SkinsFan
If you wrap the brisket in foil at 165 degrees, is it on the grill rack unwrapped until the smoker or grill reaches 165?
Could someone with a successful brisket recipe please post it here. I am tired of feeding dry hard brisket to the dogs.
Yes.
I turn it around, (not over), every couple of hours, because the heat source is on one side. I don't mop my briskets, but I do spray them with a mixture of vinegar and apple juice every once in a while.
The cooking temp that works for me is 220-230.
At 165, I wrap it tightly in heavy duty foil and cook it until it reaches 190,(this is where MichaelC and I can agree to disagree
..but everyone has a method that works for them...190 is what works for me).
As far as temps go, some people will go even hotter, 220 - 230, but at that point, it can no longer be sliced. It will fall apart, and will have a consistency of pulled pork, which is great for beef BBQ sandwiches.
Anyway...I put the foil-wrapped brisket in a cooler, (with an old towel in it), and let it rest for a couple of hours. This allows the juices to flow back throughout the meat.
I have my recipes written down at home, (I'm at work), so I don't have access to them, but I marinate it for at least 2 days, (all kinds of great marinade recipes on the internet) I think the marinade I use has red wine vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar and minced garlic. Just google "brisket marinade" and find one you like.
Don't worry about "overmarinating" the brisket, as they are very tough cuts of meat and marinades don't penetrate too much.
I apply a dry rub, (my secret recipe
....but it's similiar to those Memphis-style rubs with the paprika, brown sugar, etc), right before I put it on. Dry rubs do not penetrate the meat, all they do is flavor the outside and, (if you don't foil it), promote a nice charred crust.
As far as rubs, marinades and all that go, some people don't use any of that stuff. A buddy of mine uses nothing but kosher salt and cracked pepper. His briskets are fantastic.
I'm also going on the assumption that you have some type of water pan in your cooking device that keeps moisture in the grill/smoker.
Several tips:
1) Make sure you're not trimming off too much fat.
2) Mop it regularly to keep the outside moist.
3) Don't let the pit temperatue exceed 200. Low and slow. My briskets typically take about 12-16 to cook (but with smoking, you cook based on temperature, not time -- see #4).
4) Don't let the meat temperature exceed 185. Once it's there, pull it. I use a
BBQ Guru controller for my Bradley smoker, which automatically regulates the pit temperature and lets me know when the meat hits my set temperature.
Great advice!
The diversity and different methods and styles of cooking is one of the great things about BBQ!
