[Koukouvagia]

My husband bought a charcoal burning smoker, and neither of us has experience using it before.

This weekend we want to try making a BBQ brisket and I hope someone can provide a recipe and some pointers on how to go about smoking it. I like bbq that is not really sweet, and not tooo smoky.

Help is appreciated.

[boar_d_laze]

There are some general rules about smoking helpful to newbies, some of which are very specific to the type of smoker. Then there are some which relate to only to brisket.

Not knowing what your husband does and doesn't know, what kind of smoker you bought (offset, cabinet, pipe section, bullet); how willing and how much time he as to make a few simple modifications; and even whether you have a piece of brisket or a whole brisket makes it hard to give specific advice.

I have things already written at an adult beginner level, covering most eventualities. If you you can tell me exactly what kind of barbecue, and whether you're about so smoke a whole, packer-cut brisket or a trimmed flat, the better I can help.

Briskets require extensive cooking. Long exposure to steady heat, followed by a long rest makes them wonderfully tender. Keeping a steady 225 for 12 hours is no easy feat your first time, if you don't know what you're doing. Doing a good job smoking meats is about 90% fire control, which is why the exact nature of the pit is important. Different types of pits require different techniques; and "naturally" hold different temperatures which require different cooking times.

Most people start with something easier than brisket. The easiest things to succeed at are Boston butt for pulled pork and spare ribs.

In the meantime I'm going to post again with a brisket recipe that covers the fundamentals -- and is about as failsafe as a brisket recipe can be for a first timer. You can ignore the instructions about injecting this time, if it seems overwhelming and you don't have a syringe. But injecting does make a big difference.

I'm sure you'll get other recipes too.

Good luck,
BDL

[boar_d_laze]

BRISKET STEP BY STEP

Shop, Trim, Marinate, Inject, Rub, Cook (including Smoking, Wrapping and the Stall), Rest, Carve, and Serve.

Shop:
Purchase a "packer cut" whole brisket, Choice or CAB if possible. At the very least try to get better than Select grade. If you've got a selection available to you try to buy between 9 and 11 lbs, with white fat, as marbled and pliable as possible. (After cooking, anticipate 40% waste of untrimmed weight.)

Trim: (10 minutes)
If you've got a butcher you trust, have him trim the fat cap to 1/8" to 1/4", but tell him not to trim down to red meat. If you're reasonably proficient with a large knife go ahead and trim yourself. Try and leave the thinnest possible, but fully intact fat cap. If that sounds like it might be too difficult, forget trimming the fat. Turn the brisket over, so the lean side is up. Check for large flecks of fat, or pieces of thin, gray-white membrane. Use a small knife to remove them completely.

Marinate: (30 minutes - 24 hours)
In a pan just large enough to hold the brisket, make a marinade of 3 tbs each of red wine, Worcestershire sauce and extra virgin olive oil. Slosh the brisket around in the marinade, making sure all surfaces are moistened. Allow the brisket to marinate at least 1/2 an hour at room temperature, or as long as overnight in the refrigerator if you choose not to inject. During that time the marinade will mix with the beef juices and partially coagulate into a syrup. This is not only normal it's desirable. Turn the brisket over occasionally during the marinade period. Reserve the marinade while injecting the brisket.

(Optional) Inject: (30 minutes)
Ingredients:
1 cup beef stock or broth
1 cup wine
2 tbs Worcestershire
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed, but not chopped
4 tbs salted butter, very cold, cut into 4 pieces.

Technique:
Reduce the stock by half. Add the wine, Worcestershire and garlic. Reduce by half again. Strain through a tea strainer or cheesecloth to remove any solids that might clog your injector’s needle, return to heat, bring back to a simmer and remove from heat.

Add the butter 1 tbs at a time, whisking each piece in just as the previous piece has melted from the residual heat. Mixture may thicken as the butter forms an emulsion.

Fill an injecting syringe with the mixture and inject the brisket. Make many small injections, rather than a few small ones, as large injections will puddle rather than disperse. No matter how careful you are when you inject, the injecting fluid will squirt out from the meat in totally unexpected places. Hilarious but messy. Less clean up, if you clear a large area on your counter and work in a large sheet pan.

