Smaller brisket smoke method

[rundrave]

found a smaller 3lb flat brisket at costco. Its really thin but got a little bit of fat covering one side of it, USDA choice if that matters.

how should I smoke this thing I am a little worried about drying it out with it being so thin. Never done brisket before as most of them are huge and just too much for my family to eat and I worry about ruining a big expensive piece of meat. But this one was small and cheap so no harm if I ruin it.

I just did a salt and pepper rub on it last night and its wrapped and sitting in the fridge. Was going to smoke it at 225 until it hit what temp? 160? Then wrap it in foil until it hits what temp? 200? Then let it rest for how long?

Does it need any braising liquid before or during the smoke or liquid added when its wrapped in foil? If so what would you suggest?

[delcecchi]

Sous vide.  

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/08/food-lab-complete-guide-sous-vide-barbecue-smoked-bbq-brisket.html

 

[rundrave]

22 minutes ago, delcecchi said:

Sous vide.  

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/08/food-lab-complete-guide-sous-vide-barbecue-smoked-bbq-brisket.html

 

stopped reading immediately when it brought up liquid smoke....

[bobberineyes]

Lol. If I remember right they say 1.25 hours per #, that little guy won't take all tgat long. I've always used a mop sauce after two hours in to it, but Reinhardt has a great recipe that has bacon covering it to keep it moist, I'll be trying that next!  I've always just brought it up to 200 then foil for burnt ends.

[delcecchi]

1 hour ago, rundrave said:

stopped reading immediately when it brought up liquid smoke....

Why?  Liquid smoke is made from real actual smoke from actual wood.    No different than using smoked ice in a drink or smoked salt...

Besides liquid smoke is only one option.  You can put it on the smoker before or after the sous vide to get bark and smoke flavor.   Sous Vide for the main part of the cook will keep it from drying out by controlling the temp.   Think of it as the ultimate "low and slow" cooking method.   

[leech~~]

5 hours ago, rundrave said:

found a smaller 3lb flat brisket at costco. Its really thin but got a little bit of fat covering one side of it, USDA choice if that matters.

how should I smoke this thing I am a little worried about drying it out with it being so thin. Never done brisket before as most of them are huge and just too much for my family to eat and I worry about ruining a big expensive piece of meat. But this one was small and cheap so no harm if I ruin it.

I just did a salt and pepper rub on it last night and its wrapped and sitting in the fridge. Was going to smoke it at 225 until it hit what temp? 160? Then wrap it in foil until it hits what temp? 200? Then let it rest for how long?

Does it need any braising liquid before or during the smoke or liquid added when its wrapped in foil? If so what would you suggest?

Yeah, I picked up a small one to try at a different meat place but glad your going first.

Post what you find works.  I heard wrapping the last few hours in wax less butcher paper helps keep the moister in at the end?

Good Luck.

[Grainbelt]

1 hour ago, bobberineyes said:

Reinhardt has a great recipe that has bacon covering it to keep it moist

I agree. web s i t e  sausageheavenoutdoors

Edited September 27, 2017 by Grainbelt

[bobberineyes]

2 hours ago, delcecchi said:

 

 Sous Vide for the main part of the cook will keep it from drying out by controlling the temp.   Think of it as the ultimate "low and slow" cooking method.   

I do catch a few competition cook offs now and then, but I'm not sure if I've ever seen anyone show up with a boiling contraption.  

[delcecchi]

1 hour ago, bobberineyes said:

I do catch a few competition cook offs now and then, but I'm not sure if I've ever seen anyone show up with a boiling contraption.  

Probably against the rules as an unfair advantage....

[Big Dave2]

4 hours ago, delcecchi said:

Sous vide.  

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/08/food-lab-complete-guide-sous-vide-barbecue-smoked-bbq-brisket.html

 

Quote

Using 'MasterChef gadget' to cook meat 'sous-vide' is a recipe for food poisoning

• Experts say 'sous-vide' cooking method could raise the risk of food poisoning 
• It involved vacuum-packing food in a water bath and slowly poaching for hours
• But analysis by Public Health England revealed 'unsatisfactory' levels of bacteria 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4913788/Cooking-meat-sous-vide-recipe-food-poisoning.html#ixzz4tvGzqT6E 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[delcecchi]

59 minutes ago, Big Dave2 said:

 

Article totally lacking in scientific data.   155 degrees is plenty hot to pasteurize food.   Even USDA and FDA, the evil groups hated by Libertarians says 140 is hot enough.   Salmon at 115 or 120 is another story.  

[Big Dave2]

3 minutes ago, delcecchi said:

Article totally lacking in scientific data.   155 degrees is plenty hot to pasteurize food.   Even USDA and FDA, the evil groups hated by Libertarians says 140 is hot enough.   Salmon at 115 or 120 is another story.  

The problem may be the amount of time food stays in the danger zone of 40 degrees to 140 degrees.

