PhilB
Knows what a fatty is.
Have hundreds of racks of pork ribs (still my favourite, and I've gotten quite good at them, if I say so myself), dozens of chickens (I tend to spatchcock and just smoke it Georgia style), many beef short ribs and side ribs, and a pork butt, I decided it was time to play with some brisket. I have an occasion next month where I'll probably have to cook a few, so time to get practicing.
Since I had never done it, I picked up a full packer (over 6kg/13lbs), and cracked open some notes I took while taking a class from Andy (Smoke on Wheels) many years ago.
Full image album: https://imgur.com/a/jDZKgYw
Here's what I did:
The original plan was to smoke with no foil, just nice and low and slow. In general, my rule is to try to do that before experimenting with foil, liquids, mops, higher temperature, etc...
I woke up and checked the remote around 3am and 5am, noticed we were in the stall, as expected (seem to recall around 150 or 160 internal temp based on the probes from the Smoke. I wasn't getting up to probe it properly with the Thermapen).
Around 8am, saw some beautiful bark on there. Temperature had just started to climb again, so knew we had many hours left.
Around 10am or so, I think we were around 180 (I think), so I knew it'd still be a while. Was expecting people for lunch-ish, so decided to foil both the flat and point to accelerate things a little.
At noon or so, the point was absolutely butter. The one picture where I lift it up is hard to tell, but it was very juicy. Let that rest for an hour or so, chopped it up, fried it in a cast iron pan with some bacon fat to crisp it nicely, added to pan, sauced, and threw it back on the smoker for the sauce to set.
Finally, by 1pm or so, the flat felt like butter all around when probed. I think the temps were between 200F - 204F, depending on thick part vs thin part. I pulled it, wrapped it a little better in foil, and into the cooler while surrounded with blankets (and with the pan of burnt ends as well, of course.)
Got it out of there at 2pm, and started slicing. You can see a tiny bit of juice there in the sliced picture. But, quite frankly, in my opinion, it was dry as hell.
Picking up a slice and using my finger to make it dangle on either side, the slices broke apart. Obviously, I would expect the ends to be dry, but not the centre of the flat.
Where did I screw up here? I could have pulled it earlier, but parts of the flat were still tough. I would have taken partially tough and the rest juicy over dry all around, though. I know that most people who foil do so with liquid, but I wanted to try just heat and smoke for the first time. I also know that when taking competition classes, teams foil with liquid *and* baste with more liquid (stock or similar concoction) before serving. Would the same slices with no liquid added be dry?
Also, we don't have the same grades of meat here in Canada, and I never checked with the butcher gave me. It was definitely a high end butcher, though...Could it just be I got a crappy brisket?
That being said, the burnt ends were absolutely the best I have had anywhere at all. They were absolutely fantastic, and most got devoured. The flat was palatable once some sauce was added, but I always believe that good meat should stand on its own.
Obviously, I will cook some more before the meeting I have to go to, but I would love some input. If this is just the nature of the beast and it absolutely requires liquid, that is a simple remedy.
Thanks.
Since I had never done it, I picked up a full packer (over 6kg/13lbs), and cracked open some notes I took while taking a class from Andy (Smoke on Wheels) many years ago.
Full image album: https://imgur.com/a/jDZKgYw
Here's what I did:
- Separated the point and flat, removed most of the fat caps.
- Rubbed (had some Plowboys Bovine Bold laying around).
- Injected the flat with some beef stock (made from some concentrate I had laying around and water).
- Back in the fridge for a few hours.
- Got smoker to 225, added brisket around 10pm, went to bed with Thermoworks Smoke remote next to me and the DigiQ manning the temp.
The original plan was to smoke with no foil, just nice and low and slow. In general, my rule is to try to do that before experimenting with foil, liquids, mops, higher temperature, etc...
I woke up and checked the remote around 3am and 5am, noticed we were in the stall, as expected (seem to recall around 150 or 160 internal temp based on the probes from the Smoke. I wasn't getting up to probe it properly with the Thermapen).
Around 8am, saw some beautiful bark on there. Temperature had just started to climb again, so knew we had many hours left.
Around 10am or so, I think we were around 180 (I think), so I knew it'd still be a while. Was expecting people for lunch-ish, so decided to foil both the flat and point to accelerate things a little.
At noon or so, the point was absolutely butter. The one picture where I lift it up is hard to tell, but it was very juicy. Let that rest for an hour or so, chopped it up, fried it in a cast iron pan with some bacon fat to crisp it nicely, added to pan, sauced, and threw it back on the smoker for the sauce to set.
Finally, by 1pm or so, the flat felt like butter all around when probed. I think the temps were between 200F - 204F, depending on thick part vs thin part. I pulled it, wrapped it a little better in foil, and into the cooler while surrounded with blankets (and with the pan of burnt ends as well, of course.)
Got it out of there at 2pm, and started slicing. You can see a tiny bit of juice there in the sliced picture. But, quite frankly, in my opinion, it was dry as hell.
Picking up a slice and using my finger to make it dangle on either side, the slices broke apart. Obviously, I would expect the ends to be dry, but not the centre of the flat.
Where did I screw up here? I could have pulled it earlier, but parts of the flat were still tough. I would have taken partially tough and the rest juicy over dry all around, though. I know that most people who foil do so with liquid, but I wanted to try just heat and smoke for the first time. I also know that when taking competition classes, teams foil with liquid *and* baste with more liquid (stock or similar concoction) before serving. Would the same slices with no liquid added be dry?
Also, we don't have the same grades of meat here in Canada, and I never checked with the butcher gave me. It was definitely a high end butcher, though...Could it just be I got a crappy brisket?
That being said, the burnt ends were absolutely the best I have had anywhere at all. They were absolutely fantastic, and most got devoured. The flat was palatable once some sauce was added, but I always believe that good meat should stand on its own.
Obviously, I will cook some more before the meeting I have to go to, but I would love some input. If this is just the nature of the beast and it absolutely requires liquid, that is a simple remedy.
Thanks.
