1st Brisket. Suggestions please.

Shadow; My brisket was an excel choice but it weighed in at 12#. I re-posted that recipe because it worked great for me. It sounds to me that you may just have gotten the flat. I can tell you that I have not had great luck with flats. I don't see why the recipe should not work tho. George

Correction, it was a select.

The tag says "whole trimmed brisket". It's still in the cryovac, but it does appear to have some deckle on it. I was surprised a little by the small size. When I buy them I'll be "going big" and looking for choice, but they are pretty scarce around here right now.

I'll post up how it turns out. Thanks to all for the tips and keep them coming, I'm not cooking until Sunday.

shadow,

You live in Oklahoma, a beef state, do NOT settle for a 6lb'er, that basically a flat with a little point or a REAL small packer.

If you're wanting a beefy brisket, I don't like that recipe. It's more of a braised beef with all those ingredients, etc. A lot of people like it, but it's not one Tom and I think is a real brisket taste, but as I said it has it's fans.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
shadow,

You live in Oklahoma, a beef state, do NOT settle for a 6lb'er, that basically a flat with a little point or a REAL small packer.

If you're wanting a beefy brisket, I don't like that recipe. It's more of a braised beef with all those ingredients, etc. A lot of people like it, but it's not one Tom and I think is a real brisket taste, but as I said it has it's fans.

Okay you talked me out of it, and saved me a trip to the store for a couple of items. I'm going to use your method. After reading a bunch of posts here, I'll probably probe the flat taking it to 165'ish and then foil it with a bit of beef broth and a touch of worchester, and take it till the flat pokes easy. At least I'll have some juices to use when it's dry.

Like I said, the wife dragged this one home. I'm like you, a brisket ain't a brisket unless it's at least 10 lbs.!!!

Shadow,you'll be ok,and it will just get better.

That" great brisket recipe",may thrill folks in Chinatown,with the sticky rice and plum wine.

Down there with real Okies ,you'd get laughed at.

That smokette ought to handle an 11-12 lb packer,just bend the point under a little.

They have cooked a million of them,and they ate like an OK brisket.

Ain't much finer dinin'.

Well the little feller went in at 6:30 this morning at 225 with a big chunk of hickory and regular size chunk and a very small slice of mesquite, (gotta have a little Texas flavor in there). About 9:30 the flat hit 165, so I pulled foiled it with about a cup of beef broth, some worchester, and a nice splash of apple juice. And back in he went.

I didn't expect it to come up this fast so I'm not holding out a lot of hope. The flat didn't EVEN want to let go of the probe which was not unexepected. Results yet to be determined. Stay tuned for further updates...

Well it was actually edible. But it wasn't Oklahoma Q! I let it rest in a cooler for about 3 hours. Everyone liked it, so it wasn't a disaster. And it's almost gone, maybe enough for a sandwich tomorrow. But I definitely agree with you Smokin & Tom, get the right piece of meat and ditch the foil. Foil is good for lining the bottom of your CS and not for cooking. Man I want me some burnt ends! Next time for sure.

Sounds like you've eaten a brisket,somewhere before.

Yep. Just not my own. But I'm remedying that this weekend. I just picked up 3 great big Choice grades for the freezer. One of them is going into the 025 this weekend.

And no foil! W00t!