Rub: (15 minutes)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Diamond kosher salt
1/4 cup sweet paprika
3 tbs coarsely fresh ground black pepper
2 tbs smoked paprika, or mild chili powder, or 1 tbs ground chipotle chili
1 tbs granulated garlic
1 tbs granulated onion
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Technique:
Mix all thoroughly. Refresh the surface of the brisket with the reserved marinade. Cover the brisket generously with rub. If the fat cap is untrimmed, don't bother using rub on that side. Note: This recipe makes enough for one whole brisket plus any number of burgers and steaks -- always portion your rub by the amount of salt of in it.

Smoke: (12 to 20 hours)
Prepare your smoker to run between 225 and 275. I prefer 275, but your relationship with your smoker is what it is, and it will do what it will do. Don't make yourself nuts by trying to make it do something that's too much trouble for you.

If you're using a small offset use water, a water-wine mix, or beer in the water pan. If you're using a WSM, use sand or some other dry material. If you have one, use a digital probe type thermometer, placed as close to where the meat will go to monitor cooking process.

When the smoker is prepped, place brisket in the cooking chamber, fat side down. If you have one, insert the probe from a digital thermometer to keep track of internal temperatures. Smoke over red oak if possible, but nearly any of the usual smoke woods will turn out well. Do not open cook chamber door for three hours. Not for any reason. ABSOLUTELY NO PEEKING. NO. NONE.

After three hours, flip the brisket over fat side up. If your cooker runs uneven temps from side to side, rotate the meat as well. Replenish the water pan. Continue replenishing water pan every three hours. If necessary rotate the brisket at those times.

Figure total cook time according to average chamber temperature and weight of brisket. 225 deg - ~2hrs/lb. 275 deg - 1-1/4 hrs/lb or a bit less. If you're timing the brisket for dinner, allow at least three hours extra for the rest. Brisket is unpredictable under the best of circumstances. The lower the temperature at which it's cooked, the more unpredictable it is. You definitely do not want an underdone brisket. On the other hand, if it finishes early it can hold for hours and hours (and hours), for its rest phase. An extended rest is a nice thing.

Stop adding smoke wood chunks or chips at one half of estimated time or when meat reaches internal temperature of 145, whichever comes first. If you're buring sticks or logs for heat, don't worry about it. You're cool.

If you've decided to "mop" or "baste" the brisket -- reconsider. Until you know what you're doing with your smoker generally and brisket in particular, opening the cook chamber door does far more to dry the meat out than mopping does to keep it moist. THE FIRST RULE OF BARBECUE IS KEEP THE FRIKKIN' DOOR SHUT. The second rule is, KEEP IT SHUT. I MEAN IT.. You can guess at the third.

Some people wrap when the meat hits 150. If not sure whether or not you should, you probably should. If so, wrap in aluminum foil. It's the modern equivalent to "mopping," and will net you a moister brisket -- especially if you're not aces at fire management yet. Before sealing your meat into its little foil packet add a little moisture (injection mix, beer, barbecue sauce, broth, whatever) to the pack plus a rough-chopped onion. (I don't wrap, but that's me). Return the brisket to your 'cue. When the brisket hits an internal temperature of 185, remove the wrap and return the brisket to the smoker, continue cooking until brisket reaches an internal temperature of 195.

The Dreaded Stall (Variable Duration)
It's likely that during the cooking process, somewhere above 150, continuing until up to 185 or even 190, the rate of internal temperature increase will slow or stop. This is called "the stall." It's common with whole butts or picnics and almost universal with brisket. It's normal. Don't worry about it, be patient. Temperatures will rise. Remember how anxious you were when the brisket seemed to be cooking so much ahead of schedule?

Wrap: (5 minutes)
When brisket reaches 195 (or 190 if it's still stalling) remove it from the cooker, wrap it in cling wrap (works better than aluminum foil) and set it in an insulated cooler just large enough to hold it. Pack the cooler with wadded newspaper to fill the remaining air space. Cover the cooler and make sure the cover is closed.

Rest: (2 - 6 hours)
Rest for at least 2 hours, and up to 6. The extended rest is part of the cooking process. Don't shortcut it if you can help it.

