I smoked me a brisket, and it was glorious.

[Henrik]

Hi all,

I did a long (12+ hour) brisket session yesterday. I decided to make it as simple as possible. No fancy rub or baste, no wrapping, nothing. Just the meat (and me). I had a nice brisket, flat only (guess the butcher kept the point...).

I trimmed it and applied a Dalmatian rub, i.e. salt and black pepper (coarsely ground). I let it rest in the fridge overnight. Then fired up my grill with oak and hickory charcoal. I tuned it in to 220° F pretty quickly, and put the meat on.

This time my grill was behaving perfectly. I left it running for 9 hours straight before I opened it the first time, and for the whole time it was humming along at exactly 220° F. I had a +/- 3.5 deg variance, that thing was flatlining. Good stuff.

Anyhow, after roughly 12 hours I took it off, brushed it with Sweet Baby Ray's (turns out to be my MO these days), then wrapped it in alu foil and a thick towel. I let it rest for at least 1 hour, then unwrapped that beauty, and cut me a slice of heaven. It was truly glorious. I am humble enough to admit that I have failed several cooks in the past, and many more will come (that's how we learn). But this one? Nailed it.

Happy Friday folks!


The raw material





Rub applied (and toothpicks to indicate fiber direction)





Done, after 12+ hours:




Time to enjoy and American classic. Big bad smoke ring on this one:

[Powersmoke_80]

Very nice awesome job! I have not tried any sauce yet and that looks delicious! I know exactly what you mean with failed cooks on my last brisket cook on the stick burner. It had a slight creosote taste on some parts, I believe was from some cherry wood that may have been wet and did not want to burn like the oak and just smoldered. Oh well Live and learn, also neat little trick you got going on there with the tooth picks.

[Henrik]

Thanks!, The devil is in the details. But I've noticed that the more I cook the less fancy I get. It is all about ticking the boxes on the little (but important) things. Would love to have me a stick burner, but don't have any room for it (yet).

[Voodoo]

Beautiful. Congrats. Like being a new father, all proud. Haha. I would love to know what your friends and family think of crazy Henrik, always smoking something as though he lived in Texas, but stuck in Sweden? Heck, my family thinks I'm pretty nuts, but they love the rewards of my efforts.
Good job.

[Henrik]

Thanks Voodoo! Yes, they do think I'm nuts, but I have to follow my heart. And like you say, "they love the rewards of my efforts". Spot on. That's all that matters.

[Danjohnston949]

Henrik, Fantastic Looking Brisket! 👍👍👍👍👍 Eat Well and Prosper! From Fargo ND, Dan

[David Parrish]

NICE COOK! Uh, what'd you cook it on?

[Henrik]

Thanks! It was the BGE, as it is too cold in Sweden. Or rather, the kettle works just fine in the winter also (of course), but it was snowing/raining, and I needed the rock solid temps that the kamados provide (due to insulation/thickness).

[fzxdoc]

That is one gorgeous hunk o' brisket, Henrik . Sometimes the simplest approach is the best, as your cook attests.

And P.S. I'm going to acquire that toothpick idea. Thanks!

Kathryn

[Henrik]

Thanks! Yes, that toothpick may sound overly silly, but it has helped med a few times when the food is ready and I'm too stressed to look properly. Steal it with pride :-)

[_John_]

Looks great, love it when the rig runs like it is supposed to.

Now about the ketchup on steak...

[LA Pork Butt]

Looks great! I liked the tooth pick idea. What was your internal temp target? Now that I have moved to Texas I'll be doing beef, which was very, very limited when I lived in Louisiana where pork butt was abundant and cheap. I'll be entering chuck and brisket land, so I am looking to learn.

Friends of all BBQ adicts believe they are crazy, but they always encourage and enjoy the product of their addiction.

[Henrik]

I wanted to go for 203 deg F, but took it when it was 195 deg F. Didn't want to wait any longer, and it felt just right when I wiggled the thermometer probe.

[LA Pork Butt]

Packer, point or flat brisket?

[Henrik]

It was a flat.

[CandySueQ]

Neat trick with the toothpick! Why'd you cut it wrong then? Beautiful job!

[Henrik]

Good eye, CandySueQ! I just cut off the very end in order to get a good picture. Didn't think anyone would notice. It was sliced correctly after the Kodak moment.

[BigBear]

Beautiful job Henrik . I'm definitely ripping your toothpick idea off. Brilliant!

[DeusDingo]

i was just about to ask about the toothpick...now i get it. i, also, am ripping you off

[Clarkgriswald]

That. Is. Awesome!

[bbqoaf]

Beautiful!

[CandySueQ]

You get a Gold Star for the toothpick! Everyone's going to use it now! I just cut a chunk out of the bottom of the flat to mark where to start cutting. Just using a dalmation rub, you don't really lose where the grain is though.

[Jerod Broussard]

Henrik If you can't see muscles striations on a cooked brisket you need to leave off that last 8" of rub.