First brisket tomorrow on my new toy

Most all of you know how excited I was when I bought my Brinkmann Trailmaster LE, and how even MORE excited I was when I returned it and got the Old Country Ranch Hand at Academy for 250, cheaper than the Brinkmann. Tomorrow is her maiden voyage. Already seasoned her and did a few small cooks (did a pork loin and chicken one night, then some ribs a few nights ago). Even with the heat deflector, it cooks much hotter towards the fire than towards the smokestack. I was hoping my brisket would go from lid to rear, and not side to side, but it just barely doesn't fit. This will be my first packer cut...the smallest one Walmart had was 15 pounds, and it wasn't too terribly priced at 2.58 a pound. Will also have a Boston booty on there as well...Bells had them on sale for 1.19 a pound and I got 2 big 'uns. I keep reading and hour and a half per pound, so at 15 pounds, I'm looking at a hellacious cook.

I bought the correct Old Country Pitts temp gage and installed it in the predrilled hole in the lid, very center middle of the cooking chamber lid, and the problem is, once it starts reading 250 or so, stuff starts sizzling ever so slightly on the expanded metal cooking grate. I do plan on rotating the brisket around every 2 hours until it shrinks small enough for me to put it side to side where the smokestack is mounted at, that way its totally away from the hot fire. I had thought about rigging up a water pan to go under the cooking grate that way it'll cover the deflector plate and be under the butt...but, I'm still learning how to cook on it.

Hey, if it ends up being tough and dry, it'll go back on there smothered in BBQ sauce and it'll be the best beef jerky we ever had!

I ended up not cooking it and putting it in the freezer, rubbed and all. I got called into work Thursday afternoon and while I was at work, just got extremely sick. Headache, nauseous, frail and weak...Like someone had taken a 2x4 and wore it down to a toothpick on me. I ended up going to the ER last night and they gave me a spinal tap to make sure it wasn't menengitis. I am sore as HELL after that today guys and girls. I'm finally eating and drinking and the headache has subsided. People say that spinal taps don't hurt...but don't believe them. It was pretty awful.

That being said, it ended up just being a nasty virus. I'm supposed to be bed ridden until Monday but I'm pushing through it and going to work tomorrow regardless. Can't afford to miss any days, just can't bend my back much right now.

I knew something was up Wednesday night when I felt nauseous after being able to still smell the weird garlic brisket smell on my fingers after I washed my hands. Usually stuff like that doesn't bother me, but as bad as I feel, I have NO desire for BBQ until next week.

What would you do? Leave the brisket wrapped and seasoned, then toss it on the smoker after it thaws, or would you rinse all the seasoning off then re-season it?

Thanks guys. I appreciate it. I feel much better today, I've been able to keep down a sandwich, some homemade chicken stew and a few glasses of orange juice. My headache is still there, but it's coming and going. Probably going to smoke the briskie and butt one day next week.

I ended up having to go back to the ER and have been back for about an hour and a half, due to "post lumbar puncture headaches" (PLPHA) which is caused when there isn't enough fluid building back up to replenish what was drawn out for the sample. When I was laying flat, my headache eased off but as soon as I went vertical, it was like someone wailing on my head with a steel pipe. They ended up doing a blood patch, which is where they refill the spinal membrane with blood, of which I had already read HORROR stories about how bad they hurt and feel. Wasn't bad at all. I feel like a brand new man now...although that could be the vile of morphine they gave me for pain.

I figured I'd spare you guys and girls all the gory nasty stuff. The brisket will be smoked one day this week or next. Patience, patience. You will have pics!