Comp Practice Brisket
Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 11:56 pm
I did a practice run for a comp brisket this weekend. This would be the first turn in box I’ve attempted. Go easy it needs some work. Feel free to offer any advice or criticism if it something that I can learn from.
The biggest thing I wanted to do was get the timing nailed down as close as possible. My last brisket took 16 hours at 225 so I wanted to get something a little faster. I cooked this at 250 and will more than likely keep the temp there. I put it on at 12:30 am while the temp on the keg as still climbing. It was around 140 hood temp. I had it around 255 using the pitmaster before going to bed. I woke up at 7:30 with the keg at 285 and the pitmaster in the red. Not sure why. It climbed to 290 before it started to come back down. I didn’t mess with it, just went with it. Pulled the brisket after 11.5 hours at 199 IT. Still have a hard time telling when there done.
12.6lb brisket rubbed heavily with plowboys and injected with butchers.
On the keg. I used cherry wood chunks. I might have used too many as it had a lot of smoke taste. Almost to the point of too much on some bites. On the edge of bitter/too smoky but not all of it. It was weird. Never used cherry before so not sure if it’s the kind of wood or the amount. Im thinking its how much I used and that I didn’t foil it at all.
Done. I need practice telling when there done. I think I overcooked it.
I cut off the point and wrapped the flat for the hot box. Chopped up the point, added more sauce and rub and put it back on the keg
Here the burnt ends when they were done.
And the flat after resting
Carnage while slicing. Every one I’ve made the ends of the slices break apart. I had trouble finding 6 good enough slices to put in the box. And there really not good enough there just the best I had. Not sure if it would be better to cut off the ends and make them shorter so they stay together? I would think they would score you down either way.
My first turn in box. You guys that do this a lot will laugh but I was happy just to make my first one.
Overall I wasn’t real happy with it. The last 2 brisket I’ve made were better. Some bits had too much smoke or even a bit of a bitter taste. Most of it was fine though. It was odd that the burnt ends didn’t have any of that taste and they were on the keg 5 hours longer (not much smoke by that point though) It was a bit dry for my liking. I was disappointed that the keg didn’t hold a more consistent temp as I really need to get the timing down. This brisket was also frozen so Im not sure how that factored into it.
We did eat it for dinner and I took the rest to work for lunch with some au jus added in and everyone liked it. Some could taste the heavy smoke. It almost gave it a spicy flavor. Part of its that Im just getting pickier as this would have been fine for a party.
Next time I think I’ll foil it part way though to keep it from getting too much smoke and keep it moist.
Any advice is welcome.
The biggest thing I wanted to do was get the timing nailed down as close as possible. My last brisket took 16 hours at 225 so I wanted to get something a little faster. I cooked this at 250 and will more than likely keep the temp there. I put it on at 12:30 am while the temp on the keg as still climbing. It was around 140 hood temp. I had it around 255 using the pitmaster before going to bed. I woke up at 7:30 with the keg at 285 and the pitmaster in the red. Not sure why. It climbed to 290 before it started to come back down. I didn’t mess with it, just went with it. Pulled the brisket after 11.5 hours at 199 IT. Still have a hard time telling when there done.
12.6lb brisket rubbed heavily with plowboys and injected with butchers.
On the keg. I used cherry wood chunks. I might have used too many as it had a lot of smoke taste. Almost to the point of too much on some bites. On the edge of bitter/too smoky but not all of it. It was weird. Never used cherry before so not sure if it’s the kind of wood or the amount. Im thinking its how much I used and that I didn’t foil it at all.
Done. I need practice telling when there done. I think I overcooked it.
I cut off the point and wrapped the flat for the hot box. Chopped up the point, added more sauce and rub and put it back on the keg
Here the burnt ends when they were done.
And the flat after resting
Carnage while slicing. Every one I’ve made the ends of the slices break apart. I had trouble finding 6 good enough slices to put in the box. And there really not good enough there just the best I had. Not sure if it would be better to cut off the ends and make them shorter so they stay together? I would think they would score you down either way.
My first turn in box. You guys that do this a lot will laugh but I was happy just to make my first one.
Overall I wasn’t real happy with it. The last 2 brisket I’ve made were better. Some bits had too much smoke or even a bit of a bitter taste. Most of it was fine though. It was odd that the burnt ends didn’t have any of that taste and they were on the keg 5 hours longer (not much smoke by that point though) It was a bit dry for my liking. I was disappointed that the keg didn’t hold a more consistent temp as I really need to get the timing down. This brisket was also frozen so Im not sure how that factored into it.
We did eat it for dinner and I took the rest to work for lunch with some au jus added in and everyone liked it. Some could taste the heavy smoke. It almost gave it a spicy flavor. Part of its that Im just getting pickier as this would have been fine for a party.
Next time I think I’ll foil it part way though to keep it from getting too much smoke and keep it moist.
Any advice is welcome.