Parrothead72 Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Relatively new to this forum. Got my KK for xMas. Getting decent at simple things like pork tenderloin and pizza and even smoked some kielbasa last night. However, I suck at making briskets. I've tried 4 of them so far. Fat ones, lean ones, 2-3 lbs, 10-12 lbs. Smoked at 225* for 1 hours / pound and also as long as 2 hours / pound. Just messing them up. Rarely get north of the plateau (temps maybe get to 140 or so). A few basic questions: - presume i do not need a water pan - presume i do not need to inject the meat with marinades - presume i do not need to mop - i get the foiling and toweling once we hit 180* but i smoked a 2.5 lb good quality thin meat brisket last night (might have been stupid to buy that) at 220* and in the 8th hour we were still in the 140s or so KK works perfect. Can make pizzas at 600* but for some reason my brisket comes out dry, overdone and just tastes bad. If anyone has a simple brisket recipe / technique they swear by I am all ears. ps Not sure if it matters but I coat the meat in yellow mustard and use a basic rub (I have not refrigerated it overnight and maybe I should be)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Your presumptions above are correct. You might want to check out the fast brisket technique that many forum members have had success with. Just do a search for "fast brisket" and you will find lots of information, pictures, and success stories. I would post a link, but can't figure out how to copy the thread address in tapatalk. In a nutshell, you are smoking/roasting the brisket for a a couple hours at 325-350 until it's past the plateau, then wrapping in foil until it is fork or probe tender. Personally, I've never tried it this way, but the results people are reporting speak for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwalters Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 I personally like briskets done at 225-250° til 160-165° internal temp. At that point, place in covered aluminum pan. Continue cooking at 225-250° til 195 internal temp. Start probing for tenderness at that point. Somewhere between 195-210, it'll probe like butter. Don't stop cooking til it does. Don't rush it...it's done when it's done. That it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 Dont't worry about lbs/hour, its very confusing. Its done when its done. The thing I've done is up my cook temp to 275°, and then do what ever you like. 225° is not the holy grail of slow cooking, so don't get hung on it. I don't foil, but I have heard that Aaron Franklin uses butcher paper. Supposedly it helps with tenderization without sacrificing bark. Mostly, don't time yourself. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Something else to remember, meats that require long cooks are usually underdone if they're dry. Until all the fat is rendered, which is usually around 200° internal, the meat is dry, but at that magic moment, when it all happens, you have moist and tender! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tucker Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 I have done brisket both ways, low-n-slow and hot-n-fast. Had so-so results with the low-n-slow, taking up to 14 hours to finish. I tried the hot-n-fast method 2-3yrs ago nad have not looked back. hot-n-fast brisket cooker at 350 dome Heat defelector and drip pan under main grill brisket fat cap up on main grill cook brisket untilinternal temp hits 160; I use a Redi-Check probe with remote so I can do other things around the property. wrap brisket in heavy duty foil cook for anohter 2.5 hours; I do not open the foil, just wait the 2.5 hours. (This seems to work regardless of the size of the brisket) remove from grill, rest minimum 30 minutes. cut, enjoy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead72 Posted February 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thanks very much for the replies. Appreciated. Will work on some briskets and come back to the forum. Also keen to do a bone-in Boston butt. Saw one on YouTube with a KK and the fellow used some brown sugar in his rub and some spray bottles with apple juice from concentrate for the last few hours of his cook to have the sugar carmelize and get the tips and corners real burnt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dstr8 Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Pork butt is probably my favorite to smoke...and the KK just takes them over the top. But I have to say since getting turned on to chuck roasts, from this forum, I've smoked some incredible samples in that arena too. There is a butcher in Sacramento that has prime (and choice) grade chuck roasts and the additional fat marbling apart of the prime grade makes them especially nice for long slow smoke sessions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead72 Posted February 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thanks again. I will work on the Pork Butts, too. Why are all these guys smoking them on YouTube with a water pan (if not water than apple juice from concentrate) and also spraying down the meat around hour 4 and 5 and then each hour thereafter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 Kamados in general, KK's in particular, are much moister environments than any other type of cooker, so additional sources of moisture aren't needed. Spritzing is ok if you're trying to get a lot of flavor in the bark. A lot of pork rubs have a good bit of brown sugar in them, this gives great bark also. I use yellow mustard on pork of all kinds as a base to help with bark also, but there are those that say it's unnecessary. <br /> <br /> When you try a pork butt, try rubbing