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Perfectly Boring Brisket.

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    Perfectly Boring Brisket.

    Today I did my first, prime, full packer brisket on the PBC. I used BBB rub. I hung the full brisket from the rebars. I averaged 270.9 on the ambient temp. I wrapped in paper when the bark set around 170. Placed it back on the grate until probe tender at about 207. Then I let it rest for 1.5 hours. I wish I took pics. It looked wonderful. Jiggled and everything. When I sliced it, it was moist. It had a nice smoke ring, although not as think as some that I've seen on line. It should have been perfect except I could hardly taste any smoke flavor and even the seasoning was muted. I usually use foil to wrap but I opted for paper this time because I was afraid with the humidity in the barrel it would soften the bark. Could the paper have affected my brisket? I've not used paper before and I would have expected it to have more smoke flavor than wrapping in foil. I was really disappointed with how it turned out.

    #2
    I wouldn't think paper would have caused that. I have used paper in many of my briskets on the PBC and never lacked for smoke. I have always used a few chunks of wood over lump charcoal.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by SmokeyNate View Post
      I wouldn't think paper would have caused that. I have used paper in many of my briskets on the PBC and never lacked for smoke. I have always used a few chunks of wood over lump charcoal.
      I used a couple chunks of mesquite and a handful of chips.

      Comment


        #4
        This may qualify as Dumb Question #1 ... but did you brine the brisket? If so, how?

        Comment


          #5
          Paper usually keeps the flavors from becoming muter. Foil makes it taste a bit washed out and braised. I suspect you didn't use enough wood. Brisket is a big chunk of meat with a strong natural beefy flavor. On my trailers I either use all wood (oak) in the sniper stickburner, or a LOT of wood chunks (50/50 oak mesquite) added often to lump charcoal in the charcoal powered safe. On my Gasser smokers at the house I use the same oak mesquite mix, and a lot. The Gasser's go through at least 3 full racks of wood on a brisket cook. I find that myself, my family, and almost all the catering jobs I do prefer a heavy smoke profile. Then again Texas BBQ is heavily smoked. The shoulder in my pit now will go through probably 3 racks of hickory before the night is over.

          Comment


          • texastweeter
            texastweeter commented
            Editing a comment
            oh, and was the brisket cold when you put it in?

          #6
          Originally posted by MBMorgan View Post
          This may qualify as Dumb Question #1 ... but did you brine the brisket? If so, how?
          I dry brined for 30 hours.

          Comment


          • MBMorgan
            MBMorgan commented
            Editing a comment
            That’s not the problem, then. I’m headed off to bed now where I’ll start working on Dumb Question #2.

          #7
          Originally posted by texastweeter View Post
          Paper usually keeps the flavors from becoming muter. Foil makes it taste a bit washed out and braised. I suspect you didn't use enough wood. Brisket is a big chunk of meat with a strong natural beefy flavor. On my trailers I either use all wood (oak) in the sniper stickburner, or a LOT of wood chunks (50/50 oak mesquite) added often to lump charcoal in the charcoal powered safe. On my Gasser smokers at the house I use the same oak mesquite mix, and a lot. The Gasser's go through at least 3 full racks of wood on a brisket cook. I find that myself, my family, and almost all the catering jobs I do prefer a heavy smoke profile. Then again Texas BBQ is heavily smoked. The shoulder in my pit now will go through probably 3 racks of hickory before the night is over.
          Yes the brisket was cold. I didn’t think I’d need so much wood since it was done in the PBC, but maybe you’re right about that. I do like Texas style and a heavy smoke profile too. I didn’t have butcher paper so I used brown kraft paper. I wondered if it made a difference. It did seem like now and then I’d get a good bite that was Smokey which doesn’t make much sense to me since most of it was like pot roast with bark.

          Comment


          • texastweeter
            texastweeter commented
            Editing a comment
            sounds like the Kraft paper may be part of it. Never used anything but foil or butcher paper.

          • Henrik
            Henrik commented
            Editing a comment
            I agree. Use butcher's paper, more wood chunks and also: wrap later.

          • texastweeter
            texastweeter commented
            Editing a comment
            good point Henrik, what temp, how set was bark, and how longhad it been on pre-crutch?

          #8
          We probably all experienced something like this. Spend all day (and night) monitoring a cook. Breathing in the wonderful aromas coming from our cooker. Come time to eat we are smoked just as much as our product. Call it smoke overdose? Someone mentioned taking a shower before eating helped. What did everyone else have to say about the brisket?

          Comment


            #9
            I'm with HawkerXP 's call on this. Very seldom is the PBC accused of not delivering a smokey flavor to the meat. I suspect you were on smoke overload from the cook. Plus you probably smelled as smokey as the brisket. I take a shower before serving, if I have time. It helps some. But always, always the brisket tastes better to me the next day.

