Questions from new elite owner

First off if you use the find at the top of the forum you will find lots of answers and more. I and many others have injected, among many other things. I have never mopped but try it, take notes and see if it works for you. I can't personally help on the chicken but I know it's been done.
http://forum.cookshack.com/eve...661061934#2661061934
Leave the packer together and when the flat is done, take the point off and cook it more, wrap the flat until your ready to eat.

I'll take a stab at the mopping question...WHY?...I pretty much use the KISS(keep it simple stupid) method and with this method...there is no mopping cause I lose the heat when I open the door, thus extending my cook by 20-30 minutes. Anyway, I just don't seem to have a problem with the CS on not smoking in a moist environment, but if I kept opening the door, it just might not be a moist environment.

But give it a try and let me know if I need to change my approach.

quote:

Originally posted by Lineman:On a brisket is it better to cut the flat and the cap(?) apart and smoke them different amouts of time to reach the proper temp?

Take a peak at Brisket 101 for some good info on brisket.

Also try a few 'advance searches' on this site using some keywords. Info here is excellent - sometimes the good stuff is buried in a thread. The best stuff I've read has been while searching for something unrelated.

Mopping? Nope. Mopping(IMO)is an old practice to keep meat from cooking too fast in uncontrolled cooking environments. Not needed in CS. Injection - some do, I may try it one day. Use injection + brisket in the FIND function should get you started on that topic.

Any tips? Yes. One question at a time - sorry just kidding

Mopping: while it won't detract from the end flavor result it will add time to the cook in terms of heat loss/recovery. Your smoker is designed to maintain maximum moisture.

Separating point& flat: You're probably best off learning the ropes cooking a packer whole. A number of competition cooks including Fast Eddy will cook flats and points apart..mainly to increase the bark on the burnt ends used for turn in boxes.

Injecting/dry flat. The point has at least 2x the internal fat vs a flat...hence it's not as dry. There's a few tricks to keeping the flat from drying out...
1. Injecting the flat. ButcherBBQ makes a powder many comp teams use. It's named Brisket Injection. The phosphates in the powder help maintain moisture.
2. Foiling (Texas Crutch) Once the flat reaches an internal temp of 165, foil it tightly and continue to smoke till it's done. Once done, wrap in a towel and place the meat in an insulated cooler. It will stay hot for at least 2-3 hrs and the juices settle.

Chicken: Quarters are a good starting point. Brining will add flavor and moisture. Smokin' Okie brining 101 can be found HERE Be sure to read his other 101's. IMHO chicken is best smoked at a higher temp...helps to cut back on rubbery skin. There's endless techniques folks use to cook quarters and thighs but that's a subject for another day.

Best of luck to ya. Holler back with any questions...we're here to help

Thanks for the info. I'm glad to hear few feel the need to mop, in my old Brinkman it was a must if you hoped to have moist meat.I have never tried brining or have even heard of Brisket Injection Powder, but I'm sure going to try both. Thanks again.