New to the site, but not new to smoking meats

[lsonsn]

I am new to this site, so I hope my question is not dumb. I have been smoking briskets for about 8 years. I use an offset smoker and smoke for about 6 hours at 225 to 250 degrees using hickory wood. I use course pepper and kosher salt for my rub, and I cake it on pretty thick. I smoke fat cap down. After 6 hours of smoking I wrap my brisket in butcher paper with the fat cap up and put in an alto shaam until i get an internal temp of 195. My question is that i would like a darker bark. If I use celery seed will this help? Am I not smoking the meat long enough? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[Bob C Cue]

Welocme to the Brethren. Nice to have you join us.

I am not an expert on briskets but I would think that it would be best not to wrap until you have the level of bark you want for the finished product.

You mentioned also that you have been smoking briskets for 8 years. IMHO 8 years is too long to cook a brisket and could result in dry. crumbly meat. But as I say I'm no expert. :wink:

 

[frayedend]

Celery seed, as far as I know, is used to cure meat. It's a substitute for nitrate/nitrite. It would give you a more pronounced red ring (similar to smoke ring) but I can't see it doing anything for bark. As mentioned above, don't wrap until you get the bark you want. I'd maybe increase your temp to 275 to help dry out the surface and get the bark going.

 

[darita]

My $.02 is, smoke first for bark, spritzing to make sure the bark doesn't get crusty. Once you have the bark you want, then wrap and pull not at a specific temp, but when you hit the tenderness you're looking for.

 

[lsonsn]

Thank you for the help!! I already really like this community! BTW, Bob, I do agree, 8 years may be a little long to be smoking a brisket for

 

[Learning to BBQ]

Welcome to the forum Alan! Great bunch of people here with a knowledge base that is unsurpassed and will help with pretty much any questions we have.

 

[Burn]

Look up chudd bbq on YouTube. I use the boat method around 165 before the brisket starts dripping all the sweat. Then I sprits the top. And try and hold on the oven or cooker once probe tender for minimum 4 hours. I cook 350 and back it down to 275 gradually bringing it down when it starts probing tender.