BeardedBassGuy
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- Sep 27, 2017
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So last week, the wife saw Kroger had choice brisket on sale for $1.77 a pound. She wants some, so I say no big deal I can handle that. Except when we arrived at our usual Kroger on Friday afternoon, they didn't have any in stock. No big deal, there's another Kroger along the way to pick up the kid from daycare.
Stop at that Kroger, they have some. However. Every brisket had HUGE portions of fat , and literally had major portions of the flat that were less than 1/4" thick overall. By the time I trimmed, I'd have a very small brisket that was very expensive. Oh, and over half the cryovacs had been punctured and the meat was turned. Not a great selection, and I wasn't going to get one of those.
But at this point I was " I'm cooking a brisket even if it kills me" so we went to my normal source (after picking up the boy at daycare) which is Costco.
Now normally, my Costco has well over 20 (usually 50+) Prime briskets to choose from. Friday... They had FIVE. The best looking one was over 18 pounds. It was more than I wanted to spend ($50 @$2.69 #) and I normally prefer something 12-14#, but I grabbed it anyway. Brisket aquired! So now to the cook.
Woke up at 3 am (normally up at 4 anyway so no big deal) and lit my fire. Had the smoker out and charcoal and logs already set up , so it was easy. Prepped the brisket, rubbed it with Worscestershire Sauce and rubbed my now favorite Sucklebusters 1836 on it. I did realize my butcher skills (which aren't that great normally) are REALLY bad at 3:15 am. Anyway, Brisket in at 3:45.
Smoker ran 225-250 pretty steadily, using a really weird combo of woods. I used some split pecan, and some Western mini logs of Mesquite, Hickory, and Oak. I had a few logs of each of the Western stuff and wanted to clean it out.
Around 8:30, I tell the wife I want to make pork belly burnt ends, so she and the boy head off to Costco to grab one when they open at 10.
I get them on around 11:15 to smoke after being cubed and rubbed with Killer Hogs. After the 90 minutes to get color, they get put in a pan, butter /brown sugar / honey, covered and back in the smoker. The Brisket gets wrapped in butcher paper at the same time. This thing is HUGE and is taking forever.
After 2 hours, I pulled the PB, and had the wife drain the juice and then sauce them in Head Country Original. She finished the last 20-30 in the oven for me. Somewhere along that time (after I ate a bit of the PB) I unwrapped the brisket to let the bark reform over the last part of the cook.
I ended up bumping the fire up pretty high for the last 30-45 minutes because it was getting late and I wanted at least a 2 hour rest after letting it breathe before coolering it.
Finally sliced at 7pm.
Porkbelly was delicious. The Killer Hogs and Head Country was a great combo, if slightly generic.
Brisket was flavorful and tender. There were some weird rubbery spots that I have no idea how to explain other than it was such a huge brisket.
Anyway, the majority of the Brisket will be vacuum sealed and frozen to make either chopped beef sandwiches for dinner or to go in chili.
Thanks for sticking with the crazy ling story. Hope you enjoy the pics.
Stop at that Kroger, they have some. However. Every brisket had HUGE portions of fat , and literally had major portions of the flat that were less than 1/4" thick overall. By the time I trimmed, I'd have a very small brisket that was very expensive. Oh, and over half the cryovacs had been punctured and the meat was turned. Not a great selection, and I wasn't going to get one of those.
But at this point I was " I'm cooking a brisket even if it kills me" so we went to my normal source (after picking up the boy at daycare) which is Costco.
Now normally, my Costco has well over 20 (usually 50+) Prime briskets to choose from. Friday... They had FIVE. The best looking one was over 18 pounds. It was more than I wanted to spend ($50 @$2.69 #) and I normally prefer something 12-14#, but I grabbed it anyway. Brisket aquired! So now to the cook.
Woke up at 3 am (normally up at 4 anyway so no big deal) and lit my fire. Had the smoker out and charcoal and logs already set up , so it was easy. Prepped the brisket, rubbed it with Worscestershire Sauce and rubbed my now favorite Sucklebusters 1836 on it. I did realize my butcher skills (which aren't that great normally) are REALLY bad at 3:15 am. Anyway, Brisket in at 3:45.
Smoker ran 225-250 pretty steadily, using a really weird combo of woods. I used some split pecan, and some Western mini logs of Mesquite, Hickory, and Oak. I had a few logs of each of the Western stuff and wanted to clean it out.
Around 8:30, I tell the wife I want to make pork belly burnt ends, so she and the boy head off to Costco to grab one when they open at 10.
I get them on around 11:15 to smoke after being cubed and rubbed with Killer Hogs. After the 90 minutes to get color, they get put in a pan, butter /brown sugar / honey, covered and back in the smoker. The Brisket gets wrapped in butcher paper at the same time. This thing is HUGE and is taking forever.
After 2 hours, I pulled the PB, and had the wife drain the juice and then sauce them in Head Country Original. She finished the last 20-30 in the oven for me. Somewhere along that time (after I ate a bit of the PB) I unwrapped the brisket to let the bark reform over the last part of the cook.
I ended up bumping the fire up pretty high for the last 30-45 minutes because it was getting late and I wanted at least a 2 hour rest after letting it breathe before coolering it.
Finally sliced at 7pm.
Porkbelly was delicious. The Killer Hogs and Head Country was a great combo, if slightly generic.
Brisket was flavorful and tender. There were some weird rubbery spots that I have no idea how to explain other than it was such a huge brisket.
Anyway, the majority of the Brisket will be vacuum sealed and frozen to make either chopped beef sandwiches for dinner or to go in chili.
Thanks for sticking with the crazy ling story. Hope you enjoy the pics.
