any good brisket smokin recipes?

[Amarksman]

I have a good rub and mop I used last summer, wanted to find something new this year. Appreciate yer suggestions!

[Dookiebutt]

What kind of smoker? I love the avatar.

[soonerborn]

Season lightly with Lysanders

Wrap in bacon

Wrap in foil

Smoke slowly for 12 - 24 hours depending on brisket size.

When done, remove foil and smoke another 20-30 mins if you like a crust.
Lysander's All-Natural BBQ Rubs for Meats AND Vegetables

I use the hickory rub on briskets.

I also use the beef, fish and cajun rubs

The best is the veggie rub though. absolutely out of this world on grilled veggies.

[Amarksman]

Originally Posted by Dookiebutt

What kind of smoker? I love the avatar.

I use a water smoker. not very big. its the one you can get at home depot. works ok though

[HARDERTR]

I always get a kick out of the guys that spend DAYS cooking a brisket. I can knock one out in under 5 hours (cooking time) and EVERY TIME I serve it, folks assume I worked on it forever.

I have one of the big steel smokers, and like it a lot if I'm doing a months worth of meat, but I normally use a water smoker like I assume you have (upright Brinkman). I think you can do a brisket in a garbage can, if you keep an eye on the temparature.

I usually get one that JUST fits in the top rack of the smoker. I "checker" cut it across the top and bottom then grind in my rub. A lot of folks will tell you NOT to cut checker the meat.."it lets the juice out...", but it doesn't. Depending on the thickness of the meat, I will cut up to 2 inches deep in the thickest end. THEN...here's the secret... put it in a big baking pan and soak it in Dr. Pepper for about 2 days. Flip it a couple of times so both sides get a good soaking.

Get your fire going, and make sure you have good smoke before you put the meat on. In the water pan, I usually pour a couple of cans of cheap beer or apple juice with a little vinegar in it. Keep an eye on the temp at ALL TIMES. If it gets too hot, your meat will bake (makes it tough). If it's too cold, you lose a lot of your smoke, and it takes more time to cook. Just keep in the middle to low end of the "ideal" range.

I smoke my meat for about 2 hours depending on how much smoke I have going. It IS possible to over-smoke meat. After about 2 hours, the brisket will start looking "cooked" on the outside. At this point, I will wrap the brisket in tin-foil and pour Dr. Pepper and sprinkle a LITTLE more rub on it. Then I seal it up and put it back on the fire for about 2-3 more hours. Of course, smaller cuts take less time.

Check it out at about the 2 hour mark to see how far along it is in the thickest end.....and NO, it doesn't hurt if you make a small cut into it to check.

Once it's done, poke a hole in the foil and let the juice run back into your water pan (it's easier to clean up that way). Then take the meat into the house and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour before you slice it.

The main mistakes I've made in the past involved not monitoring the heat and smoke. Make sure you have GOOD smoke going for the 2 hours, and DON'T LET YOUR FIRE GET SO HOT IT BAKES THE MEAT while you are smoking it.

HAVE FUN!

[ezearln]

I discovered an excellent brine to soak the brisket in overnight before smoking it has made a big difference in how tender it comes out after cooking!

Water sufficient to completely cover the brisket
1 Qt Apple CIDER vinegar (if it's a BIG brisket 18lbs or more add a little more about a cup is good)
3 C Kosher salt
3 C White sugar
3 C Dark Brown sugar
1/2 C Coarse black pepper
1/3 C Red pepper flakes

Mix dry ingredients throughly until dissolved in water, place brisket in Brine and let sit in a cool place overnight or up to 24 hours. Remove and pat dry, rub with either your favorite dry rub or you can use the one I make below.

1 C Brown sugar
1/2 C Course black pepper
1/4 C kosher salt
1/4 C Seasoned salt
1/4 C Mc Cormicks Savory Herb seasonings

Mix thoroughly together and apply as a generous rub, allow to stand for about a half hour before placing the brisket in your smoker.

And of course a really true genuine Texas Beef Brisket just ain't right unless you SOP the rascal while it's cooking! Heres my recipe there are others but well after we do a brisket for our gaggle of friends there usually ain't much of it left so you decide here it is. Don't forget to get a sop mop to apply it! This makes enough to sop up to a 20lb brisket.

1 1/2 C Apple Cider vinegar
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
4 Cans (12oz) of cheap ol beer (Pearl used to be the best for this but you just can't get it anymore, Lonestar works good though)
1/2 C Course ground pepper
1/4 C Minced garlic (don't freak you can get it already minced and it's cheap!)
Mix this together in the order listed, remember to add the oil a little slowly while stirring to make sure it doesn't "break". when all is well mixed set in a container near your smoker with the sop mop, Now oddly I find one of the new folgers coffee "cans" with the lid works well for this. Sop the brisket generously once every half hour or so, and every time you turn it.

Remember to keep your smoker temps LOW (about 225-250 deg F), and I add a container of water to help keep the meat from drying too much. Figure about 30-45 min per pound depending on how lean or fat you estimate your brisket to be. I use nothing but live wood to smoke with so there is a difference. Enjoy my friends!

BTW wait until your fire has choked back to ember after adjusting your flue, I keep a smoulder going outside the smoker with additional fuel if needed, the idea is to GENTLY smoke the meat and if all you've got is coals (few or no open flames) you're there. Watch you're temp though

[troy2000]

Well, now I know what I'm doing this weekend. How could I not do a brisket after reading all this stuff?

[ezearln]

But Troy we all know you're easily influenced! LOL But yeah a brisket is always a god choice (but wasteful for just me and the Missus)

[soonerborn]

Originally Posted by HARDERTR

I always get a kick out of the guys that spend DAYS cooking a brisket. I can knock one out in under 5 hours (cooking time) and EVERY TIME I serve it, folks assume I worked on it forever.

.......

THEN...here's the secret... put it in a big baking pan and soak it in Dr. Pepper for about 2 days. Flip it a couple of times so both sides get a good soaking.

The fact is that regardless of what you do you have to cook or "treat" the brisket in a way that breaks down the collagen. If you prefer the flavoring of an acid treatment then you can cut the time down on cooking. Dr Pepper is probably the most popular (at least around here) way to acid treat meats to breakdown collagen. I think its a waste of a good brisket personally and instead prefer to use it to sweeten and break down the collagen on a salt cured ham.

You need to reach an internal temp of 185-190 to effectively breakdown the collagen. Usually for briskets this takes 1.5 hours at a temp of 230ish for every pound of meat. so that 15 pound brisket is gonna take close to 24 hours no ifs ands or buts about it, unless you soak it in Dr Pepper. Again though I just dont like the sweet taste it leaves in brisket.

[Amarksman]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their replys! I will probably end up trying them all.

[nathangdad]

Both marinade and inject the brisket with
Red Creek Mesquite flavored marionade.
Give it 24 hours in the cooler while marionading.

Smoker should have Kingsford charcoal (but not mesquite charcoal)
water soaked oak chips.

Give it five hours smoking and keep the water soaked
oak chips coming for fairly constant smoke.

[SwedeSteve]

Chase down a slow running cow, and eat all the beef you want. When finished, kick back and enjoy a "smoke". Leave before the rancher shows up, LOL!