I smoked my first Wagyu brisket today for the holiday. I picked up two of them around Christmas time in a BOGO deal, both about 15.5 pounds untrimmed. I trimmed the brisket yesterday afternoon to about 1/8 inch of fat, squared it up, and dry brined it until this morning when I started the pit barrel. While the coals came to temp, I used a liberal amount of the Big Bad Beef Rub and double hooked it. I hung it at 0815 and dropped two 4-inch pieces of applewood on the side of the pit barrel I wasn't hanging the brisket (the brisket was still about 3 inches above the charcoal).
The cook went about like normal for me: about 2 to 2.5 hours to 150 degrees when the stall hit and I wrapped in heavy duty foil (butcher paper has never worked for me-both times it slowed the cook and the brisket came out tough). Another 2 hours to between 200 and 204 depending on where I checked the temp, then the whole thing went into the cambro until a half hour before slicing. Then I pulled the rods and took the lid off the pit barrel to get the coals hot and I dropped the brisket back onto the grill in the barrel to crisp up the bark. I also mopped it on both sides after it dried out from the crutch a bit. Pit temps vary, but usually mine starts out around 425 and then settles in around 305 for the duration with the way I've got the bottom vent set.
A few thoughts. I was really surprised at how much fat rendered out of the Wagyu: the photo I'll try to attach shows the brisket after cooking on a half sheet pan: before the cook it touched end to end. I had a beautiful smoke ring, and the beef was insanely tender. The rub and the mop both worked as usual with the cheaper Sams Club briskets I've cooked before, and the time was about the same (I usually plan for 6 to 7 hours for a brisket hung to plate). I couldn't tell any difference in flavor, only greater tenderness, which, I guess is to be expected.
I'm glad I got to try a Wagyu, and I'm looking forward to the one I've still got in the freezer, but I'm not sure I see a huge difference between that and the choice I've done before. That being said, I think there is a pretty noticeable difference between a select and a choice brisket. Of course, you're mileage may vary.
The cook went about like normal for me: about 2 to 2.5 hours to 150 degrees when the stall hit and I wrapped in heavy duty foil (butcher paper has never worked for me-both times it slowed the cook and the brisket came out tough). Another 2 hours to between 200 and 204 depending on where I checked the temp, then the whole thing went into the cambro until a half hour before slicing. Then I pulled the rods and took the lid off the pit barrel to get the coals hot and I dropped the brisket back onto the grill in the barrel to crisp up the bark. I also mopped it on both sides after it dried out from the crutch a bit. Pit temps vary, but usually mine starts out around 425 and then settles in around 305 for the duration with the way I've got the bottom vent set.
A few thoughts. I was really surprised at how much fat rendered out of the Wagyu: the photo I'll try to attach shows the brisket after cooking on a half sheet pan: before the cook it touched end to end. I had a beautiful smoke ring, and the beef was insanely tender. The rub and the mop both worked as usual with the cheaper Sams Club briskets I've cooked before, and the time was about the same (I usually plan for 6 to 7 hours for a brisket hung to plate). I couldn't tell any difference in flavor, only greater tenderness, which, I guess is to be expected.
I'm glad I got to try a Wagyu, and I'm looking forward to the one I've still got in the freezer, but I'm not sure I see a huge difference between that and the choice I've done before. That being said, I think there is a pretty noticeable difference between a select and a choice brisket. Of course, you're mileage may vary.
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