Getting ready to smoke my first Beef Brisket

[brucered]

The collagen in the meat starts breaking down in the meat in the 190 range and that is what's needed to make for a tender brisket. I take mine up to 205°.

Are you foiling or towel/cooler it at a lower temp and letting it come up to 205?

 

[Wid]

I foil at 160° and bring it up to 200° to 205° then rest it in a cooler for an hour or so.

 

[brucered]

I foil at 160° and bring it up to 200° to 205° then rest it in a cooler for an hour or so.

Thanks and that makes sense.

I warned everyone in the BBQ thread that I'd have a ton of questions before I smoked something like this

 

[Dirk-Lerxst-Pratt]

I foil at 160° and bring it up to 200° to 205° then rest it in a cooler for an hour or so.

+1.

That's usually the secret sauce. However, let your thermapen tell you when it's really done. Not by temp, but by zero resistance when placed.

 

[Wid]

+1.

That's usually the secret sauce. However, let your thermapen tell you when it's really done. Not by temp, but by zero resistance when placed.

Agreed but first or second time out temps are a better target not knowing what to look/feel for.

 

[brucered]

+1.

That's usually the secret sauce. However, let your thermapen tell you when it's really done. Not by temp, but by zero resistance when placed.

Agreed but first or second time out temps are a better target not knowing what to look/feel for.

Agreed. I will be using this first smoke as more of a test/experiment. My hope is it goes smoothly, but realize there will be some hiccups.

As for knowing when it's done, I'll have to rely on Temps this time and the trusty Thermapen. I'll use the numbers thrown around in this thread as a guideline and pick a range/number to do the foiling and cutting at.

I'll be sure to note how it feels, so I can better gauge the next time if any modifications to time/temps/doneness are needed.

 

[Jim]

Bruce it won't be done at 180 or 185- in fact it may stall at 180 for 5 hours or even more. forget time every piece of meat is its own boss. Shoot for 190-195 and see how it feels when you probe.
Dont worry its going to be great. Even if everything goes boobs up you can always drag it inside and finish it in a 300 deg oven.

 

[brucered]

Bruce it won't be done at 180 or 185- in fact it may stall at 180 for 5 hours or even more. forget time every piece of meat is its own boss. Shoot for 190-195 and see how it feels when you probe.
Dont worry its going to be great. Even if everything goes boobs up you can always drag it inside and finish it in a 300 deg oven.

Got it. Thanks Jim.

I'm quite excited to finally smoking a brisket and tested out the thermometer tonight.

Thanks to everyone for their help...and don't worry, there will be plenty of Grill Porn on Smoke Day.

 

[Dirk-Lerxst-Pratt]

Bruce it won't be done at 180 or 185- in fact it may stall at 180 for 5 hours or even more. forget time every piece of meat is its own boss. Shoot for 190-195 and see how it feels when you probe.
Dont worry its going to be great. Even if everything goes boobs up you can always drag it inside and finish it in a 300 deg oven.

Absolutely spot on(of course).This is why I do most of my smoking late at night. Once I have my egg dialed in I can go to sleep and let the meat do it's thing. The alarms on the Maverick used to be my security blanket. Now I don't even set them. Usually by morning it's foil time for my flats.

 

[brucered]

so just to be clear on the temps...here is how I understand the actually smoking process (Rub will be placed on meat 24hrs prior, wrapped in foil and place in fridge):

1) Smoke on BBQ for XX hours until internal temp of Brisket hits 160-165*.
1a) Take lots of pics
2) Wrap tightly in foil and place back on smoker.
2a) Take lots of pics
3) When internal temp of Brisket hits 200-205* (based on temps and feel of meat/probe entering etc), it's ready to Foil.
3a) Take lots of pics
4) Re-foil if needed and place in cooler for at least an hour or longer to settle.
4a) Take lots of pics
5) Check for grain, slice across, serve and enjoy.
5a) Take lots of pics
6) Report back here, post pics and describe how awesome the meat was and thank everyone for their help.

I may be asking a few "PREP & TECH" questions once I have the cooking times and temps narrowed down. ie) Pre-trimming fat, fat down or fat up, leave fast as-is for first smoke, trim just thick pieces, trim entire, rotating during cooking etc.

 

[Wid]

Don't choke out the smoker leave the brisket on, foiled, till the meat reads 200°. Then let it rest for an hour (at least) in a cooler wrapped in towel(s).

 

[brucered]

Don't choke out the smoker leave the brisket on, foiled, till the meat reads 200°. Then let it rest for an hour (at least) in a cooler wrapped in towel(s).

Got it. Made the edit. Thanks!

I know there are many different methods, many different ways and it will likely turn out just fine.

 

[Wid]

You'll do fine, enjoy the process

 

[Jim]

so just to be clear on the temps...here is how I understand the actually smoking process (Rub will be placed on meat 24hrs prior, wrapped in foil and place in fridge):

1) Smoke on BBQ for XX hours until internal temp of Brisket hits 160-165*.
1a) Take lots of pics
2) Wrap tightly in foil and place back on smoker.
2a) Take lots of pics
3) When internal temp of Brisket hits 200-205* (based on temps and feel of meat/probe entering etc), it's ready to Foil.
3a) Take lots of pics
4) Wrap tightly in foil, wrap in towels, place in cooler for at least an hour or longer to settle.
4a) Take lots of pics
5) Check for grain, slice across, serve and enjoy.
5a) Take lots of pics
6) Report back here, post pics and describe how awesome the meat was and thank everyone for their help.

I may be asking a few "PREP & TECH" questions once I have the cooking times and temps narrowed down. ie) Pre-trimming fat, fat down or fat up, leave fast as-is for first smoke, trim just thick pieces, trim entire, rotating during cooking etc.

Well you only have to foil it once-

 

[Borderdog]

I generally wrap a second layer of foil around it after pulling it off the smoker. It's an issue of messiness. If you can get a foiled brisket off of a smoker without puncturing or tearing the foil, you've got the hands of a surgeon.

 

[brucered]

Well you only have to foil it once-

If it comes off with holes and leaks in the foil, I'll rewrap. It likely will.

This brisket can't get on the smoker quick enough! I know I'm over-thinking things now and probably driving the Mess Hall people bonkers.

 

[Mick]

Well you only have to foil it once-

Foil me once, shame on you

Foil me twice shame on me

 

[Jim]

Get some commercial size and weight foil for BBQing- its available at some of the big box stores. Kirkland has one # RK624, worth the small extra expense and it lasts a long time with 500 feet n the box.
You can get all sorts of fancy by tying a couple strings around the foil wrapped meat to give you a handle and cradle effect and place it on a good pile of newspapers for resting.

 

[brucered]

We usually have a big roll of BBQ / Commercial grade foil on hand.

I even use it just for tenting my meats on my platter as its much wider and covers in one swoop.

 

[staplesjo]

Pick a nice rub with low sugar content (it will burn) and with a good black pepper ratio. Black pepper goes really well with brisket. Temp is up to you, I like about 260 to 280, but many like lower and then there is hot a fast. Get the tbs rolling and sit back and enjoy your beverage of choice.