up.
• With 18" wide heavy duty aluminum foil, wrap the meat so it is sealed inside the foil, and put it back into smoker for ≥3 more hours at 250-300° until meat is ≥185° F. Cooking longer will do no harm, it won’t dry out. During this step, I added more charcoal to the fire to maintain temperature, but did not add more wood chunks or water in pan.
• After cooking, let meat rest inside aluminum foil for at least 30 minutes.

 

[Swerd]

Fritz's BBQ Sauce

Fritz’s Barbeque Sauce
page 45 of Weber’s Big Book of Grilling by Jamie Purviance & Sandra S. McRae

	2 pints	4 pints
Extra virgin olive oil	¼ cup - 2 oz.	½ cup - 4 oz.
Finely chopped red onion	½ cup	1 cup
Minced garlic	2 teaspoons	4 teaspoons
Chicken broth (low salt)	1 cup - 8 oz.	2 cup - 16 oz.
Ketchup	¾ cup - 6 oz.	1½ cup - 12 oz.
Frozen OJ concentrate	½ cup - 4 oz.	1 cup - 8 oz.
Steak sauce (A1 or other)	½ cup - 4 oz.	1 cup - 8 oz.
Worcestershire sauce	2 Tbl spoons	4 Tbl spoons
White wine vinegar	1 Tbl spoon	2 Tbl spoons
Finely ground coffee	1 Tbl spoon	2 Tbl spoons
Dried chervil (or parsley)	2 teaspoons	4 teaspoons
Ground celery seed	½ teaspoon	1 teaspoon
Fresh ground black pepper	½ teaspoon	1 teaspoon

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• In a medium saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke.
• Add onion and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add remaining ingredients and mix.
• Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Use a blender to make sauce smooth (optional).
• Transfer to a bowl and cover. Keeps well in the refrigerator for about 1 week, indefinitely if frozen. With all the sugar in ketchup, OJ, and A1 sauce, this BBQ sauce makes a great growth medium for bacteria.

If you want some sauce that is hotter, set some aside in a smaller bowl and add some Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper to taste.

 

[jcl]

Thanks for the recipes they look tasty. About to undergo a kitchen remodel so I'm thinking a smoker will work well as an alternate to the crock pot and grill. Birthday's coming up so perfect timing. Any recommendations on smokers? I'm a total newb. I like eating good bbq, but have never made it.

 

[Swerd]

Thanks for the recipes they look tasty. About to undergo a kitchen remodel so I'm thinking a smoker will work well as an alternate to the crock pot and grill. Birthday's coming up so perfect timing. Any recommendations on smokers? I'm a total newb. I like eating good bbq, but have never made it.

I have Weber smoker

Amazon.com: Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 18-1/2-Inch Charcoal Smoker, Black: Patio, Lawn & Garden.

It uses charcoal, which I prefer. There are other smokers that use electric heat, and they're OK. I would avoid a propane gas powered smoker as burning propane produces enough water vapor to change how you do BBQ from smoking to steaming.

Every thing useful about smoking I learned here
The Virtual Weber Bullet - For the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker smoker enthusiast

 

[ImcLoud]

I have an amerique works well but kind of the You need no brain to BBQ smoker http://www.cookshack.com/store/Smokers_2/AmeriQue-Model-SM066

 

[macddmac]

Frigid weather is killin me here! Can't wait to try Swerd's recipes on the open range.
The Open Range Reverse Lid Patio Smoker on eBay!
Cheers, Mac

 

[Dan]

Now that I'm recovering from the flu I will get up my smoked turkey recipe and my yellow South Carolina style based sauce up soon. I also have a smoked bone in prime rib to share as well hopefully tonite. A word on the brisket since Swerd and I share he recipe. I find that if the brisket gets to 190 or 195 internal it is better and more tender but may take an extra hour or two to get there. I also keep it a little cooler than he does as well about 225. Knowing the temp of the smoker and the internal meat temp are critical especially in brisket to getting reproducible results. It doesn't pay to wing it when there is that much time involved.

 

[lsiberian]

If there is one thing it's easy to find around here it's good brisket. Thank you for making me hungry for brisket. Good thing I'll be having some.

