Is this the forum for food??

[Turfdawg67]

I need a quick and dirty for smoking beef brisket. From start to finish, hints, rubs, type of wood, whatever you want to contribute. In return, I do a damn good pork butt, ribs and salmon that I can contribute if interested.

[Randolph Dupree]

Man I haven't fooled with a brisket in years so I'm no help but I'd love a hook up on some salmon.

[BeastMan]

Man there is a million different ways you can go. What kind of smoker are you going to use?

[Bully13]

I never cared much for brisket until I moved to Texas. They do it real well here. I was once over at a guy's house and he was smoking one on the grill and once it was about 1/2 done, he took it off the grill and wrapped the brisket up in aluminum foil with pineapple chunks / slices and that's the way it was finished. Wrapped in aluminum foil on the grill. Was really good because the aluminum foil preserved the brisket juice.

[Prediction? Pain.]

I smoke full briskets two or three times a year. I smoke quite a few things, like butts, trout, salmon, and chicken, but brisket is my jam.

As Beast mentioned, some of your method is going to depend upon what type of smoker you're using. I've used plain ole Weber kettle grills before -- and I still do when I smoke on out-of-town trips to the mountains -- but I usually go with my green egg these days, mostly because it's almost entirely care-free once it gets going.

I'll try to give you a couple of tips, but frankly, you should probably just read this:

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/brisket-texas-style-ultimate-technique-and-recipe

That covers everything. The rub, the meat, the wood, the temperature ranges, the crutch (the foil wrap that Bully mentioned), and so on.

Read that and you should be good to go.

My random thoughts:


Buy a good two-probe thermometer if you don't have one already. I'd be effed without mine.

Go with the best quality meat within your budget. Dry aged if possible. I'm also a big fan of grass-fed, local stuff. People often knock grass-fed stuff for its comparatively lower fat content, but with a cut like brisket, I've found that there's plenty of fat even without grain fattening, whether for the life of the cow or just as a finish. (Plus, the beefy flavor is often front and center with grass-fed cuts.)

Unless your cut is pre-brined, dry brine it in salt for at least a full day before you start. (And if you do this, remember not to include salt in whatever rub you use later.)
Use the crutch method -- wrapping it in foil (or butcher paper) with some water, juice, or hard cider -- after the meat's had four or five hours of smoke. You'll lose a little of the bark this way, but you'll have a better shot a keeping the moisture level high.

Follow the carving advice that you see elsewhere -- separate the point and flat muscles and then cut against the grain.

I'm a fan of using both hickory and pecan as my woods for brisket. I'll occasionally replace the pecan with a fruit wood, like cherry or apple, too, so long as the hickory chunks outnumber the fruit chunks by a little. I've done all hickory as well, and it's turned out fine.

I, like the Meathead (the dude whose link I pasted above), haven't ever experienced much of a difference between brisket smoked with the fat cap down and brisket smoked with the fat cap on top. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Like with any other long smoke, don't micromanage during the cook. Temps are going to fluctuate. Just roll with it.

I hope some of that helps. Enjoy, dude. A well-smoked brisket is one of the finer things in life and is absolutely worth the time.

[BeastMan]

Great advice by Prediction. Let me 2nd a few things. First the probe. I use iGrill. It’s not perfect but it works. It has 4 probe capability but I use 2. 1 in the brisket and one in the grate. That way I have the meat temp and the grill surface temp. Second is the dry brine. I use salt in my rub and I wrap it overnight bun the rub. I feel like the meat absorbs it. Last, I’m by no means a smoking master so when he talked about micromanaging the fire I was nodding my head. A brisket or pork shoulder is a long cook that will definitively stall at some point. The temp will fluctuate a bit unless you have a big dollar setup. My first brisket stressed me out. Don’t let it stress you out, just roll with it.

[Dallas_Dawg]

IN random thought 4, I use a combination of beef broth and french onion soup. Does the trick.

[Howboutdemdogs]

Dang, this all good stuff,,,, need to try it.

[Turfdawg67]

Great advice and let me say that I'm ready for the challenge! I'm using a Masterbuilt electric smoker which has been amazing since I got it!! I'll post some pics later.

Now let me help if I can... Salmon

* My wife found this marinade called Yeri Yeri Teriyaki. Soak Salmon overnight.
* Spray grate with non-stick spray
* Smoke salmon with alder wood at 210* for a couple of hours or until internal temp is 160*
* Take off, brush with some new marinade and let rest for a little while
* My wife has served with an asian veggie medley or just rice... hell it'd be good with Mac & cheese!
* It's amazing!