First Brisket Success

[hoovarmin]

I followed the directions here on this site for preparing my first Brisket and the results were fantastic (Technically, it was my second brisket because 2 years ago I tried a flat from Publix that had been completely trimmed of all fat, and set the pine bark mulch beneath the Kettle on fire resulting in a disaster.)

The only grade I could find for a whole packer here in the Jacksonville area was Select at Wall Mart, so I wet aged it in the fridge for 2 weeks after purchase. I don't know if that's what did it, but the Brisket turned out better than any I've had anywhere in my entire life. I used the Slow N' Sear from Adrenaline BBQ in my 22.5 Weber Performer and held a steady temp with no effort at all. In fact, it was the most relaxing cook I've ever had despite the uncertainty of the outcome. I did wrap at 150, and I'd do it again. But I think I'd hold it there a bit longer for more bark and would like to hear thoughts from other members about that.

I still have the juice from the crutch wrap in the fridge and would also love to hear ideas about what to do with it.

[jgreen]

Congratulations! I agree on taking it into the stall, likely at or around 160, before considering a wrap. Love brisket, especially the point. With respect to the juice, I usually pour over after slicing. Seems to help moisten.

[Henrik]

This is such a nice success story, thanks for sharing! Also cool that it was such a relaxing cook. I don't always wrap, depends on type of grill/smoker et.c., but when I do I do it at the end of the stall. I want it to bark up as much as possible, like you say.

[hoovarmin]

Henrik, you, kmhfive, and Steve R all said you wrap after the stall. I was under the impression that the purpose of wrapping was to get through the stall. Can you elaborate? Just when I think I'm starting to know what I'm doing I find out I still don't!

[kmhfive]

Congratulations! Sounds like a great cook. If you want to wrap, I'd wait for good bark, typically after the stall, between 170 and 180F to wrap.

[Mr. Bones]

Great job on yer brisket!!!
Did ya' take any pics fer us to drool over????

[hoovarmin]

It may have been the first time I didn't take pics. I will do better next time.

[Steve R.]

When it's time to slice and serve, I take take a large spatula and move all the slices together from the cutting board over into a rectangular aluminum foil pan. The juice then gets drizzled as evenly as possible over the slices. Then keep covered loosely with foil until everyone is served.

[RonB]

When you wrap at the beginning of the stall, you do speed up the cook, but at the cost of better bark. If you wait until after the stall, you get better bark, but it takes a bit longer. Best practice for me is to plan on it taking a bit longer and wrap after the stall.

[Henrik]

hoovarmin, good point, let me see if I can clarify. I wrap at different times and for different reasons. The point of wrapping just before the stall, or when it 'begins', is like you say to force the meat past the stall. This saves a lot of time. However, most of the time I'm not in a rush, so if I wrap I do it just after the stall. By then the bark has had ample time to thicken and form a nice crust. I love bark, so the more the merrier. That's why I wait.

The purpose of the 'post-stall' wrap is not so much to save time, but to make sure the meat stays as moist as possible. This is more important for grass feed beef than other beef in my opinion (type of smoker also plays in). If I smoke Creekstone Farms choice brisket I don't wrap at all, for example, but if I buy meat from my local farmer I know it is leaner (and grass fed), so I simply have to wrap it to avoid drying it out. I'm not 100% consistent with wrapping. My 'rule' is to always look at the meat and grab it to feel how tender/dry it is, and then decide if I should wrap it or not.

[EdF]

You think like an engineer! ;-)

[Henrik]

I _am_ an engineer. I have to live with it every day ;-) ;-)

[HouseHomey]

Better yet do you have any pictures of the first brisket cook 😀 Nice job on the second brisket..... bit you know what they say????? If there are no pictures....

[hoovarmin]

I wish I had video of that fiasco!