Dreaming of my 2nd packer!

Good luck to you and just remember "KISS".

Thanks Tigerfan,
I have come to find that KISS(Keep It Simple Stupid) works very well for me. It may not be flashy,sophisticated,stylish,but it sure can produce some fine eating. I have actually tried to tell newbies that this is the BEST approach for the first couple times. Its nice to see our experienced members feel the same way.

Back to that brisket, I can swear I heard something in the bottom of the frig LAUGH at me! I know I have heard some of our brisket cooks say that every brisket has a mind of its own, but can this be what they ment? I just about talked back to it,but what would that have accomplished? So instead I'm stuck rereading ever thread in the brisket section I'll show that brisket.

You'll find comp teams will cook three to six,as close to identical packers,all prepped and cooked the same.

As you slice ,and try each,you'll find drastic differences in taste ,quality,etc.

You ,hopefully,pick from the best and give all the rest to the local fire,police,trash folks working the contest.

Ok, I had to look at my brisket, doesn't ever smoker do this? Wow, maybe the reason the brisket was laughing at me, was upon closer observation the cryo said Black Cayon Angus Beef. Could I have found a CAB or is a half breed not considered Angus? If it was only time to put it on I could rest a little easier.

NO way, that brisket was taunting me when I got out a gallon of milk for supper. Something about OWNING me, This is starting to be a nightmare.

KISS, think KISS Cal, I have Tigerfan in one ear and some big piece of brisket in the other taunting me. No problem, I have good notes a solid baseline(KISS). I have learned a lot from my fellow members as I have read...read their triumphs and their setbacks. I have "no fear" for I have the best brisket smoker ever built IMO. Thanks COOKSHACK.I'm sure you fellow Newbies know that I will sleep all night without thinking of that brisket.(LOL) Tomorrow by late afternoon, I will begin to own that brisket only because my fellow members made it possible.

Press on cal, PRESS ON! Either you will consume the brisket or the BRISKET WILL CONSUME! You MUST be the victor!!!

Ah yes Wheelz, their are forces working that I have NO idea about.Why instead of dreaming of the bisket,last night,I'm dreaming of a fellow members new FEC 100? I'm so happy for him,but somehow so sad.Why did I turn my 10yr old coffee grinder into a spice grinder without having a new one in hand?

I will not be consumed by a brisket.When I opened the frig it,the brisket,was still there. Now Cal where would you think it would have gone? I was feeling uneasy so I walk to the garage. Yes my cs020 was still there looking rather determined. I now have seasoned the brisket,so I can dream of the FEC some more.

It is now 6hrs in my steady move toward victory. I started my cs020 on 180* with the meat reading 39* and the smoker at inside temp at 56*, My meat is now pass 140* so I have set the smoker at 225* and their she will stay all night.Oh, I started with one large piece of hickory and two smaller pieces of hickory(6oz). My probe after being checked in boiling water was set 2/3rds of the way in from the edge in the thickest part of the flat and buzzer set at 190*. If you have to ask, I did put the fat side down.

I know understand why the brisket was laughing at me.When I removed it from the cryo to wash off. I was suprised to find that real nice even end on the flat was now tapered 2" on one side 1 1/2" on the other side and some as@%<ole of a butcher put a slash in the middle of the brisket from almost the start of the point to the end of the flat. It was about 3/4" deep. If that pretty web processor would worry more about their skilled labor their customers would maybe be as happy as CS customers.One nice thing was that brisket flat was very flexable and had nice marble to it.

It is now 4:15am, I go use the last of my ground coffee to make a pot and with a cup in hand I head toward my cs020.The probe reads 189*,no 190* and the alarm sounds.Oh boy, oh boy!!!I open the smoker for the very 1st time.I use a extra probe to test brisket for no feel or very little resistance. It is tuff, after poking the flat in a few areas I decide to leave the probe where it is. It seemed like this brisket was more even in the feel than my previous one. I set the alaram at 194* and closed the door.As Smokin' has said many times,"it's done when it's done", and this brisket is not ready to surrender.

A couple of thoughts. It was 44* outside with a little mist(fog) in the air when I started the smoke. I used my new spice grinder(old coffee grinder) to grind up the Monteral steak seasoning and raw sugar. Last time I raised my smoker to 250* at this point, but this time I will leave at 225*.

It is now 7:00am and I feel really good. After taking my brisket to 194*, I decided to give that brisket one more chance to surrender.NOT a chance, the poke test revealed little resistance in the thinner part of the flat,but the thicker part of the flat was not to my liking so back it went you know because as Smokin' says,"IT'S NOT DONE TELL IT'S DONE". At 7:00 am it appears to have given up. The probe know reads 196* and I opened for my third and last time for the flat. The readings ran from 194*-199* and the brisket was poke tested to my likings(I think).

This battle may have been won, but I just seperated the flat and point. I FTC the flat for its 3-4 hr resting peroid and put the point back in the cs020 for futher tendering.If the small little strip of point that I sampled was any indication of the finished product,my better half is in for some fine eating.

This my fellow newbies is the KISS approach.Now that I have done two briskets I have a good baseline to work off of.

Any thoughts or questions from anyone???

Well done. Thanks. I'm hungry.