Brisket help with smoking

[Hoffer]

My lovely, beautiful early rising wife started a Brisket in the smoker earlier this morning. (mix of Hickory and apple).

My question is about how long to continue adding chips/smoke. (I use a 40 inch electric smoker). I have been researching and some say to only add smoke the first 2 hours or else it will get too powerful. However, when I watch various food network channels or similar and they focus on the famous restaurants or establishments known for smoking...they show the guy always opening the doors to the smoker after say 12 hours and the smoke is still billowing out. So do they use a different kind of smoker?  It seems like they are the "experts" as they are doing this for a living. So...if anyone can clarify or explain what they do it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Hoffer

[LindellProStaf]

I have yet to do a brisket but will someday.  I like a lot of smoke and have never had anything to smoky.  I have heard some people say it can get too heavy for them.  Maybe some of the more experienced guys on here will give you some tips.

 

[leechlake]

I'm with Lindell on the smoke but for a brisket I'd do at least four hours or so.  My smoker has so much "seasoning" in it it seems to smoke on it's own sometimes.  I'd focus on the temp and get the brisket done right way more than worry about amount of smoke.  Besides watching it smoke is fun!!!

Edited September 7, 2015 by leechlake

[Hoffer]

OK. So I am going to "let it ride". Add some chips every hour or so. Right now its been on for about 5 hours. I plan to leave it on for another 3 hours. Then wrap it in foil and bring up the temp a little for the last hour so to get it past the "stall"

[Hoffer]

well heres  quick update. Let it smoke adding chips for the first 6 hours. Then left it alon another 3 hours with no smoke. After this time it was at 184 degrees and stalling. I then wrapped it in foil and increased the heat to 250. After one hour it broke throuh the stall and hit 192. I left it on for another 30 minutes until it hit 195. I then took it off the smoker, still in the foil and wrapped it in a towel and placed in cooler for one hour. Took it out and took off a slice. It was crazy juicy, very nicely smoked, very good flavor. The surprise?  The fatty cap was still very much in place it had hardly rendered down. Still had 1/2 inch of fat on top. Needless to say this is what probably kept it nice and juicy, however I was hoping to have a finished product with some "bark" and then juicy tender meat underneath. Not sure what to do for the next time?  Possibly increase the heat for first 6 cooking hours from 225 to 250. However, worried that will possibly end up drying it out. Maybe I just had a cut that had too much of the fatty cap left??  Anyway, it was a very tasty, juicy, perfectly smoked result. Next time I would have no problem keeping the smoke going througout the first 8 hours...it definetey did not get too much smoke or get bitter. That also may have had to do with the chips I used...combo of appple/hickory. More mild than Mesquite.

[reinhard1]

As far as smoking it depends a lot on the size of it of course.  I have only done full packer briskets.  Those are anywhere from 12 to 18 pounds or so on average.  One thing I have learned to do with the fat cap is to score it.  This allows the rub to penetrate the meat vs it running off with the juices.  For the smoke you did well with the lighter woods.  I use apple, cheery or a blend of oak and maple.  I seldom use hickory and never use mesquite.  Another thing to do is to notch the brisket so you know where to cut against the grain when slicing prior to smoking.  The average for some is to smoke it for half the time of the smoking process.  For me I give it smoke about 3/4 of the smoking time, using the lighter wood chips.  My smoker is well seasoned because of many uses.

Ya, the stall.  It's important not to get impatient during this time.  It will pass.  This is when the collagen starts to break down.  Leave the temps alone.  I pull the brisket out when the internal is 200 degrees.  You can tell it's done also by pushing a blunt object into the meat.  It should take no effort to penetrate the meat with it. Lot of folks don't wrap the brisket at all until the end.  When you wrap the brisket in foil during the stall and then put it back in the smoker, all it does is hurry up the stall time.  If you want more of a bark then leave it unwrapped until the internal temp is done.  Then wrap it in foil or butcher paper.  Butcher paper  keeps the crust from getting soggy.  I leave it wrapped up to 4 hours at times wrapped after smoking.  This let's the juices distribute through the meat.  I slice the brisket right into aujus to keep the meat juicy. good luck.