it heavily with your rub of choice, cook at a higher temp than 225°, I like 275°, and cook to 205° internal, not one degree less, and see what you think. I'll bet you'll be pleased. Keep it simple at first, then play around. Let the kk do the work. <br /> <br /> <br /> Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dstr8 Posted February 18, 2014 Report Share Posted February 18, 2014 I fool around with many different rubs but to be fair its tough to beat plain old kosher salt and black pepper...for anything more than flavored bark. Mirroring 5698k's waterpan comment...it can't hurt but I've found, after experimenting with/without the water pan in the KK it doesn't make a real difference in flavor, texture or internal meat moisture. However a little water in a pan does keep the dripping juices/fat from burning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead72 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 You guys are great and thanks for all the counsel. It's much appreciated. Weather permitting will work on a brisket and maybe a pork butt this weekend. Will post how it goes.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokydave Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 I'm with dstr8 on the chuck roasts. Bought two at Costco last week and rubbed with the coffee cardamon rub and let it sit for 1 1/2 days. Smoked over hickory at 250 for about 6 hours, then put in a foil pan with 1 can beef broth and a sliced onion. Ate it on rolls with horseradish sauce and the juice from the pan. OMG it was awesome. It's hard to find a decent brisket sometimes and when I get one that looks good, I sometimes end up trimming 3-4 pounds of fat off of it. With shrinkage, I can easily end up with less than 1/2 of where I started. BTW, used Dennis' CoCo char and was reminded of how great that stuff is. If you haven't tried it, do yourself a favor and get some! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead72 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 love the CoCo char and notice a big difference over another i had tried - wicked good charcoal - which was just fine but not the same for a low and slow cook.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead72 Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Kamados in general, KK's in particular, are much moister environments than any other type of cooker, so additional sources of moisture aren't needed. Spritzing is ok if you're trying to get a lot of flavor in the bark. A lot of pork rubs have a good bit of brown sugar in them, this gives great bark also. I use yellow mustard on pork of all kinds as a base to help with bark also, but there are those that say it's unnecessary. When you try a pork butt, try rubbing it heavily with your rub of choice, cook at a higher temp than 225°, I like 275°, and cook to 205° internal, not one degree less, and see what you think. I'll bet you'll be pleased. Keep it simple at first, then play around. Let the kk do the work. Robert Robert, going to try a butt tomorrow. Just prepared it with some brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder and Lambert's "sweet rub of mine" (found a video on YouTube that liked this combo). Anyway, its an 8 lb butt and i will refrigerate overnight. Curious how long you think it might take at 275* to reach an internal of 205*? Will let you know how we do. Thanks again.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony b Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 love the CoCo char and notice a big difference over another i had tried - wicked good charcoal - which was just fine but not the same for a low and slow cook.... Big fan of Wicked Good. It's my "everyday" charcoal. Of all the brands that I've tried, I like it the best (except for Coco Char, of course)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead72 Posted February 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2014 Reporting back to the forum....per advice above....cooked an 8lb boston butt at 275* until the internal temp hit 205* (took about 10 hours or so). As Robert suggests above it was perfect. No water pan. No spraying of the bark with apple juice, just a simple rub, fat cap up and let the KK do it's work. Smoked it with some mesquite wood chunks, a dry chardonnay vine that a wine maker in Long Island gave to us the other day and the KK CoCo charcoal. Next project....a brisket.... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted February 21, 2014 Report Share Posted February 21, 2014 Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier, but I'm glad the butt worked out. This is a point of discussion, but I cook fat cap down on both pork and beef. I think you get a better bark, and the fat down protects the meat. The fat doesn't baste, because the moisture is expanding inside and being forced out, the meat isn't soaking moisture in. There are many who cook fat up, with great results. Now go after the brisket, no fear!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead72 Posted February 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 any words of wisdom on the brisket? you like the 275* cook there, too? fat cap down sounds like it is worth a try. and particular rub you like to use with brisket? i'm all ears and thanks again.... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted February 22, 2014 Report Share Posted February 22, 2014 Look up coffee cardamom rub on this forum, or google it. I don't do the oil part. I like the 275°, but I don't think that's critical either. Cook it to 190° ish, and start probing. It'll probably go closer to 200° ish, but when it probes like buttah, it's done!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