[rundrave]

Here is a pic I literally got the smallest one they had at Costco. Never seen one that small there before. This one was definitely not consistent with the rest of them.

I like my brisket sliced but would do pulled if I got it tender enough lol

Gonna take it out in the morning and give it a try in the smoker wish me luck 

[smurfy]

sounds to me DEL 's noggin;s been boiled to long!!!!!!!!!!

[ZachD]

I do small ones all the time

Run my smoker at 220

Take out and put in foil pain at 160 internal temp put some beef broth in the bottom of pan and cover top with tin foil.

I usually pull around 192 take out let rest for at least 2 hours

slice eat make sandwiches and enjoy

Edited September 28, 2017 by ZachD

[ZachD]

5 hours ago, Big Dave2 said:

The problem may be the amount of time food stays in the danger zone of 40 degrees to 140 degrees.

 

According to the USDA, any food held in the so-called temperature "danger zone" (between 40°F and 140°F) for more than two hours presents a risk of food-borne illness from the growth of pathogenic bacteria — whether it's cooked sous vide or by conventional means. In truth, these numbers have a built-in buffer zone, so 130ºF is a much more accurate cutoff point. Harmful bacteria can't grow above that temperature, and at around 135ºF, most bacteria will actually be destroyed after a few hours, making pasteurization possible.

The precision temperature control of sous-vide cooking means it actually has the potential to be safer than traditional cooking methods. (This is exactly why one of its first major applications was making hospital food). And most home sous-vide circulators will let you know when you're cooking in the danger zone.

 

 

Anyway a lot of times you smoke briskets ect your food will be in the danger zone for awhile and it is perfectly fine. This is why I wont probe my meat until further in the cook where I know it is 140 otherwise you are introducing surface bacteria to the otherwise sterile center. With proper finished cooking temps you shouldn't have to worry anyway.

I look at the danger zone is more of a hold temp cook a turkey stick it on the table with a temp at 90 degrees for 4 hours eat turkey get sick.

 

 

 

 

 

[delcecchi]

12 hours ago, Big Dave2 said:

The problem may be the amount of time food stays in the danger zone of 40 degrees to 140 degrees.

Then you better not ever eat prime rib in a restaurant.  

[rundrave]

its on the smoker will update later if its juicy smoked goodness or a giant hockey puck.

[Kidd]

You might want to rethink your internal temp of 200.  I take mine off the smoker at about 160 - 165, stick in small cooler and let rest an hour or so.  After the rest I will get an internal temp of 170 - 175. 

[ZachD]

59 minutes ago, Kidd said:

You might want to rethink your internal temp of 200.  I take mine off the smoker at about 160 - 165, stick in small cooler and let rest an hour or so.  After the rest I will get an internal temp of 170 - 175. 

If you want a car tire sure if not cook it to 195

.... I find it hard to believe you are seeing a 10 degree raise pulling at 160 when typically that is where you get the stall.

 

Edited September 28, 2017 by ZachD

[rundrave]

pulled it when it hit 165 took a littler longer than I expected but it was tender and a toothpick poked right through it. Its wrapped in foil and resting in the cooler now. Big mess of liquid as I was wrapping it up so I hope that's a good sign.

[jeffeg64]

3 hours ago, Kidd said:

You might want to rethink your internal temp of 200.  I take mine off the smoker at about 160 - 165, stick in small cooler and let rest an hour or so.  After the rest I will get an internal temp of 170 - 175. 

please do more research before you do this

If you only cook it to an internal temp of 175 it will be dry and really tuff, brisket needs to be "overcooked" till its probe tender, "like warm butter" usually 200+ up to 208 if you go too high it will fall apart when you slice it

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, rl_sd said:

Toothpick tender at 165... Are you cooking brisket or tenderloin? Or maybe it should have been labeled as veal instead of beef with it being that small Lol.  A packer brisket usually runs 12-16# untrimmed. Most trimmed flats are in that 6-8# range. Never have I seen one that small. If it turns out good I may need to take a drive into SF and check out these baby briskets!

Yeah, well not everyone wants to shell out $30-40-50 for a #16+lb packer brisket just to make a few sandwiches for the game!

[rundrave]

Well here was the finished product. It turned out just ok. Not great but not terrible.

Got a good smoke ring and the thinner part of the brisket with less fat turned out perfect. Great texture and tender. The thicker part with the fat cap was still pretty tough but edible but still had slot of fat.

Not sure how I would do it  differently next time. I pulled it at 165 after almost 4 hours of smoke. Wrapped it in foil and then a towel and placed in a cooler. Temp rose to 200 and that's when I pulled it. I took one slice and it was plenty juicy but tough. Wrapped it back up and put it in the grill for a few mins just to get temp up to 200 and let it rest again in the cooler all wrapped up.

 

[leech~~]

I hear guys talking on BBQ shows smoking brisket for 8-10 hours, then wrapping and cooking it a few more!  I love the meat but that's a lot of time commitment!