Since switching from propane to charcoal a year ago, I really have no desire to go back. But I don't have a "real" charcoal smoker yet - just a PK Grill and a Smokey Joe. I've been thinking for a while about trying a brisket on the PK. I was at Costco on Friday, and when I spotted their prime briskets, I realized that this would be the perfect weekend to do it. With holiday stuff and other family things going on, I'm home alone (just like the movie) for 5 whole days - just me and peace and quiet. So I figured it would be a great time to do an experiment - if I screw it up, no one else to disappoint.
For some reason, though, I also made enough potatoes and coleslaw for a dinner party.
Dinner for 1? Well...
It sort of worked - and sort of not. I got the fire started late Saturday a little before midnight, and with my baffle system it took quite a while to get up to temp. Got the meat on around 1 a.m. By 8 a.m. on Sunday, the point (right where the hot air flowed up) was 170 F and the flat was 134 F. The fire was burning out, and with the baffle set up, I would have to pull everything off to add more coals. You might say I was (wait for it...) baffled. So I wrapped it in foil and put it in the oven to finish. Couple more hours and the thick part in the middle hit 205 F. I rested it for about 2 hours while I made the potatoes and slaw, during which time I started seriously to question my sanity.
Result:
Here are some pics of the whole grand experiment:
The "raw" materials:
Right before I took it to the oven:
The middle part of the flat that got cooked just right (check out the smoke ring):
Aah - it was worth it (I think):
For some reason, though, I also made enough potatoes and coleslaw for a dinner party.
Dinner for 1? Well...
- 15.5 lb. brisket
- 3 lbs of red potatoes
- 1 large head of cabbage and 4 carrots chopped for slaw
- Oops - I'm out of mayonnaise - make 1 jar of homemade mayo
- Don't want to waste the trimmed brisket fat - render out 3.5 cups of purified beef tallow
- 2 full loads through the dishwasher to clean everything up
It sort of worked - and sort of not. I got the fire started late Saturday a little before midnight, and with my baffle system it took quite a while to get up to temp. Got the meat on around 1 a.m. By 8 a.m. on Sunday, the point (right where the hot air flowed up) was 170 F and the flat was 134 F. The fire was burning out, and with the baffle set up, I would have to pull everything off to add more coals. You might say I was (wait for it...) baffled. So I wrapped it in foil and put it in the oven to finish. Couple more hours and the thick part in the middle hit 205 F. I rested it for about 2 hours while I made the potatoes and slaw, during which time I started seriously to question my sanity.
Result:
- Flavor? Check!
- Bark? Check!
- Smoke ring? Check!
- But the point was overdone to the point of falling apart
- And the last half of the flat never got tender
- While the middle part where point and flat overlap was just right - Goldilocks style
Here are some pics of the whole grand experiment:
The "raw" materials:
Right before I took it to the oven:
The middle part of the flat that got cooked just right (check out the smoke ring):
Aah - it was worth it (I think):
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