Longtime reader first time pitmaster clubber

[GreaseShirt]

Hey there from sunny Pasadena CA! I got into cooking when my wife was pregnant with our first (now 3 years old) and she got me a Weber kettle with slow n sear for Father’s Day last year and now I’ve been bitten by the BBQ bug. The dream is to work my way up to a brisket but I don’t think one would fit on my 22’ and a whole packer seems like too much food for our small family. Looking for any and all bbq/cooking tips for folks with little ones at home. My three year old loves to help cook and we have a two month old. I’ve also got a sous vide and have had some success with sous vide que but haven’t really gotten my feet wet.

[RickyBobby]

Welcome to The Pit from Indy!!!! You’ve come to the right place! I can tell you from first hand experience that you can smoke an outstanding brisket in your 22, especially with an SnS! I spent a lot of money and ruined a lot of briskets before I figured it out. Finding The Pit is what put me on the road to success!!! Someone recommended that I practice on Chuck Roasts since they are cheaper, smaller, and cook very similarly to brisket. (And they are absolutely delicious as pulled beef!!!) They were right! Caution though….. we have a little pandemic of our own here known as MCS (more cooker syndrome). I literally just recovered from my latest bout with it. Lol! Welcome again!!!

[GreaseShirt]

I can feel a case of MCS brewing in my blood...

[RickyBobby]

Acknowledgement is step one on the road to recovery GreaseShirt ……. Unfortunately, you will find like I did, the support group here in The Pit is not really that inclined to talk you off the ledge. Lol, they shove you off in the best (typically expensive) kind of way. Don’t worry though, soon you will be shoving others, too. 🤣🤣

[58limited]

Welcome! I agree with RickyBobby : You can cook brisket on a 22" kettle, practice with a chuck roast first. Stick with briskets under 12-14 lbs. Chucks are small enough to feed the family without tons of leftovers.

[Panhead John]

Howdy from Houston and welcome to The Pit. I agree with those 2 dudes up there ☝️☝️ about practicing on a Chuck. Later on when you do a packer brisket, if it’s too much for y’all you can always separate the point and the flat, then freeze one half for later.

[WayneT]

Welcome to the Pit from NC.

[Draznnl]

Welcome to the Pit from southwest Florida. I’ll play echo. Yes, you can cook a packer ona 22” kettle. Yes you should practice on chucks. No it’s not too much food. That’s what brisket tacos are all about. Besides, why do you think someone invented freezers? That’s right, for leftover brisket.

[DaveD]

Brisket nachos...

[GreaseShirt]

SOLD!

[mrichie1229]

If you are freezing a brisket, put it in the fridge first before you package it up, so the juice and fat get hard. Then make sure to throw plenty of both in with the frozen meat. Brisket enchiladas are a crowd pleaser at my house. The smoke adds depth to the sauce. Yum!

[Allon]

Welcome from Central Massachusetts.

[GreaseShirt]

I'm still a New Englander at heart!

[Mosca]

Welcome! I GUARANTEE you that a whole packer brisket will fit on that Weber Kettle with S&S. A 15 pound whole packer fits on an 18” diameter LBGE with room to spare. I’ve gotten 20 pounders on there with some scooching. So they’ll fit on a 22” Kettle!

Edited to add: we are in a welcome topic, but remember this: trim that brisket mercilessly. For example, you might have a 2” tail at the end of the flat that’s 3/4” thick; trim it. It’s going to overcook and dry out anyhow. Brisket isn’t about how big it is at the start, it’s about how good it tastes at the end. The trimmings? Sear them off and make some great beans. Remember, our Eastern European brothers and sisters don’t smoke briskets, they braise them.

[MsTwiggy]

☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻 This!!! Trim mercilessly, you can def fit a big brisket on your 22" kettle. Have fun enjoy the process, grab a cold one, dry brine at least a day in advance, congratulate yourself on a job well done. 🔥🔥🔥🫶🏻

[Whiskeyman53]

Welcome to the pit from the bbq capital of New England, Massachusetts.

[GreaseShirt]

Grew up in NH enjoying many a clambake in your fine state.

[theroc]

Howdy from just up the hill in Altadena!

[GreaseShirt]

We could see Altadena fireworks from our backyard the other day! LOVE Altadena!

[theroc]

GreaseShirt - yup, we're right across the street from the golf course from where they're launched. Very loud!

[Old Glory]

Welcome!

[Purc]

Welcome from Fort Worth. I did my first packer brisket from Costco on my Weber MT Kettle with the SnS. Go for it! Mine was great. Don't be intimidated! Tri Tip is also great on the kettle with the SnS and a reverse sear.

[FireMan]

So yer two month old is’nt helpin ya cook eh? Well, give it time, it might be slow comin around to our way of thinkin. Welcome, eat good & have fun!

[GreaseShirt]

Oh he will be ONE OF US soon enough...

[Soonerpop]

Welcome from north Texas. You’ll have fun here, and don’t be afraid to jump in with that brisket. Lots of good advice above.

[LA Pork Butt]

Welcome to the Pit from Dallas, Texas!