Bark isnt even decent

Let's consider a few basics...

A traditional TX stickburner, or a Traeger pellet cooker allows a considerable amount of dry air to circulate during the smoking process. You don't mention which CS smoker you own though I'm assuming it's electric. You're correct in saying it does a good job at holding moisture..perhaps too good. Those of us with electric CS smokers, who like a good bark on briskets & butts tend to dump moisture by opening the door every hour or so.

You might try cooking fat side down. The heat source is on the bottom...exposing the fat to the heat will help with bark formation.

You don't mention a cook temp. Try 250.

Finally, why the need to FTC for 3 hrs? Granted you want to allow time for the internal juices to resettle. Personally, I would foil the brisket for no more than one hour...even 30-45 minutes will do the trick.

Don't give up the ship quite yet. There are many fine brisket cooks amongst the forum. We'll get you back on the right track.

Have you tried opening the door a few times during the cook to dump moisture from the smoker? This thread may be of use to you: http://forum.cookshack.com/eve...752966017#1752966017
Opening the door will extend your cook times. Good luck-

Go 'Hawks!

I see you have the 025 (smokette elite) just like I do. I usually get a bark on my briskets, especially the points. I do notice that whenever I wrap it for any amount of time it tends to steam itself and I lose the bark. If I want to redistribute juices like in any other piece of meat, I just leave it for 10 min or so on a cutting board. Also, I don't put my rub on until maybe an hour or less before it goes into the cold smoker at about 225. Don't know if that would make any difference.

I dont dump moisture. You would know more about brisket than I do, especially what a real bark is like, considering I am sure you have eaten a lot of it being from TX. I just know I get it crispy.

Don't give up yet!

^^^^^ What she said. I find holding my meats in foil and cooler for an extended period seems to tenderize the meat a bit, but also softens the bark. Nothing like good timing to let the meat sit under a foil tent to redistribute juices, then slice and serve.

I understand that's not always possible.

Thanks for all the recommendations yall. I'll stop foiling at the end and see if that works as well as go fat side down. I have a SM025 Elite btw, sorry for not posting that in the beginning. Do all of you also use a mustard + dry rub combo?

I personally save the mustard for baloney sandwiches. My briskets get a rub only, see no use for adding mustard.

Beaver, you did mention that you have a smokette elite in your original post, beginning of second paragraph.

Sometimes I use mustard if I feel like it. It depends on how wet the meat is and If I think of it or think the rub will stick real good. I don't think it's a must though. When I watch the comp shows I do see the teams using it sometimes.

quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki:
When I watch the comp shows I do see the teams using it sometimes.

I'd never trust anything I'd see on TV, especially when it came to comp teams. You think they would share secrets for free?

Yep, foil will leave you with soft bark.

Well Cal, I am watching BBQ Pitmasters right now and one of the teams is using a Fast Eddys Pellet Smoker. Ya mean I shouldn't trust that either

quote:

Originally posted by Vicki B:
Well Cal, I am watching BBQ Pitmasters right now and one of the teams is using a Fast Eddys Pellet Smoker. Ya mean I shouldn't trust that either

I heard Fast Eddy isn't real.

quote:

Originally posted by beavergrad:
Do all of you also use a mustard + dry rub combo?

Tried it many years ago...didn't notice s difference one way or the other. As I recall, someone (Paul Kirk perhaps) suggested the mustard slather as a means of "glueing" the rub to the meat.

Well,that could have been Rodney,Pellet Envy, one of my mentors feedin' that minature stickburner last night.

As said above,I'd never eat a bologna sandwich without some yellow mustard.

Having had as many failures on an electric CS as most anyone on the forum,I'll toss out a couple thoughts.

As above,if I season early, the packer is wet,so I then re season heavy about an hr ahead of time.

If you can pack more rub on it-ya ain't got enough.That sprinklin' stuff is for ladies' salads.
Now,I've heard them ol' boys down around "cowtown"never use sweet.They also can ride a tornado.
Not sure which be closer to the truth.

Sugar in the Raw won't likely scorch in your cooker,so I'd pack all of a box over the rub on your packer.When it moistens itself up all over toss it in the cooker around 235º+.

Smokin' taught me that the top shelf could be hotter on top,because heat risin' will set right along it.In that case,I might cook fat up to protect .

Lower shelves ,I might cook fat down to protect from the risin' heat.

I don't mind openin'the door a couple times to dump moisture.

Nobody ever told me ya wasn't allowed to apply a little seasoning and Sugar in the Raw, about half way thru on the lean side.

Old cooks taught me that a couple hrs ,after it comes tender,in Texas crutch in the hotbox, would help it finish tender.

About an hr before you are thinking about eating, have the cooker running about 250º,take it gentle out of the crutch,and rest it on the next to top rack until it starts to firm up some,then turn it over until the lean side firms up a little.Maybe half hr in all.

Now lay it over on the cuttin' board to cool a mite,while you refresh the edge on your Forshner,get out some cold longnecks of Shiner Bock,some chopped onion,sliced jalapenos,and a couple slices of TX Toast.

Turn ya some Jerry Jeff Walker on the CD player while ya get out the tater salad and pinto beans and start slicin' up the dry,and maybe choppin' some wet for them folks that like it that way.

Now,that's good eatin'-I don't care where ya comes from.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom:
As said above,I'd never eat a bologna sandwich without some yellow mustard.

I TOTALLY stole that from you Tom. Couldn't resist.

Tom knows a thing or two about brisket. I know I've listened to him in the past, just like I will listen to him in the future.

Thanks Andy.

Vickie,as to comp cooks using name brand ,or other products.

It used to be the standard joke,before all the TV to gather assorted bottles,ie., baby food,ladies' shampoo,pet flea repellent,paint remover,hair straightener,black draught Laxative,etc and use them to carry your wet and dry products.

Cooks would forget and set the big blue boxes of TenderQuick on all their tables.

John Trigg taught us to put everything in Lawry's bottles ,a lot of yrs ago when John and Trish were winning a bit..

There is even a famous brandname condiment that is seen setting around Fast Eddy's cooksite.

Of course,ya have to take the FEC cooking course to learn the "secret handshake" and the use of the condiment.

As to yellow mustard,that may have come around out in OK,or TX panhandle cooking in 10% relative humidity and 30-40 mph winds,and everybody using six ft long offset oilpipe cookers that flowed lots of air and never got moist enough for anything to stick.

Just a couple tidbits I picked up from "ol guys" like Smokin'Okie