No wrap Brisket Tips and Techniques

Smoke Dad

Knows what a fatty is.
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While I respect the opinions on wrapping in foil, paper or not at all. This Thread is not a debate. I'm looking for all the cooks who don't wrap, especially if you are cooking on a stick burner like I am. Let's talk tips from selecting meat to resting after the cook, for getting a juicy tender brisket with amazing bark, WITHOUT WRAPPING. Don't forget the pics !
 
No pics...just tips...

Place a brisket on the pit at your desired temp. I like a no sugar seasoning & pit temps around 275-300.

Cook till tender.

Rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes...or pop in a cooler (wrapped) for longer holding times.

There you have it.
 
Yep. Not much to add to that. I can help with a pic tho. This was cooked ~300°

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I tend to slightly overcook them cuz that's How I like 'em .......I but Selects or Choice (when on Sale) from Wallymarts or Krogers - I like Thick Floppy Flats and Soft Points. I leave Fat Cap alone and just trim off and skinny edges or dangling pieces and I cut out All the hard Fat between point n flat and any other Hard or Yellow Fat. I pretty much stick to Adkins Wester Style BBQ Rub but I do like Oakridge Black Ops. I COAT the Brisket in Rub. Cook Fat cap down with point towards the firebox. I run 300*ish (275-325*). Pull when probe tender - usually 6-6.5 hrs but sometimes 7-8 hrs. I rest mine on a cookie Tray on stove top or counter with just a kitchen towel over it for 1-1.5 hrs. If I need to leave I'll put it in oven (off) to rest so me Brisket Loving Dogs don't get it.....
I do occasionally wrap in Butcher paper if Bark is getting too Dark too soon or edges Flat getting charred/ Hard.

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My stickburners are Verticals but I've cook many in horizontals too....

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Ok. Was it moist? How about the point? Those slices are from the flat aren't they?
 
Flat Slices - look dry but don't taste dry. I'll jut a corner off when I'm prepping Brisket so I know where to start slicing - can see in 2nd pic. If I'm cooking for a party or group I'll pour a lil warm beef broth over slices and sauce on side. At Home I pan the slices and suace with thinned Stubbs Original. Sometimes I chop the point and sometimes just slice it depending on how the slices look and amount of Fat.
 
Man that is awesome. I see you have a water pan. Do u cook fat side up or down? Bill I have watched that episode of Franklin lots of times. That's why I gotta do a no wrap brisket!
 
Man that is awesome. I see you have a water pan. Do u cook fat side up or down? Bill I have watched that episode of Franklin lots of times. That's why I gotta do a no wrap brisket!

I tend to slightly overcook them cuz that's How I like 'em .......I but Selects or Choice (when on Sale) from Wallymarts or Krogers - I like Thick Floppy Flats and Soft Points. I leave Fat Cap alone and just trim off and skinny edges or dangling pieces and I cut out All the hard Fat between point n flat and any other Hard or Yellow Fat. I pretty much stick to Adkins Wester Style BBQ Rub but I do like Oakridge Black Ops. I COAT the Brisket in Rub. Cook Fat cap down with point towards the firebox. I run 300*ish (275-325*). Pull when probe tender - usually 6-6.5 hrs but sometimes 7-8 hrs. I rest mine on a cookie Tray on stove top or counter with just a kitchen towel over it for 1-1.5 hrs. If I need to leave I'll put it in oven (off) to rest so me Brisket Loving Dogs don't get it.....
I do occasionally wrap in Butcher paper if Bark is getting too Dark too soon or edges Flat getting charred/ Hard.

Vmv4QJOl.jpeg

.

....
 
What about injecting? Have u tried that to help keep it moist too?
 
Injecting is for Flavor - has nothing to do with "moistness" ( unless it's a phosphate injection) - moist meat is from rendered Fat and connective tissue WITHIN the meat- turns to juices. Hence the Reason people want Well Marbled cuts be it Briskets or Steaks or whatever.
 
I've only made two briskets since my smoked BBQ inception (May, 2017), and I did not wrap either time (during the cook). The bark turned out great, in my opinion. So what did I do?

Salt & Pepper only rub.
Cooked between 225 and 250 on Weber Smokey Mountain, fat side up
Pulled the first one at 196 (didn't know any better), but my second one I pulled at 203

Did you mean only during the cook? I ask because I did wrap in foil and put in a cooler for the 2+ hour rests.

Here they are:

1st one was in May. 2nd in July.
 

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I am not a stick burner, but I do go nekkid the whole way in my cabinet and on the WSCG. The link in my signature has all the tips and steps that I have learned from this site.
 
No pics...just tips...

Place a brisket on the pit at your desired temp. I like a no sugar seasoning & pit temps around 275-300.

Cook till tender.

Rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes...or pop in a cooler (wrapped) for longer holding times.

There you have it.

BINGO

This is all it takes to make fantastic brisket. The only mildly difficult piece is knowing when it is truly tender, and that is real easy once you have seen it.
 
Never had success cooking at 300 and not wrapping. I cook my naked all the way briskets around 250-275; 275-300 when I wrap. Naked brisket at 300 turns out dry for me.
 
For those of you who cook naked, have you done just the flats like that and if so, what temp, resting length, etc.?
 
I do everything I can to avoid cooking just a flat in a smoker. Grind them up and mix into burger meat or cure them and make corned beef hash.
 
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