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Yes, There's a Camp Brisket at Texas A&M

I see Franklin has to come over there and teach y'all how to cook brisket huh. From pictures I've seen of the aggy recruiting BBQs, Terry Price sure could use some pointers.
 
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I see Franklin has to come over there and teach y'all how to cook brisket huh. From pictures I've seen of the aggy recruiting BBQs, Terry Price sure could use some pointers.
Franklin is from Bryan. And apparently you watch the Aggie "Pulse" videos. :D
 
A bit off topic, but did you guys know that now in Texas there is competitive brisket cooking in high schools? As well as bass fishing? This would have been awesome. On a side note, any of you had akaushi beef brisket? Got one going on the smoker this weekend. Will provide updates afterwards
 
A bit off topic, but did you guys know that now in Texas there is competitive brisket cooking in high schools? As well as bass fishing? This would have been awesome. On a side note, any of you had akaushi beef brisket? Got one going on the smoker this weekend. Will provide updates afterwards
Because of the high fat content of akaushi and wagyu and other Kobe breeds, you're going to have to be really careful with it. They are amazing cuts of meat to work with but they are so delicate. If have that sucker wrapped in about four layers of tin foil and don't puncture it until your 100% sure you're ready to put that meat thermometer in it.
Also---- it's really easy to turn it into something that's more moist than pot roast--- it could just literally fall apart on you.
 
Because of the high fat content of akaushi and wagyu and other Kobe breeds, you're going to have to be really careful with it. They are amazing cuts of meat to work with but they are so delicate. If have that sucker wrapped in about four layers of tin foil and don't puncture it until your 100% sure you're ready to put that meat thermometer in it.
Also---- it's really easy to turn it into something that's more moist than pot roast--- it could just literally fall apart on you.
Pretty excited about it. I'm a butcher paper guy and try to stay away from tinfoil because I personally think you can get a little more smoke flavor in it. But I'm planning to start the fire about 5:30 and have it on the pit by 6:30 at the latest. That will give me a good 12 hours, although I typically don't let mine go that long.
 
How hot do you run your pit? I've experimented with as low as 250 and as high as 325. The only difference I've noticed is at higher temps the bark darkens faster so you might need to wrap earlier, but it also shaves a few hours off the cooking time which is nice. Both ways taste great. I don't think I'll go back to the 250 degree 12 hour cooks anymore, too long with no benefit in my opinion.
 
How hot do you run your pit? I've experimented with as low as 250 and as high as 325. The only difference I've noticed is at higher temps the bark darkens faster so you might need to wrap earlier, but it also shaves a few hours off the cooking time which is nice. Both ways taste great. I don't think I'll go back to the 250 degree 12 hour cooks anymore, too long with no benefit in my opinion.
I generally try to keep it between 275 and 300 for about the 1st 4 hours or so. After that I don't mind it getting down to 250, but nothing lower than that. I personally haven't seen the benefit of a 200* 18 hour cook...I can't drink that much beer in one setting!=)roll
 
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I generally try to keep it between 275 and 300 for about the 1st 4 hours or so. After that I don't mind it getting down to 250, but nothing lower than that. I personally haven't seen the benefit of a 200* 18 hour cook...I can't drink that much beer in one setting!=)roll

It's fun trying, my pit won't light without beer.
 
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I usually cook my brisket on the pit for about 4-5 hours between 225 & 250 using charcoal, oak and/hickory or pecan wood. Sometimes if it's late at night, I'll pull it off of the pit, wrap it in foil and put it in the oven inside at 225 for about eight hours. 4-5 hours is plenty of smoke time and there is no difference in pit heat or oven heat if the brisket is wrapped in foil. Turns out great and super tender!
 
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I usually cook my brisket on the pit for about 4-5 hours between 225 & 250 using charcoal, oak and/hickory or pecan wood. Sometimes if it's late at night, I'll pull it off of the pit, wrap it in foil and put it in the oven inside at 225 for about eight hours. 4-5 hours is plenty of smoke time and there is no difference in pit heat or oven heat if the brisket is wrapped in foil. Turns out great and super tender!
4-5 hours of total cook time?
 
