Brisket

[bcoop]

Any BGE users. I got one for fathers day. Going to try a brisket this week.

Cheater.


I'm kidding. Kind of. I hear they work extremely well. But I'm a purist, so no BGE for me.

[Trick Pony]

Is anyone else uber paranoid like me and strip the logs of bark? I often wonder if I'm the only one that does this. The bark gives off a bitter flavor when it burns, which is minimal because the bark burns fast. I just try to avoid it all together, but man some loga can be a real pain in the ass.

I'm an anal bark stripper too.
Gosh that could have a lot of different meanings

[dblack1]

Best brisket I ever ate was done on a egg. I'm stoked about not having to dick with adding charcoal while cooking, this alone will make it worth it for me. I've got the same offset smoker in this thread and on a large butt I'd have to get out of bed twice to ad coals.

Some bge users are going over 20hrs at 225 on one load of coals.

I was shocked when I got home. We don't have kids yet, but she didn't want me to wait till my bday in december and waste precious moments of life without it. Smart woman.

[bcoop]

Best brisket I ever ate was done on a egg. I'm stoked about not having to dick with adding charcoal while cooking, this alone will make it worth it for me. I've got the same offset smoker in this thread and on a large butt I'd have to get out of bed twice to ad coals.

Some bge users are going over 20hrs at 225 on one load of coals.

There is part of your problem. Using coals.

[mstng86]

There is part of your problem. Using coals.

are briquets the key?

[dblack1]

There is part of your problem. Using coals.

I only use natural lump and hickory/white oak/cherry or whatever else I get from a bud who is a logger.

No briquets, just call it all coals.

[FreightTrain]

Great thread. I just bought my first smoker today and will be a beginner when it comes to smoking meat. I plan on smoking anything and everything, but will probably pop my cheery with a boston butt because I love pulled pork.

[YALE]

When I get back to Stephenville, I can hook folks up on mesquite if need be. A buddy of mine sells it by the trailer load.

[bcoop]

are briquets the key?

No, raw lump if youre going to use coal. I only use coal to get it going, and add a little more halfway through. Helps with heat. I read that as him using only coal. Which some people do, not sure why.

[kingjason]

Any BGE users. I got one for fathers day. Going to try a brisket this week.

You should throw that thing out right away. Just PM me your address before you do it. LOL If I had anymore patio space I would add one to the mix.

[mstng86]

I am going to have to go with hickory > mesquite. I have done a brisket for both, and the hickory was much more flavorful. Mesquite seemed to be a little too bitter.

[bcoop]

Mesquite seemed to be a little too bitter.

Debark your logs before cooking with them. Also, when smoking something for a long time, like brisket or pork, mix in some pecan. Pecan is a more mild smoke, and flavor. Both hickory and mesquite can be overpowering, so mixing in pecan is a great way to balance the smoke taste.

[mstng86]

Debark your logs before cooking with them. Also, when smoking something for a long time, like brisket or pork, mix in some pecan. Pecan is a more mild smoke, and flavor. Both hickory and mesquite can be overpowering, so mixing in pecan is a great way to balance the smoke taste.

Noted. Also, do you ever trim some of the fat to help with the cooking process. This last brisket had a good 3-4" of fat and I am thinking that made it take longer to cook.

Either that or my temps aren't right.

[bcoop]

Noted. Also, do you ever trim some of the fat to help with the cooking process. This last brisket had a good 3-4" of fat and I am thinking that made it take longer to cook.

Either that or my temps aren't right.

Sorry I didn't elaborate. The bark makes the smoke bitter. It's a pain in the butt to do, but worth the payoff.


I don't trim anything until after it cooks. And yes, the fat will hinder or slow down the process. My issue is that I need all that fat during the cooking cycle, as I don't want my briskets to dry out. I see these competition guys trimming every last ounce of exterior fat, and I don't understand why. Perhaps it's due to time. I'm not sure. What I will do, though, is cut on a diagonal, and a bias on the fat cap (1" squares). I cut through the cap just to the edge of the beef. This makes it nice and pretty when it comes off the smoker, but it also allows the rub to get down in there so it can flavor the meat instead of flavoring the fat that's going to get trimmed off. I have to go with the theory that the smoke penetrates the brisket faster as well.

Like this....

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beef_brisket_pot_roast/

[Silverback]

Sorry I didn't elaborate. The bark makes the smoke bitter. It's a pain in the butt to do, but worth the payoff.


I don't trim anything until after it cooks. And yes, the fat will hinder or slow down the process. My issue is that I need all that fat during the cooking cycle, as I don't want my briskets to dry out. I see these competition guys trimming every last ounce of exterior fat, and I don't understand why. Perhaps it's due to time. I'm not sure. What I will do, though, is cut on a diagonal, and a bias on the fat cap (1" squares). I cut through the cap just to the edge of the beef. This makes it nice and pretty when it comes off the smoker, but it also allows the rub to get down in there so it can flavor the meat instead of flavoring the fat that's going to get trimmed off. I have to go with the theory that the smoke penetrates the brisket faster as well.

Like this....

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bee...ket_pot_roast/

Brent, most of the competition guys do two things, inject the brisket, and use a water smoker for moisture.