Carve: (20 minutes)
Separate the point from the flat. If you have a substantial fat cap, trim it. If the flat splits into two pieces with a layer of fat between them, separate the pieces and completely remove the fat. Cut one of the flats in half, cutting against the grain. Carve an interior piece, about 1/4" thick and taste it. If it wants to fall apart or is very, very tender you'll be carving thick slices. If it's tough, you'll be carving thinner slices. 3/8” is usually just right. Carve the flat into slices between 1/8" and 1/2" thick, depending on tenderness. Always cut across the grain. If you're good with a knife, try a 20 degree bias to get some width.

Carve the point into slices across the grain as well. Plan on carving the slices roughly twice as thick as the slices you took from the flat. (The point may be so tender it falls into chunks. If so, mix the chunks with hot barbecue sauce and serve on buns as "sloppy joes." REAL SLOPPY JOES by the way. The point is substantially fatter than the flat.) Some people prefer the point, some the flat, some a mix.

Serve: (chomp, mmmm, tchick, mmmm, nn)
Serve with your preferred tomato based barbecue sauce. Texas, Memphis, Cajun and Kansas City styles are good. Sauce Bordelaise is beaucoup hot. Carolina style sauces are not good partners. Accompaniments can range from standard barbecue to rather high end. Generally, beef prefers savory companions rather than the sweeter ones which go so well with pork.

If you drink:
A full and fruity red like a Zin, Syrah or Shiraz is nice. Beer is never misunderstood.

Leftovers:
Don’t count on it.

[Koukouvagia]

Oh my, now i'm more scared than before! I will print out the page and study it with my hsuband. Thank you for your help, we certainly do need it! I will look at the butcher's this weekend to find the right cut.

Are bottled bbq sauces good or can I make my own? I've always been partial to north carolina style bbq, but maybe not for this.

[boar_d_laze]

Some bottled sauces are quite good. Most of them run on the sweet side, though.

Most people don't associate Carolina vinegar sauces with beef. It's pretty much of a pork thing. That doesn't mean you can't do it. I've got recipes. Oh yes. I've got recipes.

Making barbecue sauce is very easy. Nearly all of them are based around some simple additions to ketchup. You can be as plain, as normal, as tweaked, or as fancy as you like. Tell me what you want to do and I'll give you an easy way to get close. After awhile you'll probably want do more from scratch. But for now, keep it simple.

Just learning to run the smoker is an achievement in itself. As is true with so many technologies -- whether simple or complex -- entry level equipment is much harder to use, and requires more expertise, than expensive. I've been using one or another small offsets for more than 25 years now, have used a number of very expensive cookers too when I was catering or competing, and sister there's a world of difference. Barbecue is like everything else. Money makes it easier.

Don't let the amount of detail in the instructions scare you off. There's a lot to it, but the brisket part (if not the smoker part) is covered there. If you read that recipe you're reasonably prepared to undertake the journey.

What you haven't read is how to run the cooker. I hope you'll let me, us, or someone help you two with that, as well. But you've got to let us know what type. Then you can learn to keep a steady temperature with less fuel, less effort and less fooling around generally.

This stuff is fun and very rewarding. In terms of cooking really great food, it's up there for maximum pay off with minimum effort. And 93% of it is hanging around drinking diet soda or whatnot. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

We men have a genetic predisposition to mess with stuff. The hardest thing for your husband to learn wil be to KEEP THE DOOR SHUT. Once he gets the hang of that, the rest is down hill.

BDL

[shel]

BDL is correct on much of what he suggests. I won't go into minutia and argue his points as 'que is so often a personal thing wrt taste and technique. What he says will work. But it will be helpful to know what you're cooking with as technioques will vary considerably depending on the smoker you have.

BDL is also correct about the sauce. Most commercial sauces are too sweet for brisket, and the classic North Carolina sauces (east or west) are better suited for pork. Texas sauces work great on brisket, and the Gates-Arthur Bryant type sauces are the ones I'd choose from the KC style. Like BDL, I've lots of sauce recipes - just say the word.