Lol at not using mesquite. You folks with your sweet wood are so cute.

I get it. Sometimes I cook a steak with hickory or pecan. But I like my brisket and prime rib to have that super smokey mesquite flavor--- it's what I was raised on.
 
Lol at not using mesquite. You folks with your sweet wood are so cute.

I get it. Sometimes I cook a steak with hickory or pecan. But I like my brisket and prime rib to have that super smokey mesquite flavor--- it's what I was raised on.
I try to stay away from mesquite, if possible, due to it giving me indigestion immediately upon consumption.
 
Used mesquite one time and it made the brisket smell like a campfire. Way too strong. Oak or pecan is the way to go, but whatever you like.
 
I do 225° for 10hours, then wrapped at 240 till point is 200° and then rest in cooler for 3 or 4 hrs
 
I try to stay away from mesquite, if possible, due to it giving me indigestion immediately upon consumption.
Oh dude I can clear out a feed lot with the gas it gives me--- but it's so worth it!
 
mesquite smoke for 3-4 hrs, then put at end of pit before I go to bed , heat at 250 and throw a small stick on and its cooks slow all night , wake up and get coffee and got to pit and fork it and its perfect for slicing, I use no seasonings on the brisket its adds up to 200-250 for 6-7 hrs and fat side down, let the smoke do its works..etc...just like Franklins...
 
So I’ve never smoked a brisket but have been wanting to learn how to do so, and all these ideas are helpful.
A couple questions:
Does anyone use a rub or just allow the smoke to flavor it?
FBH, you commented fat side down. I’ve heard fat side up, to perhaps allow it cook/seep down into meat to add flavor and moisture the meat?
 
So I’ve never smoked a brisket but have been wanting to learn how to do so, and all these ideas are helpful.
A couple questions:
Does anyone use a rub or just allow the smoke to flavor it?
FBH, you commented fat side down. I’ve heard fat side up, to perhaps allow it cook/seep down into meat to add flavor and moisture the meat?
Think about it like this----- everybody's momma and grandmomma had a recipe for apple pie. Everybody's was different but the same thing --- apple pie.

I start my off fat side up but turn every hour. I use a light rub.

There's someone out the that makes brisket and does the opposite. It's the beauty of cooking meat like this-- it takes trial and error to get it how YOU like it. This is what makes it so much fun.
 
I start mine fat down, but trim it down pretty good prior to putting it on. There is only so much fat that is going to render down during the cooking process, so a lot of the time especially with your run of the mill store bought brisket, there is going to be substantial excess fat. I use a rub that is a mix of cayenne, garlic, black pepper, salt, some brown sugar and a couple of other things I'm not going to mention ;) I do fat down flipping every 45 minutes for the 1st 3 hours then wrap in paper for the remainder of the time.

Like Clob said, there are a million different ways to do it, but the fun is in what works best for you.

One thing that I will say works really well for me is trying to make sure my firewood is as uniform as possible. I like to cut mine to a certain length and then split and quarter. You get extra sides of the wood that can burn so you end up using a little less wood but it gives you the ability to manipulate temperature easier than just throwing hugs chucks of logs on.

If you need a good BBQ pit, check out www.bubbagrills.net great reverse flow smokers that are 100% completely customizable to what you want. Me and my family have about 6 different ones ranging from the small deck pit (I use this one at home for the family) to a full blown custom catering rig. Tell em I sent ya!
 
I've done fat up and fat down. Couldn't tell the difference.

Sometimes I use only salt and pepper. Other times I'll make a mop sauce with vinegar, onion, lemon, Worcestershire, butter, spices etc.. and mop it throughout the day.
 
I've done fat up and fat down. Couldn't tell the difference.

Sometimes I use only salt and pepper. Other times I'll make a mop sauce with vinegar, onion, lemon, Worcestershire, butter, spices etc.. and mop it throughout the day.
Exactly. Now if we were making a chocolate soufflé, there's only one way to make that. One way only or you completely fvck it up. Brisket isn't that delicate.
 
