BBQ Brisket

[Alan]

Okay I'm just a dumb kid in the Pacific Northwest, with a new smoker grill. I can cook Salmon, Halibut and ... but we don't do brisket... it can even be hard to find in the stores. My wife, being a Taxas A&M grad, really misses good BBQ brisket..... we have a brisket and will cut it and into about 2lb chunks (only me and her) and freeze the rest. Any tips? I have Backhoes recent post on a search that I will use, but any others... PM me if needed. I'm planning to merinade (sp) over night and cook the next day..... side dishes, tips, best in the South?

Here's BHB recent post:

You don't really "bar-b-que" a brisket per se' You smoke it. It is nothing like chicken.

Put it on the smoker and take it to about 300 degrees and hold it there for around an hour. If you heat is even you are good. If it is not you may want to flip it over. Then gradually back it down to about 225 and try to hold that for at least 6 hours.

I usually wrap mine in foil after about three hours. It has had enough smoke by then. If it is fatty, I will continue to let the fat drip. If it looks like it might be a dry brisket, I seal it with the foil.

Good brisket is bad if you don't have good sauce. Bar-B-Que is all in the sauce. Pour your sauce on after you slice it or chop it. I just leave sliced brisket in the pan and folks take the brisket out and spoon in sauce.

Never use store bought sauce. It is not good, I don't care what brand you buy. Here is a decent basic recipe that works for just about everyone, including kids, at gatherings. Caution, if you use this recipe, DO NOT substitute butter with anything else or you'll have a mess.

Bar-B-Que Sauce

Ingredients:
3 ea. 8 oz cans tomato sauce
10 oz of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lb butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tbl spoon vinegar
2 tbl spoon lemon juice
1/8 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned pepper

Directions:
Combine ingredients in any order in medium size pot. Use sufficient heat to melt butter and brown sugar while stirring to mix ingedients well. After things are mixed allow it to simmer for 30 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the better. 30 minutes is about the minimum. You can add a bit more brown sugar or honey at any point if you like it a bit sweeter.

Number Of Servings:enough sauce for two large briskets.

Preparation Time:45 minutes but I simmer on the side of the smoker for hours stirring occasionally.Serve it to me black, with lot of ear on the side please.backhoeboogie
smithy

Posts: 5276
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 6:27 pm
Location: Hood County, Texas
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[backhoeboogie]

If you are going to cook "2 lb chunks" each time, you don't need to cook it all that long or you will turn it to charcoal.

I think I'd smoke a whole brisket, slice it all, and freeze the slices in a zip lock.

We were in Vancouver in '85 and what you said about finding good meat is exactly right. But you also have other advantages; cheap electricity from hydro, excellent selection of wood at the local lumber yards for excellent prices, better fruit and veggies than what we get here etc. Except for one thing, okra. No one up there stocks okra and when the boss lady is pregnant and craving fried okra, you're up a creek.

Let me know how it turns out.

I know hundreds of aggie jokes. Been hearing them all my life. If you need help with that part, lemme know.

 

[flaboy]

Alan, I am with BHB on the smoking. Did you get a BBQ grill or a smoker? I might just have to fire my smoker up soon. I usually do a couple chickens, some ribs, turkey breast and whatever else will fit. I have a great meal and freeze the rest for another time.

 

[Alan]

The smoker/BBQ are just starting to get real popular up here, so far I like what I'm getting. We'll try the brisket tonight. Here the unit I bought, it's electric:

http://www.traegergrills.com/grills/lil_tex.cfm

Thanks,
Alan

 

[flaboy]

I think it will do just fine on that. Just cook at low temperature and slow. With just 2 pounds like BHB said keep a watch on it or you will have a charcoal brick. I invested in a digital thermometer I can stick the prop in the meat and have the readout on the outside and I watch the actual meat temperature and the smoker temp with a built in unit. Sometimes when I do mixed meats it comes in really handy. I can pull the quicker cooking stuff off and let the other stuff continue to cook.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Here the unit I bought, it's electric:

Thanks,
Alan

Alan that little unit will work just fine. Just keep the heat throttled correctly. I'd rather use a unit like that for a single brisket versus a big unit. It is easier to control.

If you ever get to the point of doing 20 briskets at once, you're going to need something different. If you are doing 3 or 4 briskets, you are capable.

Flaboy is right on with his advice. He must have done this once or twice

 

[Alan]

Thanks for the advice, I got the unit and put on the digital temp control plus a thermometer to measure the temp under the hood.... I love these toys I can afford since the kids are grown and gone! So far I like the apple chips better than the mesquite... but many more to try.

Alan

 

[backhoeboogie]

So far I like the apple chips better than the mesquite... but many more to try.

Alan

I like pecan. Dry pecan. Mesquite is a bit strong in my opinion but you can always wrap the meat in foil once it has had a little smoke and it comes out excellent. I don't care for hickory personally. My place in East Texas has a lot of old growth hickory on the backside so I bring a bit of it home sometimes and blend it when someone requests it.

If you take a small foil bread pan and fill it with water, a chopped onion, some chopped pepper, and some chopped garlic, it sill steam one heck of a nice aroma into the meat. You may have to fill that pan a few times depending on how hot you are or how long you cook.

 

[flaboy]

Hey BHB, what kind of vinegar? I gonna do some of my world famous cowboy beans this weekend and I might try your recipe at the same time.

Bar-B-Que Sauce

Ingredients:
3 ea. 8 oz cans tomato sauce
10 oz of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lb butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tbl spoon vinegar
2 tbl spoon lemon juice
1/8 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned pepper

Directions:
Combine ingredients in any order in medium size pot. Use sufficient heat to melt butter and brown sugar while stirring to mix ingedients well. After things are mixed allow it to simmer for 30 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the better. 30 minutes is about the minimum. You can add a bit more brown sugar or honey at any point if you like it a bit sweeter.

Number Of Servings:enough sauce for two large briskets.

Preparation Time:45 minutes but I simmer on the side of the smoker for hours stirring occasionally.Serve it to me black, with lot of ear on the side please.backhoeboogie
smithy[/quote]

 

[Alan]

Thanks to all the replies, the brisket was very good.... although, my wife said it wasn't like it is in Texas... but I have lot of time to work on it . I'm sure I'll be back for more smoker advice.

BHB, I've been married for 14 years.... I don't have the guts for the Texas A&M jokes... the Oregon Ducks have helped me out the last couple of years in that area...but silently ;-) .

Thanks again,
Alan

 

[gerardplauche]

Here's a quick recipe for next time:

Inject it full of "CAJUN POWER" garlic sauce
Put it on the grill wrapped in aluminum foil for 3 hours or so (put butter in the foil also)
Then take it out of foil and back on the grill for about 30 minutes

Your tongue is gonna wanna beat your brains in!!! ;-)