Smoked Brisket #2

 

 

Ok, I confess this may be the least satisfying of my posts.  I have only 2 photos, none of those classic before and after shots.  Don’t ask why, I had the opportunities.  It just didn’t happen. 

 

So, the tradeoff is that I have solid information on what I did. And….. this was by far the best brisket I have ever cooked. 

 

Step 1:  Alarm goes off at 7:00 AM.  Ryan is already up.  I go outside and start the Egg.  Fogo lump was already set up and ready to go.  Flame Boss is set for 270, higher than the typical 220-230 at which most people smoke, but I don’t have the time. 

 

Step 2:  Trim and season the brisket.  It’s a prime 12lb’er from Costco.  I trim off the hard fat as it will not render.  I salt and pepper and then treat with a nice all-purpose rub from Dizzy Pig.  Ryan is insistent on also using a beef injection, so he takes care of that.  This is a photo I wish I had.

 

Step 3:  We put her on the Egg at 8:30 with platesetter legs up.  The temp is only about 240 so far, but it will catch up.  It does and settles in. 

 

After a couple of hours, I notice that the brisket temp is rising quickly.  I drop the Egg down to 240.  The Flame Boss is acting up and not giving me a good time chart.  It’s controlling time perfectly, just a bad chart on the app.  Support is notified.

 

Around 1:15 PM and at 165 degrees internal we wrap the brisket.  In foil, not paper.  The Texas Crutch.  I likely won’t get beautiful bark, but it’s time that concerns me most. 

 

Honestly, when we do this, I get worried.  The flat of the brisket looks pretty rigid, not flexible at all.  Did I start it too hot?  All I can do is wait.  And, no real stall.  A brisket or pork butt will usually stay at 160 or so for an hour or more while all the internal fat renders.  The stall scares rookie BBQ’ers but this is the magic time when a brisket becomes tender.  Ours stayed at 165 for about 30 minutes and then kept rising.

 

We pull the brisket at 6:30 at an internal temperature of 202.  About 10 hours.  We keep the foil on it and wrap it in a towel and then put into a cooler for an hour.  What is commonly called FTC, for foil, towel cooler. 

 

An hour later, Ellen starts to pull it out but says it is too hot – a good sign.  We put her on a cutting board, locate the grain of the meat and start carving 90 degrees to the grain.  Always important.

 

Photo time!!

 

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This baby was perfect, even though I had warned Ellen and Ryan that it may not be ideal – I was thinking back to when I wrapped it.  Beautifully tender.  Although Ryan carves slices thicker than normal, they are pull apart tender.  And, a big beautiful smoke ring – the sign of BBQ honor. 

 

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Is it odd that we have such a beautiful smoke ring considering I didn’t use any wood, hence no smoke?  Not really.  Brisket doesn’t really call for wood, although it’s used a lot.   No classic shot of the slice dangling over a knife or fork – trust me, it would have. 

 

After dinner, I cut off the point, carve up cubes, put them into an aluminum pan, add BBQ sauce and then into the oven at 300 for an hour for burnt ends.  Not typical, but again, it was a timing thing.  They are tasty, but I wish 2 more hours on the Egg were possible. 

 

Happy? Oh yeah….  Just watching that brisket jiggle when we were removing the point.  It is a thing of beauty. 

 

Almost all the lump was gone, so no more 270 degrees.  Will likely start at 250 next time I do one.   

 

Even though we have tons of leftovers, I can’t wait to do it again.