Okay, so here it goes.

I prep my brisket by soaking it over night in a mixture of Soy Sauce, Liquid Smoke and Worcestershire sauce. this helps to bring out the smoke ring.

after the soak I will generally trim most of the fat, but I don't throw it away. I will then place it in my smoker and smoke the meat for about 4 hours with very little direct heat. Smoking is not cooking, Smoking is the flavor process. I only smoke with Oak, but you can use any wood you want.

After I smoke I will take a cup of Mayo and put a layer over the meat and apply a dry rub. The mayo does nothing to the meat as it melts off but it does cause the dry rub to stick better to the meat. I will then take tin foil and place some of the brisket fat on the bottom place the brisket on the fat and then add more fat to the top. I wrap it air tight in the foil and place it over a heat source at about 225 F. and flip it about every hour. 225 will cook at 11 lb brisket in 12 hours, you want to get the think part of the brisket to 160.

I will check the meat after 6 hours and spritz it with water or some liquid I like to experiment with. Don't be afraid to move it to fresh tin foil if you tear it. the best briskets are cooked in air tight foil.

That is my method for brisket. I never get complaints. The hardest part is getting the cook time correct. I always try to stick with a brisket of about 9 to 11 lbs as it helps me keep my method consistent.
 
4-5 hours of total cook time?

No, 4-5 hours on the pit is plenty of time to get a good, smoky flavor. Many times I finish it wrapped in foil over night in the oven. Total cook time of about 12 hours. When I wake up in the morning, the house smells great. The brisket is so tender, you don't need a knife. Doing it this way takes a lot of labor/time managing the fire box on the pit. If you wrap a brisket in foil and leave it on the pit, no smoke is penetrating the meat with the foil on it. It doesn't hurt anything to continue to cook it on the pit wrapped in foil, but the same thing is accomplished in the oven without having to maintain the fire. There are no rules for cooking brisket. Everyone has their own way. The main thing is low and slow to get that smoky taste and tenderness.

For a rub, I just use kosher salt and course ground black pepper. I also spritz the brisket every hour with a mixture of vinegar and water to help keep it moist.
 
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Lol at not using mesquite. You folks with your sweet wood are so cute.

I get it. Sometimes I cook a steak with hickory or pecan. But I like my brisket and prime rib to have that super smokey mesquite flavor--- it's what I was raised on.

I'm not a fan of mesquite. Don't really care for the smoke flavor that it has. Oak, hickory and pecan are my favorites.
 
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Okay, so here it goes.

I prep my brisket by soaking it over night in a mixture of Soy Sauce, Liquid Smoke and Worcestershire sauce. this helps to bring out the smoke ring.

after the soak I will generally trim most of the fat, but I don't throw it away. I will then place it in my smoker and smoke the meat for about 4 hours with very little direct heat. Smoking is not cooking, Smoking is the flavor process. I only smoke with Oak, but you can use any wood you want.

After I smoke I will take a cup of Mayo and put a layer over the meat and apply a dry rub. The mayo does nothing to the meat as it melts off but it does cause the dry rub to stick better to the meat. I will then take tin foil and place some of the brisket fat on the bottom place the brisket on the fat and then add more fat to the top. I wrap it air tight in the foil and place it over a heat source at about 225 F. and flip it about every hour. 225 will cook at 11 lb brisket in 12 hours, you want to get the think part of the brisket to 160.

I will check the meat after 6 hours and spritz it with water or some liquid I like to experiment with. Don't be afraid to move it to fresh tin foil if you tear it. the best briskets are cooked in air tight foil.

That is my method for brisket. I never get complaints. The hardest part is getting the cook time correct. I always try to stick with a brisket of about 9 to 11 lbs as it helps me keep my method consistent.


LOl..I like that A "Mayo Brisket"...LOL You gotta be a Yankee Son! ...LOL
 
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