My Wife FTW!

[PGH_RAM]

Draznnl and realdocBBQ are both strong with the Force, and hit on exactly what happened.

DFPS, I moved the temperature probe in the flat (put it dead center on top of the flat instead of off to the side), and it was only 150F instead of 175. I think you were bang-on right about the heat of the snake hitting the brisket at certain points. When I run a snake for pork butts, it's very easy to keep the meat out of the direct heat as the snake progresses. This brisket was so big that part of it was always getting direct heat until it shrunk a little and I could put it off to one side entirely. As beautiful as this piece of meat is, I don't think I'll cook one this big again on a kettle....unless I find a good deal on a 26".

As for the seasoning, I gave it what I thought was a pretty good dusting of SPG. I may have been a little gun shy, though, because I overdid it a bit on the dino ribs I smoked a few weeks ago. I've made a pretty tasty sauce to go with it, so hopefully that will make up for it if I wasn't generous enough with the seasoning.

I'm planning on making tallow next week. I've got about six or seven lbs of good beef fat saved up in the basement freezer, and have plenty of room to store it. Plus, I usually gift small Mason jars of it to some of my friends when I make it.

Draznnl, the point was 197F, probe-tender, and jiggly 9 hours in. The flat was still 175F and not tender. Based on the rate of temperature change I'm seeing on the ThermoWorks app, I'm guessing the flat will be ready somewhere around 11 hours in. I will note for future cooks that the flat temp is the one to really watch.

I'll definitely take a bunch of pics of the finished product. I just attempted to upload a short video I took of the jiggle, but the file was too big. I'll try to edit it down.

[realdocBBQ]

Haha! Fun story, yes, the flat is the temp to watch. Matter of fact, in watching many BBQ videos from lots of well-known YouTubers - not that this is the metric by which to measure, for sure, but it is a very common sentiment with many guys I've grown to respect and whose opinions I trust - a lot of them will tell you not to even pay attention to the point. Don't temp it, jiggle it or anything, it's the flat you've got to worry about. Much like beef ribs, the point is so fatty, it's pretty hard to screw up - not impossible, but in general, it's not the portion of the briskie you've got to worry about.

Looking forward to the vid!

[Alan Brice]

PGH_RAM Of all the briskie I have cooked none have been a disaster, only a learning experience. I ate every single one.
Some I cubed up n put in chili or a pot of beans. Just recorded the results n moved on. Welcome to the Pit!

[PGH_RAM]

I'll write more tomorrow, because I'm just wiped out right now (I was too excited to sleep last night while the smoke was rolling). Suffice to say, I am happy with the results. My guests DEMOLISHED the brisket, not a scrap left of the 17 lbs that went on the fire. I think that's the highest compliment a cook can get. Here's a picture to hold you over.

[mrichie1229]

PGH_RAM. Yes, having no meat left is the highest praise possible!

[Alan Brice]

Congrats! That is a win to be sure!

[Jerod Broussard]

Dang, brown paper on a tray alah Welcome to RAM'S SMOKEHOUSE, where the wife tosses the beef in the buggey and I toss it on the Pit.

[PGH_RAM]

So, the run-down from yesterday...

I went simple on the seasoning and only used SPG. I set up a 2x2 snake in my kettle with chunks of Texas post oak. I decided to cook the brisket fat cap down. I rotated the grate every two hours to try to keep the brisket out of direct heat, but it was so big that this was impossible for the first few hours of the cook. I lost one corner to the flames. That translated into about a three ounce piece when I carved the finished product that was so burned I wouldn't even give it to Leo.

I gave myself 16 hours to cook the brisket and time for a two hour rest. While the point was done and jiggly at the nine hour mark, the flat took 11 hours. Way ahead of my schedule and neither part ever truly stalled. Thankfully, my oven has a 150F setting, so I was able to wrap the brisket in butcher paper and let it rest for the seven remaining hours. The flat could have been slightly more tender and juicy, the point was slightly overdone (on the edge of falling apart when I sliced it) but the taste was FANTASTIC. The SPG gave it just the right amount of flavor to really let the beef and smoke shine.

I think the doneness issues might have been caused by the difficulty I had keeping parts of the brisket out of direct heat during the cook. I've already started making the case to SWMBO for my purchase of the 26" Master-Touch which would allow me to avoid that pitfall in the future. She said something about deck space and new patio furniture, but I'm sure she'll come around.

To go with the brisket I made candied jalapenos, pickled red onions, and a Texas style red sauce. For sides I made frijoles borrachos (drunken beans) and a salad of shaved brussels sprouts, apples, and pomegranate seeds in a piquant vinaigrette that provided a nice counterpoint to the richness of the brisket. I got some potato rolls for people to make sandwiches if they wanted. And then, because the little Italian grandma in me couldn't risk there not being enough food, I used my Vortex to cook some chicken thighs while the brisket rested. I made the Alabama white sauce from Amazing Ribs to go with those. My wife made God's Own banana pudding for dessert and the meal was rounded out with pot luck dishes provided by the families who joined us. Twenty people went home stuffed and happy at the end of the night, and we all were grateful to experience such a strong bond of community and friendship. One of my friends even broke his vegan streak to try the brisket because it smelled so good. He explained that he's more sort of a "situational" vegan.

What I learned:

1. Worry about the flat, the point will take care of itself.
2. Place the probes properly toward the center of the flat instead of sticking out the side.
3. Plan for maximum cooking time, be ready for short cooking time.
4. A longer rest is better.
5. Let my wife choose the brisket every time.

Thank you all for your advice and support! I've learned so much from this community, and I'm ecstatic that I got to put some of it to good use yesterday.

Here are some more pictures...

[RickyBobby]

Looks outstanding!

[realdocBBQ]

That looks awesome, brother, way to go! I agree, I think you need a much bigger grill... smoker... something. Definitely. I say follow that logic.

[luvthemstillers]

Great job on your cook. Very nice smoke ring. Looks delicious!