Comp Practice Brisket

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Comp Practice Brisket

Postby Vindii » 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.

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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.

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Done. I need practice telling when there done. I think I overcooked it.

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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.

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And the flat after resting

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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.

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My first turn in box. You guys that do this a lot will laugh but I was happy just to make my first one.

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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.
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Postby salumi512 » Tue May 15, 2012 12:15 am

Hey Vindii,

The first pic shows the brisket as crumbly, which usually means it got too high of a temperature and dried out those pieces before the inside was done.

199 F is not a bad internal temp to go with as long as temps didn't flare up. If you have a flare then I would recommend foiling to help even things out. I usually pull at 185 F, but each brisket is a little different. The real test of done is when the thermometer goes in like butter throughout the brisket.

Your bark looks good.

One thing I have found is that it is important to keep the temperature under 250 F until the brisket reaches 160 F internal. After 160 F then it can take temps up to 300 F since it is releasing its own juices at that temperature.

Clean up your presentation some. I see sauce on the side of the box. Not that I would care about that. I would care if I saw crumbly pieces.

What style of sauce are you using?

You need to practice more and send us samples :wink:
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Postby Vindii » Tue May 15, 2012 1:06 am

Thanks.

I saw the sauce on the side afterwords. I was a bit pissed that my slices were so bad that I paid little attention to the box.

I used a combo of blue hog regular and blues hog Tennessee red. Regular is very very sweet and the red is spicy. They go good together.

Ive always heard that people cook brisket to at minimum 195. Some go 205. You have good results at 185? I checked this one at 195 and the probe went is like butter in some spots but other it had a little resistance. I think I was poking the large fat piece when it went in like butter and that the flat was actually done then but I was assuming it should poke like the fat was all over so I left it on. At 199 it was no different so I pulled it. I think I know better know what the probe should feel like. I think I'll poke it a few time at earlier temp next time to see how different it is.
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Postby salumi512 » Tue May 15, 2012 1:18 am

Well I start poking at 185 F. If something needs a little more then I rotate it to even it out. I believe that increasing the temperature once 160 F is reached and decreasing the smoke until done is what makes 185 F a good temp for me. I also let it rest wrapped for 45 minutes before slicing. That last step really let's the hot juices even things out as they are reabsorbed.

I work with a completely different rig, but these are my results.
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Postby solaryellow » Tue May 15, 2012 1:55 am

I have never entered a comp but my brisket always gets a lot of compliments from folks who do pay for it. You are welcome to give it a try. I have not left any secrets out of this thread.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/1180 ... nal-wisdom
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Postby salumi512 » Tue May 15, 2012 2:02 am

solaryellow wrote:I have never entered a comp but my brisket always gets a lot of compliments from folks who do pay for it. You are welcome to give it a try. I have not left any secrets out of this thread.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/1180 ... nal-wisdom


You don't rub your brisket until it goes on the pit? That's interesting. Mine is 8 hours ahead of time. But I use more paprika than you, and it helps the tenderizing process.

I like that your rub is simple. Salt to pepper ratio is interesting as well. I usually flip that on mine.
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Postby solaryellow » Tue May 15, 2012 2:21 am

salumi512 wrote:
solaryellow wrote:I have never entered a comp but my brisket always gets a lot of compliments from folks who do pay for it. You are welcome to give it a try. I have not left any secrets out of this thread.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/1180 ... nal-wisdom


You don't rub your brisket until it goes on the pit? That's interesting. Mine is 8 hours ahead of time. But I use more paprika than you, and it helps the tenderizing process.

I like that your rub is simple. Salt to pepper ratio is interesting as well. I usually flip that on mine.


Give it a try and let me know what you think. I get a lot of great feedback, but am always interested in hearing what a peer thinks.
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Postby Vindii » Tue May 15, 2012 2:22 am

Looking at your pics mines way overdone. Ill have to start checking it much sooner. I assume your slices still pull apart easy?

Thanks
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Postby solaryellow » Tue May 15, 2012 2:25 am

Vindii wrote:Looking at your pics mines way overdone. Ill have to start checking it much sooner. I assume your slices still pull apart easy?

Thanks


That depends. Are you shooting for a pulled brisket or a sliced brisket? I prefer sliced brisket.
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Postby salumi512 » Tue May 15, 2012 2:29 am

solaryellow wrote:Give it a try and let me know what you think. I get a lot of great feedback, but am always interested in hearing what a peer thinks.


I appreciate it, but I have Texas brisket down. I go full eastern NC for pulled pork though. My family is from that area.

Cheers
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Postby solaryellow » Tue May 15, 2012 2:33 am

salumi512 wrote:
solaryellow wrote:Give it a try and let me know what you think. I get a lot of great feedback, but am always interested in hearing what a peer thinks.


I appreciate it, but I have Texas brisket down. I go full eastern NC for pulled pork though. My family is from that area.

Cheers


Uh huh.
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Postby salumi512 » Tue May 15, 2012 2:43 am

solaryellow wrote:
salumi512 wrote:
solaryellow wrote:Give it a try and let me know what you think. I get a lot of great feedback, but am always interested in hearing what a peer thinks.


I appreciate it, but I have Texas brisket down. I go full eastern NC for pulled pork though. My family is from that area.

Cheers


Uh huh.


Or, you can take your infantile recipe and shove it. Rudeness is not acceptable.
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Postby solaryellow » Tue May 15, 2012 2:49 am

salumi512 wrote:
solaryellow wrote:
salumi512 wrote:
solaryellow wrote:Give it a try and let me know what you think. I get a lot of great feedback, but am always interested in hearing what a peer thinks.


I appreciate it, but I have Texas brisket down. I go full eastern NC for pulled pork though. My family is from that area.

Cheers


Uh huh.


Or, you can take your infantile recipe and shove it. Rudeness is not acceptable.


Ok.
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Postby mitchamus » Tue May 15, 2012 11:12 pm

You can hit on my wife!

But don't you dare talk smack about my BBQ!!!

:D :D :D

sorry guys - but that is too funny.

:lol:

looks delicious Vindii (as always!) - however it sliced!
Australia - Where the Beef sausage is King.
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Postby salumi512 » Wed May 16, 2012 2:05 am

mitchamus wrote:You can hit on my wife!

But don't you dare talk smack about my BBQ!!!


That one is true in some circumstances, but this one is more like Lonesome Dove where Woodrow says, "I can't stand rude behavior in a man, I won't tolerate it."
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