Smoking Brisket: The Topic

[snowangel]

Lucky, don't let any of this daunt you. Keep this and the virtual weber bullet windows open as you get going.

Smoking meat is unbelievably gratifying. The process. The results. The oohs and ahs. The leftovers. You'll feel like a pro.

It was just about a year ago that I fumbled my way through my first attempt, and thanks to the resources at hand (or keyboard), the results were absolutely spectacular. You have the advantage of the wsm, which makes temp control much easier than that with a kettle.

Smoke away! Photo documentation is required, you know!

[fifi]

I suggested to my husband we needed a smoker and he just looked at me.  Hmmm, perhaps subliminal sleep messages will work. 

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Try this . . . "It's less than $200. That is less than a piece of jewerly. It is less than $200. It makes incredible pork. And chicken. And Brisket."

That whispered in his ear may just get it.

[Marlene]

You're right. Ok, point me in the right direction for the best smoker threads!

[fifi]

. . . . .

Smoking is for women.  I think Linda would agree!  When I'm ready to fire up the smoker, my husband rolls his eyes.  But, he loves the results, and that slightly smokey smell he falls to sleep next to.

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heh heh heh heh heh

[Marlene]

Perhaps I'll make it a "father's day" present.

[fifi]

Perhaps I'll make it a "father's day" present.

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Now you're thinking. For the price/results ratio, I vote for the WSM. Of course, you can get more extreme than that. Like this little rig. Oh well, you can use this to impress him with how frugal you are.

[Marlene]

Geesh fifi. I'd never fit that into my yard. A WSM?

[fifi]

WSM = Weber Smokey Mountain. All information here.

[snowangel]

Marlene, you need a WSM. NEED one.

[Marlene]

Well of course I do. Hubby just doesn't know it yet. Think subliminal thoughts everyone.

[fifi]

OK . . . You go get the WSM. You present it to him in a sexy little get-up wielding tongs. And you find a way to convince him that your sexy little smoky body is the best present he has ever gotten. And all of that will not be too far from the truth.

whewh

[Luckylies]

I got mine for my dad for his birthday...and now I'm "breaking it in" for him. this only slightly reminds me of the simpsons when Homer gets Marge a bowling ball that says "Homer" on it. Except pappa gets to eat this bowling ball. Oh man, he's going to love me hanging around his apt for 18 hrs tomorrow and then throwing a party the next day

I guess thats what he gets for sending me to culinary school'

[Marlene]

I see it's available at Home Depot. Shhhhh......

[Luckylies]

amazon on sale...delivered by next weekend....shhhhh

[Marlene]

Amazon if you're in the States.

[lcdm]

Chips suck for barbecue.

But they're not too bad in some applications. These applications just don't happen to involve anything that requires more than a few minutes of cooking time. They are good if you want to add a litte smoke flavor to vegetables, shrimp, or even a kebab or two. Basically, they are good for light-duty grilling, not barbecue.

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If you are in a bind and only have chips or pellets, put them in a heavy duty AL foil pouch with some holes punched in the foil and place on the coals. It will allow the smoke to release and the chips to last long enough for BBQ.

[Luckylies]

a little update. So I woke up last night puking my guts out...sick as a dog. slept until 7 and hauled my still green self to my dad's place to assemble and fire up aforementioned wsm. Everything has been relativly easy except my temp was a bit low at first...I remedied that by opening the bottom grates all the way. i'm using the minion method. easy. still sick and queasy. more updates sooner.

do you guys baste or spray with anything? applejuice?

[snowangel]

a little update. So I woke up last night puking my guts out...sick as a dog. slept until 7 and hauled my still green self to my dad's place to assemble and fire up aforementioned wsm. Everything has been relativly easy except my temp was a bit low at first...I remedied that by opening the bottom grates all the way. i'm using the minion method. easy. still sick and queasy. more updates sooner.

do you guys baste or spray with anything? applejuice?

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Hope your illness is short lived!

I tend not to baste, except perhaps the flat, and then I just brush with olive oil.

Did you cut the flat and fat parts apart? Did you dry rub?

[Luckylies]

dry rubbed and left them whole. I'm having trouble keeping the temp up. you think I should ditch some of the water in the basin? put some more fuel in the smoker? they look really good. should I quit with the wood now that it's been 8 hrs? or just keep it going?

[snowangel]

fifi, time for the wsm queen to step in. I'm the kettle queen.

I'd say add some fuel. Check the virtualbullet web site and see what they say.

[mklynch]

What a timely thread! I have a whole 13# brisket that I dry rubbed yesterday and plan to smoke tomorrow in my New Braunfels offset firebox smoker. Split the cherry today that I've been hoarding for a few years. I do go low and slow and figure at least 14 hours.

I'm doing 4 courses for 12 - starting with a simple spring onion soup. I picked up some beautiful morels today at the farmer's market and some local goat cheese. Oh, yeah, inspired by Jackal10's foodblog, I cured some pork belly and that's going in the smoker as well. So I think some sort of morel, goat cheese, smoked pork belly tart is in the offing.

Then the brisket. I got some beautiful asparagus today and I'm not sure what else yet.

Dessert is a chocolate raspberry tart with sabayon. Zins with the brisket, we'll see what folks bring for the rest of the dinner.

So the big question - to sauce or not to sauce the brisket. I'm in the no sauce camp, but MIGHT put one on the side if someone has a killer recipe!

[snowangel]

So the big question - to sauce or not to sauce the brisket. I'm in the no sauce camp, but MIGHT put one on the side if someone has a killer recipe!

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I'm definitely of the sauce on the side variety.

THE killer recipe is =Mark's South Carolina Mustard Barbeque Sauce. It is the one. No matter whatever other sauces I serve, this is the one that goes. My fridge is naked without it.

[ronnie_suburban]

I'm definitely of the sauce on the side variety.

THE killer recipe is =Mark's South Carolina Mustard Barbeque Sauce.  It is the one.  No matter whatever other sauces I serve, this is the one that goes.  My fridge is naked without it.

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I agree. I'm pretty much a "no sauce" guy when it comes to BBQ but =Mark's sauce is the permanent exception to the rule.

=R=

[fifi]

I hope I am not too late. If you started with the charcoal ring not chock full, you might need to add some fuel. I sometimes have to toward the end of a brisket. Don't ditch any water. The more water the better. That is your heat sink. Actually, some folks use a Brinkman charcoal pan (it fits where the Weber pan does) because it holds a bunch more water. I tend to add the water a little at a time so that I am not bringing the temperature down by much. I am too lazy to heat the water before adding it.

The real temperature control is those bottom vents. I don't recall ever running with them open all the way. (BTW . . . The top vent should always be open all the way.) But then, I have only used Kingsford plain briquets. I take that back. I once tried chunk charcoal trying to be a purist. Temperature control was all over the place. Being a natural product, it is a variable fuel. Also, the ash is so light that the meerest hiccup and ash flies up into the cooking chamber. I have been known to add some wood chunks late in the game. I know, it is probably a waste of wood but I just think watching smoke come out the top looks cool and makes folks think I really know what I am doing.

Geez . . . I hope you feel better.

Thanks for reminding me about Mark's sauce.

[mklynch]

OK - with such ringing endorsements, I'll give it a go! I have no yellow mustard...but 2 versions of my own based on andiesenji's homemade mustard. Do I have to go to the store - or can I use my own?