Passover Brisket

[EGGARY]

This year we are doing the Passover Seders. For the second night I am making a Brisket. The plan is to first cook/sear the Brisket in a pan on the stove with some olive oil. Then sauté onions and garlic. Then the veggies, carrots and celery. After that is all done put the brisket back into pan along with red wine and tomato sauce and put into oven. Some recipes call for covering and others not to. The idea is to braze the brisket.

My thinking is to put the Brisket into the KK. Add a little smoke. Would there be enough moisture without covering with aluminum foil ?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

[jmagaram]

I am doing a brisket too but a different way. I'm going to smoke it in the kk for a few hours with a spice rub. Then foil it, add a small amount of liquid (not braising), and cook on low for many more hours in the kitchen oven. The first part of the cook gives it a smokey flavor and bark. The second causes the fat to break down so it is very tender throughout.

I've tried braising a tough cut of meat before using the kk. First I cooked on low like 250 for a few hours and did a spice rub all over the meat. Then I took the meat and braised it by putting it in a dutch oven with enough liquid to come up about half way up the side. I added lots of uncooked vegetables to the pot - lots of onions, some peppers, garlic cloves. Definitely cover it - essential for braising - and then cook in oven on low heat till it is done. In my case I used beer as the braising liquid. The initial cook on the KK gave it a smoky bark that wasn't totally lost when I shredded it. I think this type of cook would work well with brisket. I wouldn't saute in pan first because I think the smoke won't penetrate as easily.

[Tucker]

I would recommend to you both to use the hot-n-fast brisket method.

I use it and every time it comes out perfect; moist and juicy.

To create more au-jus I add 1/2 cup of beef broth at the foil stage.

 

There is no need to use an oven when you have a KK. It is your outdoor oven.

[jmagaram]

Finished cooking the brisket tonight without using the kitchen oven. The KK kept an amazingly stable 230 for a few hours before I foiled it. Then I threw it back on and it kept the same temp for another few hours. Amazing! I did cheat a bit by heat soaking the ceramic heat deflector in the oven while the grill got up to temp. Probably took about an hour to stabilize temp. I was being very cautious about getting it up to temp slowly.

I was surprised how much meat I could cook. I put a full 11 pound brisket on the main grate and a flat 5 pounder on the upper grate. I probably could have fit both on the main grate. I switched to that configuration during the foil stage. I wonder if I could have used the lower grate for the second brisket instead or if it would be too hot.

The big brisket got slightly charred on one end. I think the heat around the edge is extra hot while the deflector is in place.

My recipe was from Raichlen BBQ USA. Did a spice rub overnight. While cooking he wanted me to spritz with apple juice every hour using the spray bottle. And before foiling it I gave it some more spritz and a coating of some reserved spice rub.

When it was done I did not throw it back on to develop more bark. Too much hassle. I'm serving it tomorrow and plan to store it in the foil overnight. Tomorrow will warm it up in the foil before slicing.

I haven't tasted it yet. Overall I'm very pleased with the whole process of cooking my first big brisket on the KK.

[jmagaram]

I forgot that I the recipe suggested I cook the meat fat side up for most of the time but flip for the 4th hour. That's when I switched it all to the main grate.

[MadMedik]

For the burnt edges...you meat is running  from  12 to  6 in photo.... put  the 3rd, smaller  sear grill  in  too.   Put  foil on the  3rd grill  in same position  as  the meat....12 to 6,   this will  extend out the   'indirect'  areas  to the edge of KK  and may perhaps  lessen or eliminate the  burnt edges... I believe  Dennis  has suggested this before.  

MadMedik

[jmagaram]

Next time I'll put the meat in 3 to 9 o'clock but good tip on how to extend the indirect area. Brisket tasted good cold. Very easy to slice when cold out of fridge and fat separated too so it was easy to remove some of it. Serving it with some homemade BBQ sauce. Also some grilled asparagus topped with chopped charred lemon slices and lemon zest.

[tony b]

Does asparagus w/charred lemons count as "bitter herbs??"

[jmagaram]

No. Bitter herbs are things like endive and horseradish.