I don't see KC sauces as ketchup based as much as tomato sauce based. Texas sauces seem more ketchup based. But yopu can find everything everywhere. With KC being located where it is, it's something of a melting pot for bbq styles.

scb

[MaryB]

BDL hit it quite well, but rules 3-10 are leave the dang door or lid closed! I don't mop brisket or pork butt. In my opinion you have enough fat and connective tissue in them to keep the meat moist. Ribs I do mop but that's to add a layer of flavor more than anything. It also changes the composition of the bark to some extent. Another option to a marinade or along with it is to paint the brisket with mustard before applying the rub, it helps the rub stick and adds flavor (not a mustard flavor which surprises many).

[teamfat]

What I am about to suggest is NOT real barbeque, it is a blatant slap in the face to true pitmasters everywhere. But it is really tasty.

Given your inexperience with the new smoker and required techniques of fire control and such, you might consider cheating on your first brisket or two. I won't tell. The plan is to braise the brisket overnight in a low temp oven, then put it over the coals to finish.

Get a brisket, following BDL's advice, trim it if so inclined. Plop that puppy, fat side up, into a big roasting pan. Peel a couple of yellow onions, slice thickly, spread the slices around the brisket. Remove any loose paper skins from two heads (not cloves) of garlic, stick those in somewhere. The veggie choice is up to you. I like to quarter about half a pound or so of mushrooms, throw them on. Carrots and celery work too. A can of chipotles in adobo sauce is a nice addition. Remember that the heat inducing capsaicin in chiles is an oil, and a lot of it will be absorbed by the rendered fat from the brisket and not end up on the meat itself. Fresh jalapenos, poblanos and such can also be quartered and tossed into the roaster. Tomatillos are nice as well. Put the cover on the roaster, place in a 175 - 200 degree F oven ( as low as yours will go ) and go to bed.

In the morning remove the meat from the pan, wrap in a couple layers of heavy duty foil. Let it cool for a while, then stick it in the fridge. The stuff left in the pan is really good. You'll most likely want to remove as much of the fat as you can, save the rest for later.

Later that same day, take the brisket out of the fridge. Fire up the smoker. When the fire is ready, unwrap the brisket and put it in the cooker. Depending on the size, the heat of your fire, the type of smoker and such, it will probably take 2 - 3 hours to reheat the brisket, render out a bit more fat and put sort of a smoky flavored bark on it. Basically what you are doing is making a chargrilled potroast at this point. You wont get a lot of smoke flavor, you won't get a good smoke ring, you won't be getting a real barbecue brisket.

It should still be tasty, though, and the process will give you experience with your smoker. Once you've got some confidence in your ability and a handle on the quirks of your cooker, do a brisket from scratch, none of that overnight in the oven stuff. When they turn out well, they are SO good!

mjb.

[Koukouvagia]

Your replies so far are so very helpful. I'm seriously thinking about doing a pork butt instead of brisket due to the level of difficulty, but I so have my heart set on brisket! It seems like if we want to eat in the evening we'll have to get up really early on Monday morning to do this, right?

The smoker we have looks like R2D2 (from Star wars) and is called a Brinkmann Gourmet Charcoal Smoker and Grill. Hubby showed up with it one day so I don't know anything about it.

[Koukouvagia]

Anyone? Help?

[phatch]

They're inexpensive.

They're rudely referred to as ECB (El Cheapo Brinkmann). I don't think that's totally fair as you can cook some decent food in them but they're not well suited for prolonged pit times such as for brisket. Doable with pork shoulder if it's not too big.

They're difficult to feed charcoal. over long cooking times. The one I had was difficult to get hot enough for long enough. It didn't breathe enough at the charcoal level.


However, it smokes chicken pretty well, and I've done spare ribs in it with success, salmon (a hot smoked kippered style), and some hybrid things like cha shu pork, hot wings, chinese wings and so on that aren't normally smoked. Meatloaf too now that I think about it. I had a specialty mesh loaf pan for the smoke to get through.

If you're committed to this unit, order the electric heater element kit. http://www.brinkmann.net/Shop/Detail...-0224-C&id=355. Works better and easier. Add wood chunks as needed for the smoke.

Phil

[boar_d_laze]

Originally Posted by Mapiva

Anyone? Help?

Your post just showed up, so ...

