Another First Timer Brisket

[Sugar Ray]

Hello, recently received my #3 and smoking a brisket overnight.  Using suggestions from a bunch of posts decided to keep it simple. This is the plan and always open to suggestions.

On short notice purchased a 6 1/2# packer, Choice Angus(all they had). Didn't trim since there didn't appear to be more than a 1/2" of fat anywhere.
Seasoned with kosher salt and refrigerated at 1pm. Planning to take out at 11pm and season again with yellow mustard, course black pepper and garlic powder.
Lined smoker with foil on bottom and smoker box. Made hole for drain and will have pan below.
Into the high rack on the smoker, cap down with instant read prongs attached, a tin of apple juice on the bottom and 225 heat.

Remove at 195, wrap, place in cooler for an hour or so, and enjoy.
So goes the best laid plans...

Thanks, Ray

 

[swthorpe]

Your plan sounds good to me.  Let us know how it turns out.

 

[SconnieQ]

Your plan sounds good. 6-1/2 pounds would be too small for a packer. Based on the size, and how you described the fat cap, I believe what you have is a flat. Good move not trimming any fat. Most first-timers can't resist over-trimming. Briskets take 1 to 1-1/2 hours per pound. Based on the smaller size, yours will probably take closer to 1-1/2 hours per pound, so around 9-10 hours to smoke (go by 195 internal temp though, not time), then wrap and rest for 1-2 hours. Total time you should allow is 10-12 hours, so if you put it on at 11 pm, you should be ready to slice and serve between 9-11 am (maybe sooner). So if you are looking to have brisket at around noon on Sunday, your plan sounds just right. If your brisket is done ahead of time, it can rest for several hours, double wrapped in foil, wrapped in towels and placed in a cooler. I have rested mine in the cooler for 5 hours, and it was still nice and hot. The extra rest does not hurt anything, and just improves it. You always want to plan with plenty of time to spare. There is nothing worse than a brisket that's not done in time, and trying to raise the temp, pull too soon, skip the rest, etc.

 

[Sugar Ray]

Thanks Karl, I thought the same thing thinking it was the flat only. One of the butchers at my market kept saying it was the whole thing, the packer. I figured as you said but it doesn't matter, I'll pull it at 195. Planning to have it for football tomorrow so it looks like I'll end up wrapping it for a while. Glad it won't hurt the outcome.

 

[SconnieQ]

You'll know a whole packer when you see it. It practically takes two arms to carry it. It will be between 12-18 pounds. Grocery store meat market staff are not very educated or familiar with cuts of meat. I've tried to deal with them getting untrimmed brisket, but they have no clue, and I've given up. If you have a Costco in your area, you might want to check them out for great brisket at great prices. Sam's is great for pork butt.

 

[drains]

http://virtualweberbullet.com/virtualbrisket.html

Check this out Ray, it shows a packer and lets you rotate it so you can see each side and top to bottom so you'll know what to look for next time.

 

[Sugar Ray]

Thanks guys, definitely not a packer. Luckily and unluckily I do have a long time Costco membership and will purchase there in the future . My wife is a regular.

 

[Sugar Ray]

Update: set to 225 @ 11:40pm, 2:30 this morning internal temp was 165, 7am was 171, it's 187 at 10hr mark, 9:40am.

Not sure if my smoker heat probe is off but I've been getting pretty wide variations in temps. Set at 225 and have seen temps from 221 to 267. 264 right now. When I seasoned the smoker I had an oven thermometer sitting on the back bracket and it read a perfect 250 at the end of the seasoning(4hrs).

If accurate are these swings normal? Thanks.

 

[SconnieQ]

Sounds like it's on track for being done in the 11-12 hour range. Smaller pieces of meat take more hours per pound, so sounds like yours will end up somewhere between 1-1/2 to 2 hours per pound. That's normal. Those last few degrees can take quite a while, so don't panic. Make sure you give it at least an hour wrap and rest if time allows. Not sure if you are eating around noon...

Your temperature swings are normal. I have the same swings on my #1. They do seem to tighten up over time a little bit, as your smoker gets more seasoned, but you will always have swings. You will also have larger swings at the beginning of your smoke, but they will swing less toward the end. It's fine. They average out. Your indoor oven does the same thing. It's the nature of the analog controller. It is not at all detrimental to your meat. I don't even bother to monitor the box temp anymore. I've done enough smoking to know the swings are just fine.

 

[Sugar Ray]

Got to 191 around 10:45, removed, double wrapped, towel wrapped and into the cooler. Hopefully my logic was right but I took it out a bit early since I'm not planning to eat until 1:30?

 

[SconnieQ]

You will find a wide variety of opinions on final temps for brisket. I like 195 in the flat, and 200-205 in the point. Some people here will remove their flats in the low 190s. Did it seem kind of soft and "floppy" when you took it out? You'll know the "feel" once you get a few briskets under your belt. Sounds like you've got time for a nice long wrap and rest (2+ hours), so that's good. That will help keep it moist. Let us know how it turned out!

 

[Sugar Ray]

Just realized I referred to you as Karl. Obviously I need better eyes! My apologies.

It seemed moist and had some flop to it. I was handling with kid gloves since all I could picture was it breaking in half. I'll know soon enough.

 

[Sugar Ray]

Brisket Report:

I have to give it a solid C.

Salt/Pepper mix off. Too salty and a bit too peppery. My fault, seasoned by eye.
Brisket on the thinner end was dry, towards the middle was better but once cut and served, quickly dried. I wont say it was tough, but maybe firm.

On the positive side the meat took the smoke well and was flavorful.

 

[SconnieQ]

Maybe needed more time to get to 195+. Flats are tricky. The thin end is almost always going to be a bit drier than the rest. But my guess is that at 191, not all of the connective tissue and collagen had converted to gelatin, so the texture was more firm. Get yourself one of those PRIME whole packer briskets from Costco next time. Probably a lot less per pound than you paid for the Choice flat at the market. Prime makes a difference. Keep in mind also, beef is an animal, and not all animals are created equal. There is not always consistency between animals. I have cut back myself a lot on the pepper in my rubs in recent years. I like the smoke flavor to speak for itself. Salt on the other hand is essential, but might require some tweaking.

 

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Cooking two flats tomorrow which weigh in at 3 lbs each and not to mention that in the past i have had problems with the meat not being tender enough due to the fact that they have been smaller cuts ( so i have been told ) even though i have smoked them @ 1 & 1/2 hours per pound any suggestions on cook time would be helpful .   

 

[SconnieQ]

Flats that small are going to be tricky. You might want to plan on 2 hours per pound to be safe. So that would be about 6 hours. And maybe build 8 hours into your timeline. They can always rest for longer. And I don't normally suggest foil wrapping during the cook, but for small flats like that, I would suggest wrapping with foil and putting back in the smoker when they are at around the 170 range. Chances are with flats that size, they've been heavily trimmed of fat too, so don't trim any fat.