Gravy's Cooking Thread

In vertical smoker, I like to keep the fat side down to protect the meat from the radiant heat come from the bottom and the fat cap does a great job with this. Another reason why not to trim a brisket before smoking.

Bisi,

Do you get whole, packer briskets up there or do you just have the option of pre-trimmed briskets?

Ok the brisket us divided in two sections the point which is the end that looks like a fist and a flat is just about everything about half way down the brisket. A full packer is a whole brisket with all the fat on and usually the markets sell them in 3 ways.

Super trimmed; which is a full packer with just about all visible layers of fat removed on top, sides, and bottom.

Full Packer: whole brisket any where from 10lbs up to 18lbs+ and higher all fat on and not removed.

Flat: The portion below the point with no fat on top and bottom. Usually around the 4-5# pound range. It's basically the middle of the brisket to the end of the front of the meat. Almost looks like a big steak that usually the butcher at store level does and wraps in the styrofoam board with cling wrap.

Here is an article on selecting a trimming with some pics:
http://virtualweberbullet.com/brisketselect.html

As far as recipes goes, what is your preferred flavor profile? Are you going to sauce when complete or no?

Can someone change Kinner's title to "Brisket King"?

Here is a good Texas style brisket guide on a BGE:

http://www.kirklockhart.com/2013/03/...t-texas-style/

I do not own a BGE, so I can not comment on how the mechanics of cooking on it are, but I have a Weber Smokey Mountain and it is similar in style.

Personal tips for briskets:
1 - Get a 10-12lb untrimmed, packer brisket. You want a choice grade piece of meat or higher if possible. I tend to have bad luck with select grades but not with choice. When picking the brisket, try to touch the point to the flat in a bending motion. You want them two tips to get as close together as possible.
2 - Cook low and slow (225 MAX) until you get good then try your hand at hot and fast.
3 - When getting ready to pull the brisket, probe the flat, DO NOT pull the brisket until the probe feels like it is going in to warm butter. I do not care what the thermometer says, wait until it gets to that point.
4 - REST YOUR MEAT. If you cook like this guide says, you do not wrap your brisket during the cooking process. When the flat probes like warm butter, double wrap in heavy duty foil, place in a good cooler, place towels you do not mind smelling like brisket forever, and let it rest for 2 hours at the minimum.
5 - When slicing, make sure and slice against the grain at 1/4inch slices.
6 - I usually use the point to make the chopped brisket, try brisket breakfast tacos(scrambled eggs, chopped brisket, colby jack cheese, tortillas) with this the next day. Save the flat for sliced brisket.
7 - I prefer mesquite wood to smoke with, but pecan is another good option for beef.
8 - Use some Worchestshire on the beef before rubbing the salt and pepper on, it adds a little to the flavor, imo.
9 - Invest in a good cleaver if you plan on cooking briskets often, it helps a ton when chopping the meat.

Try this one out and let me know how it turns out. Once you try this, I will get you started on some more things, but this is a good one to get started with.

So my brother came across this article the other day and decided to give it a shot:Cook Your Meat in a Beer Cooler.He says his steak turned out awesome. Here is a picture of how his steak turned out (he was going for medium-rare).

That sounds awesome

chaos_sl said:

Down? I had always heard up.

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Meat down on a slow cooker.

Grabbed an Akorn Kamado from Amazon for $300. Did some minor mods to it, then dropped some pork ribs on it for 4 ish hours. Put some soaked ears of corn on there after two hours.

Well, everything turned out perfect.

My GF's eldest kid....a picky eater, vacuumed down an entire rack herself....and she is by no means a glutton. She turns her nose up at anything....except this pork.

Akorn Kamado's can have trouble holding 225F....so I shot for 250F, which it held, no problem.

Also...I hate pork and BBQ...but this was amazing.

Just have to be really patient when working with temps.

Gonna grab apple chunks to go with the lump charcoal...to even out the taste.

Silence_sl said:

Grabbed an Akorn Kamado from Amazon for $300. Did some minor mods to it, then dropped some pork ribs on it for 4 ish hours. Put some soaked ears of corn on there after two hours.

Well, everything turned out perfect.

My GF's eldest kid....a picky eater, vacuumed down an entire rack herself....and she is by no means a glutton. She turns her nose up at anything....except this pork.

Akorn Kamado's can have trouble holding 225F....so I shot for 250F, which it held, no problem.

Also...I hate pork and BBQ...but this was amazing.

Just have to be really patient when working with temps.

Gonna grab apple chunks to go with the lump charcoal...to even out the taste.

Click to expand...

Spare ribs and baby back ribs can handle the 250 no problem. I spritz my ribs when cooking at higher temps and they always turn out great. I mix up some Parkay squeeze, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar, melt the Parkway in the mix, and put in a sprayer bottle.

Next time you are cooking ribs, try some peach wood in there with your coal, adds a different flavor which is tasty with pork. I have some orange wood I am going to try one of these days.

Kroger will sometimes sell these Akorns at the end of the season for 50-150, just a heads up for anyone looking at one.

Ya I know they have the plate setter. My Smokey Mountain has a water pan for heat deflection, I still just like to play it safe. There are cooks way better than I that go back and forth on fat cap up or down, flip or no flip, to wrap or not to wrap, find what you like and do it your way. Trial and error with tasty results!

Its also why I don't trim much fat off a packer brisket, plus I like the juice for my BBQ sauce.

chaos_sl said:

Sunday will be some red beans and rice made from scratch. I've never cooked with some of this shit, like ham hocks, so it should be interesting. And tasty as fuck.

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If you're cooking it spanish style, I would suggest making some of your own achiote oil.