My First KK Brisket Smoke... with Pictures!

[Paswesley]

Hi, Forum family. Yesterday evening, and into today, I attempted my first brisket on the KK. I have done brisket on other types of cookers, but never on a KK, so I was really curious how it would turn out. I needn't have been concerned.

I have been looking for ca supply of local food grade hickory, and I found it yesterday. Unfortunately, the arborist said he will not be cutting and splitting the tree until early September. However, all was not lost. I mentioned that I was looking for food grade smoking wood, and he brightemed right up. He sold me about a hundred pounds 1/8th cord of seasoned cherry wood. I jumped on it. So, this brisket is smoked with cherry. I cut pieces into about 4 x 3 inch chunks, and threw some in with the lump.

I got Mable stablized at about 220.

Then, I put the brisket on about 11:15 PM.

I made sure she was good and steady and went to bed around 2:00. When I got up at 10:00, the Trutemp looked like this, and the brisket looked like this.

I took the brisket off at around 1:30 at 188 degrees, as measured by my trusty Maverick probe. It looked like this.

Since Mable looked so pitiful with nothing else left to do, I threw some white potatoes and sweet potatoes into a roaster pan, and added a deep dish (SaraLee) apple pie on the upper grill, close to the dome, so it could get some good heat sink action for browning the crust. Here is what they looked like.

I foil-wrapped the brisket, toweled it and put it in the cooler, of course. The pie is out, and the potatoes are finishing up. We are going to add collards to the brisket and potatoes, and finish it off with apple pie a la mode. I haven't quite figured out how to whip up french vanilla ice cream in my Mable, but I'm working on it! I only hope the family enjoys eating it as much as I enjoyed kooking it!

[JeffB]

Congratulations on your first KK brisket cook. Everything looks great. Hopefully it tasted as good as it looks.

[bryan]

WOW!! Looks outstanding!!!

Didn't take you and Mable long to start working as a team. Keep the Good Times rolling.

[mguerra]

That's an unusual use of the sear grill placed on the main. What's that all about?

[bryan]

Good catch Doc. Looks like a fast way to remove product and close Kooker back up. I'll be trying it tomorrow. Neat.

[Paswesley]

@Mguerra: Yeah, like Cook_Shack said, and it allows me to get my pie up close to the top of the dome to get reflective browning and convection. That is, if I understand your question. I cook pizzas up in the dome, too. I get nice browning this way. When I cooked the six butts a few weeks back, I had three on the sear grill in this configuration, with the other three butts on the main grill, like the potatoes are in the photo. Paswesley

[mguerra]

Well, I was referring to placing the sear, with the short handles down, on the main with the brisket on the sear. Not the use of the sear, with the tall handles down, as an elevated platform above the main, for the pie. That configuration I use and understand.

[bryan]

Well' date=' I was referring to placing the sear, with the short handles down, on the main with the brisket on the sear. [/quote']

I hear you Doc. I going to do it tomorrow w/short handles down. Looks easy to take product in and out quickly an close unit back up. What I have been doing is checking, turning, etc with lid open. Paswesley has a great idea at least it is for me. Just pull the sear grill check product and return it to Kooker.

[Paswesley]

@Mguerra:

Oh, I see what you mean. Like Cook_Shack said, it makes it quicker and easier to get the food on and off. My hands are size XXXL, and it is difficult for me to get my fingers between the sides of the main grill and the body wall. When I have a mitt on, it is nearly impossible to do quickly, and the fire can begin to really wake up while I'm struggling. I have to reverse my hands, so that my palms are facing the body wall, in order to pick up the grill. I tipped it the wrong way as it fiddled with it once, and dropped two porterhouses off the back end of the lower grill. That taught me to be careful and think of ways that work for me... The T bars that came with the KK do not help, because one of them is too narrow to slide over the grill bars. BTW: my wife, who does not like brisket very much, ate two large helpings of Mable's brisket. She put a little A-1 on a bite and then decided that it tasted better plain. I had to agree with her. Anton

[mguerra]

good idea

Yeah, I figured you were using the sear that way for the handles. Great idea. It's certainly possible to get the main grill tipping as you try to finagle it out of there with big leather gloves. Silicone BBQ gloves are a little more form fitting and provide a smidge more dexterity.

[DennisLinkletter]

More additions to the Food Porn gallery..

Please also always post your sliced meat in the post..

I'm always looking for more additions to the KK website's galleries..

You can be the first Pastor to contribute to the Food Porn Gallery..