Perfect Brisket

[KK787]

After about a years worth of research, advice from Dennis, I smoked my first prime brisket on a 23 Ultimate.  The results were outstanding.

Rub - 2 to 1 Pepper to salt.  Before mixing, I subtracted 1 TBS of salt.  Rub applied liberally.  Then lightly sprinkled with Lawerys followed by garlic powder.

Dry brined in the refrigerator uncovered for 24 hrs.

Fuel - Jealous Devil, hickory and cherry wood chunks at the bottom.  Harry Soo’s method.

Drip pan with water and spritzed with apple cider/water combo 3 to 4 times.  Rumor has it it’s not needed, latest scientific info says it essential. 

Once eye burning smoke cleared to white smoke (10 minutes) placed cold brisket onto cold grill.  Turned Blue in 1hr. Not all white smoke is bad - latest finding.

15lb brisket trimmed down to 10lb, smoked 9 hours at 230 Meater probe temp increasing to 250.  FireBoard controlled the fan.  Meater used to monitor the meat.

Pulled at 190.

Wrapped in tallow/butcher paper.  Rest 15 hours in a wet oven/cooler.

Done.

 

Edited October 2, 2022 by KK787

[tekobo]

Beautiful brisket. Well worth the year long preparation!

[Tyrus]

Now that would make a fantastic sandwich, great job, next time you can just wing it, since all the hard work is done. Was it a prime or choice?

Edited October 2, 2022 by Tyrus

[tony b]

19 hours ago, KK787 said:

latest scientific info says it essential. 

Source, please? 

[remi]

I'm assuming he means that his experience with it proves that it is essential... I seriously doubt there is any real scientific info out there (you would need a double blind taste/ texture test with at least 20-30 identical briskets in each group, all cooked on a KK of the same size with identical charcoal/ smoking woods/ temps... and as fun as that experiment would be, it ain't gonna happen).

[C6Bill]

Looks good 👍 You trimmed off 5 pounds of a 15 pound brisket ?

[tony b]

@remi - likely anecdotal. Just wanted to hear how he made that conclusion, as most of us here NEVER use a water pan to cook on a KK (bread baking is the exception.)

[C6Bill]

9 hours ago, tony b said:

@remi - likely anecdotal. Just wanted to hear how he made that conclusion, as most of us here NEVER use a water pan to cook on a KK (bread baking is the exception.)

One is usually enough for science lol

[KK787]

Thanks for your reply’s.  Mad Scientist BBQ did the white smoke research based on his own testing and secrets shared from other pit masters he works with. Dennis also agrees their findings.  Other cooks that use Komodo style grills (smoking dad bbq)  have done blind tests where they found spritzing and a water pan improved their results.  Adding water also keeps my drip pan from burning.  I've been pleased with the results with beef ribs and pork butts.  For chicken and turkeys, I use a square perforated Weber roasting pan as a heat deflector. It fits perfectly between the coal basket handles on a 23.  It deflects enough heat and allows the rendered fat to reach the fire which gives incredible flavor to poultry.  The meat was a Costco Prime and yes, 5 pounds was trimmed off a 15 pound brisket. 

[remi]

41 minutes ago, KK787 said:

Thanks for your reply’s.  Mad Scientist BBQ did the white smoke research based on his own testing and secrets shared from other pit masters he works with. Dennis also agrees their findings.  Other cooks that use Komodo style grills (smoking dad bbq)  have done blind tests where they found spritzing and a water pan improved their results.  Adding water also keeps my drip pan from burning.  I've been pleased with the results with beef ribs and pork butts.  For chicken and turkeys, I use a square perforated Weber roasting pan as a heat deflector. It fits perfectly between the coal basket handles on a 23.  It deflects enough heat and allows the rendered fat to reach the fire which gives incredible flavor to poultry.  The meat was a Costco Prime and yes, 5 pounds was trimmed off a 15 pound brisket. 

I think that compared to other styles of Kamado, the KK retains more moisture- which is why many users here don't worry about a water pan when smoking brisket or pork. I guess the main thing is that you cooked one brisket and liked the results, so you will likely do the same next time.

Personally, I've cooked 5-6 briskets now, and done something different each time (low/ slow vs hot/ fast,  wood chunks in the basket for smoking vs hot/cold KK smoke attachment, Angus vs Wagyu- and various combinations there of). All of them were great- seems to be a pretty forgiving cut of meat when cooked on the KK...

[KK787]

I’ve cooked other things and have applied lessons learned to this cook as well.  The 15 hour wet oven rest worked great.  Harry Soo’s method of wood use - excellent - have used it for many cooks - much easier and way better smoke than the kettle method used by 99% of the people here as stated in another post. The use of a little water keeps my drip pan from burning fat which is a flavor I did not desire to have for this particular cook.  Two or three spritzes during a 9 hour cook helps prevent an overdone bark - what’s the big woop?  I do what is needed for a particular cook.  My next brisket, I will try my weber heat deflector trick which will allow rendered fat to reach the fire and see what taste profile that yields.   I chuckle when I here 99% of the people here don’t do that.  There are so many new techniques being discovered out there.  I certainly hope the 99% don’t miss out.  
 

 

[C6Bill]

Hey, whatever works for you 👍

[remi]

15 hours ago, KK787 said:

I’ve cooked other things and have applied lessons learned to this cook as well.  The 15 hour wet oven rest worked great.  Harry Soo’s method of wood use - excellent - have used it for many cooks - much easier and way better smoke than the kettle method used by 99% of the people here as stated in another post. The use of a little water keeps my drip pan from burning fat which is a flavor I did not desire to have for this particular cook.  Two or three spritzes during a 9 hour cook helps prevent an overdone bark - what’s the big woop?  I do what is needed for a particular cook.  My next brisket, I will try my weber heat deflector trick which will allow rendered fat to reach the fire and see what taste profile that yields.   I chuckle when I here 99% of the people here don’t do that.  There are so many new techniques being discovered out there.  I certainly hope the 99% don’t miss out.  
 

 

I'm curious- isn't rendered fat reaching the fire and burning the same profile as rendered fat hitting the drip tray and burning? And if not- why not?

My next brisket is tomorrow- planning on 250 overnight (touch higher than last time), using post oak chunks (first time using those). So will see what we get- safe in the knowledge that it will be very good. But as to what differences I perceive- until I've done 100+ briskets, I doubt I'd be able to tease out the effect of any or all of these variables (ambient temp, ambient humidity, wind conditions on my deck, dryness or otherwise of my wood chunks, particular characteristics of the cow etc etc etc etc)... to say nothing of the extra steps in your method above.

Edited October 6, 2022 by remi

[C6Bill]

I think you'll like the post oak @remi I use it for all of my beef cooks. 

[KK787]

Accidentally pasted post - disregard
 

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by KK787

[KK787]

From what I have experienced and read, when fat burns on a solid surface at a lower temp than an actual flame, it’s sticky and mucky and may produce a burnt smell profile.  When fat hits hot flames it produces a white smoke that actually enhances the taste of the meat.  Many offset pit masters are tossing their soft fat scraps into their pits to achieve this effect.  It’s sort like the taste of burnt scraps on a griddle vs the flame taste of a burger done on open flame.  The open flame flavor is achieved by fat drippings hitting the open hot flames.  This works especially well when doing rotisserie chickens and turkeys on the kk.  Try my Weber perforated pan technique - it prevents flareups while allowing the rendered fat to hit the hot flames which produces a beautiful white/blue smoke that really enhances the flavor of the meat.

Edited October 6, 2022 by KK787