Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

I let my brisket rest partially unwrapped on the counter down to 140. Typically takes 2 hours. That is how I get my best results. The only reason I have ever put one in a cooler is if there was a delay in serving time.

 

Only researched them a little before. if I was shopping in the 500-700 range, I'd give em a shot (without the sales)

 

Comes with covers also

 

I hate when any grill/smoker doesn't come with a cover. I understand it's business and a way to get money but especially on more expensive grills. That's why I always buy knock off covers. Except my 26 kettle... I found a cover on craigslist, new, for real cheap.

 

Thanks for the tip. I'm thinking I might do that next time instead of the cooler. The cooler was fine, but definitely not needed.

 

Pretty much what I've shifted to if I'm ready to eat. Let it sit open til temps start to fall a few degrees, then loosely tent to 150-140°. Cooler if I'm transporting or need to hold for a few hours til serving.

 

When I started out, making a great brisket was always hit or miss
. I always blamed the meat. It wasn't the meat. My goal was always to consistently make a great brisket out of a plain ol' select brisket. And this process below has never failed me.

I make mine traditional Central Texas style. Just kosher salt & coarse pepper. Full Packer,untrimmed. Fat side up, point furthest from the fire. 100% oak. 225-275. Take it up to 170, then wrap in paper. Then up to 200. Take it off and let it cool down to 140 on the counter. (I either vent the sides of the paper or cut the top open, I leave it resting in the greasy paper.
I will say I have a very heavy duty top notch Lyfe Tyme smoker. My personal observation is these always produce better brisket results, than something bought at the sporting goods store or an electric smoker.
Learning how to slice it correctly really helps too.
I think my posts in this thread speak for them selves on producing consistent excellent results. And always wash it down with a Big Red.

 

Not a problem where your at but the black Weber vinyl covers get hard and brittle in the really cold weather here. I've gone

Classic Accessories Hickory Series Kettle BBQ Grill Cover - Round, fits 26.5in. Dia. x 38in.H Grills, Tan, Model Number 55-202-012401-EC

with these starting a couple of years ago and they work well for me up here.



Just ordered another for the new Limited Edition kettle, keep forgetting to. Thanks for the reminder Damn that picture makes me cold already not ready for that. After tomorrow the highest temp for the next 15 days is 72. That is just about perfect. Also means getting close to hunting season!

 

This was her back in July lol

 

Practice with brisket is something I need. This makes my third, but my best one so far. The family enjoyed it, but they're biased. The edges on the flat were to dried out for what I want. Not bad, but could be better. I already have plans for another in a month or so. Just not a 20lb one. I did use just salt and peeper this time instead of using my full blown rub. The rub is good on pork but I prefer the salt and peeper on brisket.

 

My sweet spot is 9-10lbs (and I buy them and freeze them, I can tell no difference from a fresh...but I can with a steak). Take it out tuesday to thaw in the fridge for a Saturday cook. Start the fire at 5:00, put it on at 6, and take it off 3:00-4:00, rest, and served 5:00-6:00

Dried out edges on the end of the flat is completely acceptable (especially when it is thin), I get that, as do all the great BBQ places in Texas.

I actually despise making brisket, it is a pain and a waste of a day being chained to the smoker. But I am always very happy and proud of the results. I like making friends and family excited and happy with it.

 

The Original Rudy's is near my house. It is the gold standard in brisket. (yes there are better places, but expect to wait hours in line for it). There is no better place to walk up and get authentic Texas brisket that is always awesome.

I learned how to cut brisket by carefully watching them every time I ordered. This is a cool video, but it has terrible educational value since the guy goes so fast and doesn't really explain slow to a learner on how to look for your grains. Interesting enough, most of the time they split the brisket first. But as you can see, they cut a lot of fat off and any charred/dry ends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jR2Zrv_BOs


Interesting story how how it started, Phil Romano (they guy who started Fuddruckers and Macaroni's/Grill)...lives here, he heard about BBQ from named Doc Holiday, and he only made it for high end hunting ranches in South Texas...he tried it once and told the guy, we are going into business. They started it out in the back of an old gas station in the country,...it quickly became very famous.

 

Sorry that was me.

 

Just picked up my first smoker last weekend. Masterbuilt electric. So far so good, we've made spare ribs, baby back, and today trying out a spatchcocked chicken. I'm used to grilling using charcoal so this is a bit of a learning curve to not hover. my first attempt took much longer than planned cause I kept opening the door to look at it.

Looking forward to the thread for ideas and learning what others are doing

 

You have to post or link me to the recipe for the beans they look amazing

 

Harvested my own peach tree. Memphis dry rub over a bit of yellow mustard for 2 racks of baby backs. baby potatoes tossed with olive oil coarse sea salt and pepper. All smoked with the peach wood for about 4 hrs at 275. Ribs will be sprayed with 50/50 mix of apple juice apple cider vinegar mix


If I remember I'll post the 4 hour pic

 

Around 10lbs is what I was thinking when my dad offered to pick one up. To his credit, I did not specify a size. I feel better about the dried edges, I was thinking that I trimmed to much fat. I don't mind a long smoke for brisket or pork butt. I usually have some sort of a project I can work on around the house that's not to involved. Yesterday I worked on repainting my sliders. Late last fall when I got them, I just slammed a quick paint job on them and called it good. Thousands of logging road miles latter, the gravel had pretty much took most of the paint off the bottom and they were a rusted mess. Last weekend I pulled them off while I was smoking a pork butt and then had them sandblasted during the week. This weekend I'm taking my time and repainting them with a much better paint. Hopefully next weekend I'll be reinstalling them.

Your right about the guy going a little fast in the video, but the video is helpful. I do like the idea of splitting the flat and point, I might give that a try next time.

 

Damn guys I leave this thread for a few days and I have 10+ pages to catch up with! So much good stuff. Other than that guy saying Webers are for rookies. I've got a rack of ribs and a pork shoulder that I plan to make burnt ends out of on the smoker as of an hour ago. Pics to come later.

I managed to stop by Lowes this morning and pick up my 5 packages of kingsford. I'll consider it a good thing if this doesn't get me through the winter.

 

Thanks for the replies fellas. Update on last nights cook. Did you know if you put a couple bacon wrapped tater bombs right above the blazing coals just to get the bacon started, they will catch fire as soon as you close the lid? I do now. Was only gonna do a minute and turn, too late. Moved them to the side and forged on. Pun intended.
Put a chunk of wild cherry on the grate and the poppers in a pan on the side. Put 1 filet on a minute later, right over the coals. Flipped it a little late, was dark but not burnt.
Result: Steak was a perfect medium rare. Bacon was burnt, but the taters were excellent as were the poppers.
Disclaimer: There may have been alky haul involved.

And.... wife wasn't very hungry last nite so only cooked 1 filet. So tonite another filet, tater bombs and poppers. Undecided yet whether cooked on the kettle or the pellet pooper.

Happy labor day y'all.

 

Got 6 rack of baby backs on the Wsm at the fire house.

Been a while since I’ve fired her up, started off with too little prelit coals. Damn smoker wasn’t crawling past 200.

Now it’s holing at a steady 225 after holding the side door open for a few minutes. Damn I’m rusty lol

Hope I didn’t have gray smoke for too long. Also hope I didn’t use too much wood.

I’ve never cooked this many racks on the smoker.

Either way, a pack of 12 firemen will tear them up.

I also have a ribeye going in for the last hour for our Muslim cohort firefighter. Should be tasty .