my first all-nighter... brisket

cul8rv8 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Las Vegas, NV

OK, I tried a brisket once before on my electric smoker, I wasn't very successful (it was literally my first smoke ever). So I've done a few ribs, chicken, turkey, and butts since then on both my electric smoker and my friend's dads offset Char-Griller.

I've been camped out poolside all night at his house this time, smoking a brisket and so far I feel pretty confident, but did have a question for those in the know.

We put together a rub and rubbed it Thursday night, did an injection at about 10:30 pm last night, leaving the meat out to come up to room temp, then fired up the smoker at midnight last night, put the 9 lb brisket on at 1:00 am. It's currently 5:50 am here, I've really gotten a feel for his smoker and have kept it right around 225 all night. At 5:00 (4 hrs in) I opened it up to rotate the meat because the only "mod" on the smoker is the charcoal tray is flipped, so I want to make sure I don't have a hot spot drying the meat out. When I opened it up to rotate, I noticed the rub still seemed very wet, and I was expecting to at least see the start of some bark forming. Am I just being anxious? We did make up plenty of the injection so it can be used as a mop sauce if I need it, but I'm not really planning on mopping. I wasn't even really planning to inject, but my friend was convinced after watching a season of Pit Masters that since Myron injects, we should inject. Smile

So since it's her house and mostly her family coming, I gave in.

As for the rest of the cook so far, as I said, I feel pretty confident. I'm currently at 156* internal temp, have been for the last 50 minutes, which I know briskets like to plateau around 160, so I'm sure that's where I'm at right now. I've got some beef hot links my butcher makes, those will be going on probably around 8 or 9, we're shooting for eating around 1:30 or 2:00 pm. Having never cooked sausages, I'm figuring around 4 hours for those.

I've been trying to take pictures with my phone, but with a 3g iPhone with no flash, the night pictures don't show much, so I'll have more later I'm sure.

Thank goodness for Monster and Skoal. Smile

I don't think I would be able to stay up this long otherwise.
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cul8rv8 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Las Vegas, NV

also, forgot to mention above, I do have it fat-cap up, if that makes a difference.
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cul8rv8 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Las Vegas, NV

here's the pics I have so far...

applying the rub to the brisket

rubbed brisket

chilling by the pool watching the smoker

Thanks to tonights sponsors, Monster and Pandora radio

The sun is up, getting my second wind...

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darylcincy · Posted: Jul 03 2010 Post subject:

Sounds like your doing all right and havin fun. I'm smokin a 11 lb whole packer today and a 8 lb pork butt.
I dont let the meat sit out and warm to room temp, I believe you get more better smoke ring the colder the meat is when it goes on the pit, also I cook fat side down on my off-set because of the radiant heat the fat cap helps sheld the heat from the bottom.

-Daryl
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borncrazy · Posted: Jul 04 2010 Post subject:

no, you're ok with no bark yet. I get the sameway when my butts dont bark over in the first 5 hours. Just be patient,it'll form. Lookin good so far, need more pics!

bud-wie-ser · Posted: Jul 04 2010 Post subject:

Its normal to still have a wet surface 4 hrs in. Be patient and it will all work out.
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Korbs · Posted: Jul 04 2010 Post subject:

cul8, I'll be doing my all nighter tonight. Our grills look similar, how often did you have to refill the fire box?

cul8rv8 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Las Vegas, NV

I refilled one time. Everything turned out fantastic. Got more pics, just need to upload them to the internet. Too tired to do that now. Smile

I was just anxious on the bark, the brisket turned out way better than I could have hoped for, it was great. Good bark, good smoke ring, very tender, very flavorful.
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Korbs · Posted: Jul 04 2010 Post subject:

congrats on a quality smoke. I'm one hour in and only 17 to go. I can't wait to see your pictures. Hope my brisket turns out as good as yours.

cheers.

cul8rv8 · Joined: 07 Jul 2009 Posts: 13 Location: Las Vegas, NV

ok, here's the rest of my pictures.

I was getting tired, I forgot to throw in more wood for smoke on the sausages, so we foiled the brisket to avoid too much smoke, which worked like a charm.

Wrapped the brisket in a towel and threw it in a cooler, did the same with the sausages when they were done. Then when we were ready to eat, opened everything up.

Hard to see here, but behind the platter is the BBQ sauce choices. On the left is a jar of vinegar based sauce we made Thursday night, in the middle is a spicy tomato based sauce we made a while back for a snack at our weekly "man cave," lil' smokies in bbq sauce. This is my favorite sauce we've made so far. On the right is the wost BBQ sauce I've ever had. Smile

I hate Kraft BBQ sauce, and honey made it even worse. I don't get why some people would choose that over homemade sauce, but they had to have it. Smile

Same reason for the cheeseburger. My friend's parents didn't think her brother would eat BBQ, so they made him cheeseburgers. He loved the brisket.

Found a recipe on texasbarbeques.com for cowoy beans that weren't just your boring pork and beans. Green peppers, onion, garlic, bbq sauce, brown sugar, and pinto beans. Oh, and some crumbled bacon (which I made a couple weeks ago on this same smoker). Turned out fantastic!

The final product. Homemade potato salad, Texas Toast, Brisket with a few drops of vinegar based sauce, BBQ beans, and beef hot links with homemade spicy BBQ sauce, and a glass of iced tea.

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~ Jeff S.

cityevader · Posted: Jul 05 2010 Post subject:

Nice! I've got my first cook of ribs on the new uds's maiden voyage as we speak...hardly a half hour in though, so your pics are killing me!
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k.a.m. · Posted: Jul 06 2010 Post subject:

cul8rv8, congrats on your brisket it looks awesome. Very Happy

Nice bark, great color, and looks real moist. I like the plate up with the tater salad and beans. Nicely done my man. Very Happy

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Tim_Abrahamson · Posted: Jul 06 2010 Post subject:

I know you are tired from all that...but be honest...your an addict now!
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Rockpyle · Posted: Jul 06 2010 Post subject:

Looks like a really good spread. I've done the 6:00 am start for a dinner, but not the overnighter yet. That may come Labor day!

Rock
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patruns · Posted: Jul 07 2010 Post subject:

Very nice looking brisket! Great job! I'm not sure I have the stamina for an over-nighter..... Rolling Eyes

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Rayzer · Posted: Jul 08 2010 Post subject:

nice pics! The brisket looks great.
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BRBBQ · Posted: Jul 08 2010 Post subject:

That is some nice looking food. I used to do all nighters and everyone thought I was nuts. I soon looked for easier ways to cook food with out baby sitting smoker all night. I went to high heat or Uds and or both in my Uds. Either way it's what you want to do. Your food is looking good either way.

Huey · Posted: Jul 08 2010 Post subject:

Nice looking cook!

I'm surprised at how many of you baby sit your cookers on all night cooks. I have a cigar while stabilizing my temps, then come back every 15-30 minutes or so for the next hour or two (usually two). Then, at about 1AM, I go to sleep. (I start my cook at around 10PM or so.)

I wake at 7:30 or so and check on everything. Even when the fuel is all gone, the temps are high enough to recover quickly. My last cook (last Friday) I did two 11 pound briskets in 9.5 hours. The temp in the WSM hit 250 at 10:15PM, stayed that way through 1AM, and I woke up to a 240 degree cooker.