            Kathryn

            Comment


            • HouseHomey
              HouseHomey commented
              Editing a comment
              He asks for help and all we do is tell him to shower.

              +2

            • fzxdoc
              fzxdoc commented
              Editing a comment
              Nobody likes being a Smellycat , HouseHomey , especially if it interferes with enjoying the flavor of the 'cue.

              Just saying.

              K.

            • smokin fool
              smokin fool commented
              Editing a comment
              Agree with the shower, wife says I smell like an arsonist after smoking.

            #10
            Originally posted by fzxdoc View Post
            I'm with HawkerXP 's call on this. Very seldom is the PBC accused of not delivering a smokey flavor to the meat. I suspect you were on smoke overload from the cook. Plus you probably smelled as smokey as the brisket. I take a shower before serving, if I have time. It helps some. But always, always the brisket tastes better to me the next day.

            Kathryn
            Actually I do the same thing. I showered while it was resting. Also, it took about 9 hours before the bark was set and I wrapped it. Total time was about 11.5 hours plus 1.5 in the cooler. This morning it tasted fine. It was a good brisket minus the smoke. Generally I do a smaller size on my kettle and it gets much more smoke flavor. I’ve done chucks on the PBC and they come out great! My family thought it was good but they thought it lacked smoke flavor too.

            Comment


            • fzxdoc
              fzxdoc commented
              Editing a comment
              Firefli , I inject with homemade beef broth in which Butcher's BBQ phosphate is dissolved. (I skip this step for nicely marbled prime brisket, though) Dry brine overnight. Rub with Worchestershire sauce and cover heavily with BBBR before hooking and hanging in the PBC. Close the lid and let the magic happen. Wrap nekkid after the bark has formed at 170°F and take it to probe tenderness. If the fire is dying after the brisket is wrapped, I move it to a 275° oven until it is probe tender.

              K.

            • fzxdoc
              fzxdoc commented
              Editing a comment
              P.S. (ran out of room in the previous comment)

              Firefli --the last brisket I did I tried Oak Ridge BBQ's SPOGoS rub, combining the dry brine and rub steps. It was delicious too.

              I usually use about 6 oz of wood--most often post oak, and Weber or B&B briquettes which last longer than KBB. If there is no Weber or B&B in my stash, I use KBB. In fact, I used KBB for years before Weber briquettes came on the scene and/or I had access to B&B briquettes.

              K.
              Last edited by fzxdoc; January 17, 2020, 07:43 AM.

            • fzxdoc
              fzxdoc commented
              Editing a comment
              P.S. #2 Firefli
              I keep running out of room...

              I move the wrapped brisket to the oven if the fire is dying since the heat source is immaterial once the meat has been wrapped. It usually comes to probe tenderness in under an hour or so.

              I then faux cambro in a 140-160° warming oven (Advantium) for 2 hours or more.

              K.
              Last edited by fzxdoc; January 17, 2020, 07:46 AM.

            #11
            No idea if this would make a difference as I have only done 2 briskets on the PBC, but a 1.5 hr rest for a full packer seems short. I usually rest in a cooler for between 3 and 5 hours. Regarding the paper you used........use foil or butcher paper.

            Comment


              #12
              May be I missed something, but....
              I've been reading up on the PBC, which is called a Cooker but also referred to as a Smoker. Here's the thing I'm trying to understand: does anybody add wood chunks to the charcoal when running the PBC? That's what I do with my WSM, but the WSM Cover has an outlet for the smoke, whereas the PBC doesn't seem to have one. What am I missing?
              Last edited by Smokin' Sol; February 26, 2020, 10:34 AM. Reason: Sorry, that wasn't meant as a reply. First time post...

              Comment


              • cashelton
                cashelton commented
                Editing a comment
                Ive used wood chunks in everyone of my PBC cooks.

              • Voodoo628
                Voodoo628 commented
                Editing a comment
                Yup I always add a few chunks for my cooks on the PBC. Once I drop the chimney and then set the basket I normally drop my chunks in right before I start hanging.

                Definitely never had an issue of no smoke profile. What Charcoal/Lump were you using?

              #13
              I always use wood in my PBC. Yes, there is a place for the smoke to exit the PBC.......it's the same holes the hot air escapes. The 4 holes up top the rebar is run through. The holes are larger than the rebar. In fact that is part of the PBC design. You leave the rebars installed through the holes even if you are not hanging the meat on the rebars. Take them out and the temp shoots way up!

              Comment


              • Smokin' Sol
                Smokin' Sol commented
                Editing a comment
                thank you so much!

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