 

[Dan]

Here is my yellow sauce recipe which is very easy and yummy if you like this style. It is based on the following site: South Carolina's Mustard Barbeque Sauce Recipe Reigns Supreme! and modified by my visit to Sweatman's BBQ in Holly Hill SC (near the intersection of I-95 and I-26, the best I have had in limited experience. It is best on pork or poultry.


1/2 cup of prepared yellow mustard, 1/4 cup of cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar (dark), 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of Worstershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (powdered), and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. For the mustard use 1/3 grey poupon and 2/3 Gulden's spicy brown mustard. The original recipe uses double the pepper but I like this version better. Mix everything together in a tupperware type container cover and shake like crazy. Better after a night in the fridge. No cooking required.

 

[ACsGreens]

I purchased a Blazn' Grill Works about a year ago and really like it. I purchased it out of convenience as I do not have hour upon hour to physically man a log burning smoker. Good product, very well made machine.

blazngrillworks.com

AC

 

[Dan]

Slow Smoked Prime Rib

Primo meat, killer smoke. Slightly modded from Weber's Big Book of Grilling

Make a paste out of:
1/4 cup each of chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh oregano, chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh rosemary and finely chopped garlic mixed with
3 TBSP Extra virgin Olive Oil
1 TBSP Fresh ground black pepper
1 TBSP Kosher salt

You can use any size bone in prime rib (I used a 7 rib 14 pounder). Smear the paste over the meat and wrap in cheesecloth to keep the paste on.

Use cherry, pecan, mesquite or oak chunks for smoke.

Smoke at about 300 degrees until internal temp is 135. Tent with aluminum foil and let it rest 30 minutes. Remove cheesecloth before carving. 135 is perfect medium rare.

 

[Dan]

Smokin the Thanksgiving Bird Apple brine

I've never had a fried turkey and after this I never want anything else. From Virtual Weber Bullet.com

Brine the bird (yes it matters) about 36 hours before the smoke.


2 quarts apple cider
1 lb brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
3 quarts water
3 oranges, quartered
2 ounces fresh ginger, sliced thin
15 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

Apple cider, brown sugar and salt in a pot and boil over high heat stirring to dissolve. Boil for 1 minute and rmove from heat. Let mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate to 40 degrees.

In a large plastic bucket or brining bag combine the cider mixture with the other ingredients and add a 12-14 lb rinsed turkey so it is fully submerged. Use a heavy weight if needed to keep the bird submerged for 24 hours in the fridge.

12 hours before the smoke remove the bird from the brine and pitch out the brine. Rinse the brine off thoroughly. Dry the bird thoroughly with paper towels. Use at least one whole roll. If you don't the skin won't get crispy. Put back in the fridge for the last 12 hours on a rack so air can circulate around the bird.

Smoke using apple chunks. 4-6 outta do it. Don't oversmoke the bird which is easy to do. Coat the bird in butter or vegetable oil and smoke at about 300 for 3-4 hours until breast is 165. Try to set up a pan to catch the drippings for gravy or juice. Let rest for 30 minutes.

I have varied the original recipe slightly using less ginger. The original is here: Whole Turkey - Apple Brine - The Virtual Weber Bullet

DO NOT USE A SELF BASTING TURKEY (pictures from virtualweberbullet.com)

 

[diwit]

Slow Smoked Prime Rib

Primo meat, killer smoke. Slightly modded from Weber's Big Book of Grilling

Make a paste out of:
1/4 cup each of chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh oregano, chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh rosemary, and finely chopped garlic mixed with
3 TBSP Extra virgin Olive Oil
1 TBSP Fresh ground black pepper
1 TBSP Kosher salt

You can use any size bone in prime rib tenderness (I used 7-rib 14-pounders). Smear the paste over the meat and wrap it in cheesecloth to keep the paste on.

Use cherry, pecan, mesquite, or oak chunks for smoke.

Smoke at about 300 degrees until internal temp is 135. Tent with aluminum foil and let it rest for 30 minutes. Remove cheesecloth before carving. 135 is perfect medium rare.

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Hey. I wanna try my hand at preparing a smoked brisket. Please give me the best recipe possible. Awaiting responses from all of you. Thanks a lot !!!