Alright the newbie wants to know what your cookin!

Roy · BBQ Pro Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 654 Location: Toronto

Pictures are appreciated. I'm trying my fourth brisket. Got the wife's family coming and don't want my name to be mud. I figure it's about 10 pounds and I've been defrosting it all day. Tonight I'll slather it with dijon and a little apple vinegar and rub it down with a standard dry rub and some assorted spices as I'm still learning, nothing too extreme. I'll get up early and fire up the smoker to 190 and then it's on to 145 internal. I have no idea how long that will take but I'll keep ypu Gentlemen informed. So what's cookin? Very Happy

sledgehammer03 · Posted: Sep 24 2005 Post subject:

Roy,

You gotta keep that Brisket on the smoker at a nice 200, til the internal is 190, at least. Going to take a minumum of 10 hours , and maybe 20. It seems like a long time, but it's gotta be done.

This isn't steak or a roast, so throw away your idea of rare and medium, etc. This is Q and brisket is either great or garbage Shocked

bigabyte · Posted: Sep 24 2005 Post subject:

Roy, listen to sledgehammer about the temp. Don't cook it to just 145. It will be as tough as a boot and taste just as good. Brisket is tough and tastes like crap until you get all the fat and connective tissues to break down. It is that fat and connective tissue basting the meat that gives brisket its special flavor. The brisket is a heavily used muscle on the cow so it is very, very tough and loaded with connective tissue. It will not break down until it has been heated for a long period of time. I cook mine to 195, but 190 will work fine. Until you get that stuff to break down and mingle with the meat it will be horrible. Trust me. Kick up your cooker temp. Sledgehammer said 200 and that will work. I like to cook mine around 220. Cooks faster and doesn't taste any different that way.
Make sure you cook it with the fat cap up and with the point (thick end) facing the firebox.
_________________
--Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working!

Roy · BBQ Pro Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 654 Location: Toronto

Wait I know I have to cook it to 190. The initial cook is just to maximize the smoke ring and then I'll crank it up. Laughing

Doc1680 · Posted: Sep 24 2005 Post subject:

doing a couple of butts sunday. still trying to decide if i'm going to throw some ribs on. Going to whip up some sauce tomorrow.

good luck on that brisket.
_________________
Love the voodoo that Q do.

Doc

Roy · BBQ Pro Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 654 Location: Toronto

I'm really impressed with the tomato based sauces you can do with a little imagination. Really delicious and I'v been focusing on them rather than shoppping for Q sauce which is cool in my estimation! Cool

mding38926 · Posted: Sep 24 2005 Post subject:

I am cooking nada this weekend. Gotta deal with tball (I am the coach) tomorrow followed by a trip to Old Dominion Speedway with my neighbor and daughter......then Sunday will be having a hot dog and peanuts with the wife at RFK Stadium for a Nats / Mets game.
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Dinger

Doc1680 · Posted: Sep 24 2005 Post subject:

Yeah Roy, once you start making sauces you won't stop. You'll always be saying, "man i bet that would tatse good". And you're back in the lab whipping up something new.
_________________
Love the voodoo that Q do.

Doc

Roy · BBQ Pro Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 654 Location: Toronto

OK she's been on for 4.5 hours at 185 and the internal is now 135. It's just starting to look like it's cooking. I'm struggling now. Do I turn it up to 245 or let it go and risk it not being done/tender at 6? I will flip it over at 5.5 hours cause I figure I've got 11 hours total. Help would be a good thing now guys. Confused

bigabyte · Posted: Sep 25 2005 Post subject:

I'd stick to your original plan. Crank it up at 145. Sonds like you got to 135 pretty quick, and you still have like 6 hours, right? I've never done it this way though, so I can't promise this will work.
_________________
--Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working!

Doc1680 · Posted: Sep 25 2005 Post subject:

yeah roy. bump the temp up a bit to get it to 190 -195. Pull it off. let it rest for a while. slice and enjoy. I've never done a cook at that low a temp. The good thing is that you know that it didn't overcook.
_________________
Love the voodoo that Q do.

Doc

Roy · BBQ Pro Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 654 Location: Toronto

OK I'm 8 hours in and it's looking good wish I had a camera link. Anyway I got 155 internal, I just flipped it for the second time and cranked it up to 245. So far so good! Smile

Roy · BBQ Pro Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 654 Location: Toronto

I believe I'm there. I got 180 internal at 4 PM. Turned it back down to 185 and will take it off at 5:30 let her rest till 6 and we'll see. Homemade slaw, potato salad, garden salad and brisket with homemade Q sauce! YMMMMMMMMMM PS lots of beer too! Cool

roxy · Posted: Sep 25 2005 Post subject:

Roy · BBQ Pro Joined: 13 Aug 2005 Posts: 654 Location: Toronto

Well I finally cooked a brisket. It was really really good. Juicy and tender. The low cook 185 worked really well and when I cranked it to 245 it came up to 180 with time to spare. The family loved it, said they'd never had anything like it. Of course because this is a gas fired BBQ wasteland. But that's gonna change as evidenced by the increasing number of Ribfests that are springing up through out the summer. Thanks to all that gave me the clues to pull it off! Now I'm off to win a golf tournament. It is a hard life but hey somebody's got to do it! Cool

Mr. Reaper · Posted: Sep 26 2005 Post subject: Brisket

If you pull it off at 145 it will be shoe leather tough and all but wasted. Take it up to 195-200 and hold it there an hour or so. Breaks down the cologen in the muscle and melts the top cap of fat through the meat.