How would you suggest doing a brisket? I have never done one on the FEC-100, but on my old smoker I have always taken it to 170 and foiled while smoking at 225.
I'll be doing butts and briskets together this weekend. Any advise?
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What cut of brisket? I'm assuming you foiled AT 170 degrees internal and cooked to tenderness?
How much smoke do you like? FEC will provide a gentle smoke profile cooking at 225-250. Some cooks start out at 180 for 4-8 hrs and then finish at 225-250. The 1st stage allows for more smoke penetration. Some folks use mesquite pellets and smoke straight thru at 235-250...the mesquite will give you more pronounced smoke.
Foiling is dependent on personal preference. I used to foil packers, not anymore. I can keep 'em moist by injecting and prefer the bark an unfoiled packer provides. I would be tempted to foil a flat if I had doubts about fat striation.
Read Smokin's 101's. Start with a nice Choice packer and keep it simple. Take notes. Makes small adjustments on change-ups as needed. You're apt to find your nitch with half a dozen brisket cooks.
How much smoke do you like? FEC will provide a gentle smoke profile cooking at 225-250. Some cooks start out at 180 for 4-8 hrs and then finish at 225-250. The 1st stage allows for more smoke penetration. Some folks use mesquite pellets and smoke straight thru at 235-250...the mesquite will give you more pronounced smoke.
Foiling is dependent on personal preference. I used to foil packers, not anymore. I can keep 'em moist by injecting and prefer the bark an unfoiled packer provides. I would be tempted to foil a flat if I had doubts about fat striation.
Read Smokin's 101's. Start with a nice Choice packer and keep it simple. Take notes. Makes small adjustments on change-ups as needed. You're apt to find your nitch with half a dozen brisket cooks.
quote:Originally posted by MaxQue:
What cut of brisket? I'm assuming you foiled AT 170 degrees internal and cooked to tenderness?
How much smoke do you like? FEC will provide a gentle smoke profile cooking at 225-250. Some cooks start out at 180 for 4-8 hrs and then finish at 225-250. The 1st stage allows for more smoke penetration. Some folks use mesquite pellets and smoke straight thru at 235-250...the mesquite will give you more pronounced smoke.
Foiling is dependent on personal preference. I used to foil packers, not anymore. I can keep 'em moist by injecting and prefer the bark an unfoiled packer provides. I would be tempted to foil a flat if I had doubts about fat striation.
Read Smokin's 101's. Start with a nice Choice packer and keep it simple. Take notes. Makes small adjustments on change-ups as needed. You're apt to find your nitch with half a dozen brisket cooks.
I've always used Choice packers when I had my Backwoods smoker. Smoke flavor doesn't have to be STRONG.... but enough to compliment the meat. But I would more than likely do at least 4 hours at 180 because I will be smoking pork butts at the same time. I also inject with Kosmos. If I can get just as good as result without foiling, thats what I want to do. Also in the past, I would trim the fat back some and smoke fat side up.
Again, what I use to do was with a different smoker! I have some orders for brisket and I haven't had time to practice much on my new smoker!
For the FE, because the heat comes from the bottom, suggest you try your first ones fat side down.
Max has some great idea, so go with that, test it and we'll see what questions.
Max has some great idea, so go with that, test it and we'll see what questions.
The plan right now is to do 180 for 4 hours using Hickory, then bumping up to 230 for the remaining time.
I will be doing 6 pork buts and 2 briskets at the same time. Pork butts will be on top two racks, and the briskets will be place below the butts.
Briskets (packers) will be injected and smoked fat side down. I still haven't decided if I will foil the briskets or not. Only because I've never NOT foiled and these briskets are already sold.
I need some convincing that it is a better idea to NOT foil!
I will be doing 6 pork buts and 2 briskets at the same time. Pork butts will be on top two racks, and the briskets will be place below the butts.
Briskets (packers) will be injected and smoked fat side down. I still haven't decided if I will foil the briskets or not. Only because I've never NOT foiled and these briskets are already sold.
I need some convincing that it is a better idea to NOT foil!
Here you go: An old dog rethinks foiling
quote:
I need some convincing that it is a better idea to NOT foil!
Your best bet is to find two briskets as evenly matched as possible in weight, thickness and "flex". Foil one at the plateau and let the other one ride out the smoke unfoiled. Of course you want to FTC the unfoiled brisket to rest it properly.
My guess is, the foiled brisket will finish faster. Keep a close on on temp and tenderness.
When both briskets are ready for slicing, weigh them and compare the weights. Your foiled brisket...how much meat juice was in the foil pouch? Where did the juices come from?
I rarely foiled a brisket until I was taught to do it that way by a well known brisket comp cook. I know a LOT of comp cooks who foil so who was I to argue? All I can tell you is that almost every foiled brisket resulted with a pouch brimming with juice. If the juice is in the foil, it isn't in the meat. Hence I'm back to the unfoiled side of the fence.
If you do decide to try out the side by side approach, I'd be most interested in hearing your opinion and knowing what the final weights were.
quote:Originally posted by MaxQue:quote:
I need some convincing that it is a better idea to NOT foil!
Your best bet is to find two briskets as evenly matched as possible in weight, thickness and "flex". Foil one at the plateau and let the other one ride out the smoke unfoiled. Of course you want to FTC the unfoiled brisket to rest it properly.
My guess is, the foiled brisket will finish faster. Keep a close on on temp and tenderness.
When both briskets are ready for slicing, weigh them and compare the weights. Your foiled brisket...how much meat juice was in the foil pouch? Where did the juices come from?
I rarely foiled a brisket until I was taught to do it that way by a well known brisket comp cook. I know a LOT of comp cooks who foil so who was I to argue? All I can tell you is that almost every foiled brisket resulted with a pouch brimming with juice. If the juice is in the foil, it isn't in the meat. Hence I'm back to the unfoiled side of the fence.
If you do decide to try out the side by side approach, I'd be most interested in hearing your opinion and knowing what the final weights were.
I think I will just roll the dice and not foil. I will be injecting with Kosmos to start with. I will FTC after that. What is the min. time I should allow to rest while FTC?
Minimum - 30 minutes. An hour is better.
After injecting, rest your brisket in the fridge at least a few hours, or overnight before smoking. You know about wrapping the meat in plastic before injecting, right?
After injecting, rest your brisket in the fridge at least a few hours, or overnight before smoking. You know about wrapping the meat in plastic before injecting, right?
quote:Originally posted by MaxQue:
Minimum - 30 minutes. An hour is better.
After injecting, rest your brisket in the fridge at least a few hours, or overnight before smoking. You know about wrapping the meat in plastic before injecting, right?
Yeah I saw SmokinOkies video. Do you like to rest your briskets in only the injection, or do you like to go ahead and apply the rub, then let rest?
Ideally I would rest the brisket with injection only 4-6 hrs. Apply rub and rest 2 more hours.
Rest in the hotbox will be like your Backwoods.
Given the choice,we'd rather have them all done three-four hrs early and rest them.That way,you also serve as needed.
Given the choice,we'd rather have them all done three-four hrs early and rest them.That way,you also serve as needed.
how many briskets are you guys putting on each shelf? I just picked up two (both around 12 lbs) and would like to get them both on the same shelf if possible.
Depends on the shape of the briskets. I like to have lots of airflow so I don't squeeze two on a shelf unless I have to.