Okay, I'm familiar with the type of grill you have -- it's a "bullet" type. In the barbecue world it's known as an "ECB," or "El Cheapo Brinkmann." It's the smoker a lot of people started on. Some moved on as quickly as possible, and some made them work.

Bad news/good news. Bad news first. As bullets go an ECB is not one of the good ones. There's one that stands head and shoulders above the rest (and is also more expensive than the ECB). If it isn't already too late and the extra money isn't a big deal, trade in your Brinkmann for a Weber Smokey Mountain. It's definitely worth it.

I've got to go to a meeting, but when I come back we can talk more about how to make your Brinkmann work as well as it can. But for now:

First -- it will be fine, really. "Not as good" doesn't mean "unworkable."

Second -- here's the good news: At the end of the day a little bullet like yours is more manageable for a beginner than starting out with a small, inexpensive offset.

Third -- There's a very small range of consistent temperatures a stock Brinkmann will hold, and the range is on the low end for a quick brisket cook. But any large cut is going to take a long time, and going to mean getting up very early -- and staying up. Your going to be doing a lot of checking on your first long cook -- especially considering you don't have the right kind of thermometer to keep track while you nap; and that an ECB requires lots of tending and management under the best of circumstances.


Cheaper is a lot more difficult, inconvenient and techinque intensive. My advice is, if you can afford it at all, it's much better to jump in with both feet. You'll have all this stuff for years and years, so if it's a close call err on the side of splurge.

That said, things are what they are. I don't want to get into costing out a bunch of stuff, if it's only going to make you feel bad. This is supposed to be fun, and the stuff isn't essential. You can do a pretty good job of smoking with a trash can and an old grill and hot plate. So, you ask me either: "What's it going to take to make this as good as possible?" or "How can I make what we have work as well as possible?" Whichever, I'll do my best and no more lectures.

Fourth -- Whatever you choose to cook, let's keep the cut size down as small as is consistent with your group. Larger pieces cook better as wholes than they do broken down so if it's a large group the food will be better if cooked whole -- which means a long cook; but it's a party -- not a cross to bear. So, we'll make it work and the food will be plenty good. We'll save "world's greatest pitmistress" for the next 'q.

Fifth -- Pork is easier than brisket, because it's a lot more forgiving in the technique lapses that are almost an inevitable part of starting out. That doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't do brisket. Just factor in the extra burden and ask youself whether you want to shoulder it.

Sixth -- I've been doing 'q for a lot of years at a number of different levels including catering and comp; as have several other people who hang out here. We all want to make this as good for you as we can.

Late for my meeting,
BDL

[shel]

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze

This is supposed to be fun, and the stuff isn't essential. You can do a pretty good job of smoking with a trash can and an old grill and hot plate.

<LOL> I've seen some setups like that and they worked pretty durn well. And lots of guys make smokers from old 55-gallon drums. So, Mapvia, technique and knowledge often trumps gear.

scb

[MaryB]

I taught a friend to cook on an ECB, he couldn't afford a Weber. BDL probably has the modifications handier than I do so I will let him suggest those pork is definitely more forgiving than a brisket. If you want to stick to beef a 2-3 inch thick chuck roast that's around 5 pounds is an easy piece of meat to cook. Chuck doesn't quite have the flavor of brisket but once cooked it shreds just like a pork butt and makes some great sandwiches!

[boar_d_laze]

The four major mods are:

1. Improving access to the fire pan (four bolts, eight washer, eight nuts, power drill -- drill four holes);

2. Improving air flow to the fire pan (power drill -- drill five holes);

3. Either improving access to the water pan, or making minor modifications and obtaining another material (sand usually) to use instead of water (automobile funnel with a flexible stem, or heavy duty aluminum foil and sand); and

4. Better thermometer(s) (two, one for oven and one for meat internal, are much better!) and appropriate mounting (inexpensive digital thermometer(s) and two wine bottle corks per thermometer -- drill 1 hole per thermometer).

Total cost for all mods, including 1 thermometer, around $30; with 2 thermometers around $45. Total time, about an hour.

If not taking the Weber Smokey Mountain road (which would be far better, but $250, at Home Depot), these will make a big improvement.

BDL

PS If all this seems overwhelming and impossible before your party -- JUST HAVE THE PARTY. We'll make perfect 'q later.