Been wanting to try out a couple final tweaks I put in my BBQ Journal from my last brisket cook and I have to say I am VERY happy! And better yet - my wife loved it and hasn't stopped raving, which means its Good.
Started off with a $1.97 Brisket from Kroger - not the best one but definitely a decent cut. I bought 5 briskets (the butcher let me sort through the 4 cases they had - and at $1.97lb my wife was OK with me stocking up - remember Happy Wife = Happy Life)
Got it thawed out, out of the cryovac bag...
Did some trimming - fat cap to about 1/4", cut the deckle out so the brisket was more uniformed flat. Trimmed a little from the sides... according to the scale, I trimmed about 1/2lb of stuff off.
Then I rubbed it down with a 1 part beef broth and 3 part Worcestershire Sauce. I like the flavor and hit helps the rub stick.
I don't go super thick on my rub, but this time I went heavier than I did last time. Pretty simple rub: Kosher Salt, Fresh group pepper corn medley, granulated onion power, granulated garlic, paprika, ground habanero (just a smidge), and a little turbinado sugar... I apply the rub and let it sit for about 30 minutes before putting it on the pit.
I fire up the pit, my go to is Pecan - I love it. Brought the temp up to @225ish. This is the Pellet Pooper (I have an R&O offset that is my main goto). I've never enjoyed the lack of smoke that the Traeger seems to be hit and miss on so the notes I made to try this cook ... bring it to temp (@225) then dial it down to the "Smoke" setting and put the brisket on for 45 minutes. Used a large water pan with about 1/2 gallon of water in it and filled it up again half way through the cook.
This is about 50 minutes after the brisket went on ... I flipped the temp back up to @225 and let it roll.
This at 5 hours in, I flipped it from Fat Cap down to Fat Cap up... another experiment. Traeger has the heat coming up from below and a couple times when I had the cap up, the brisket dried out... so this cook did the debated flip technique.
Before Flip:
This is around 8.5 hours in ... Fat Cap Up
When the meat probed 198 internal on the point I pulled it from the pit, let it rest for 10 minutes on the cutting board, then wrapped it in two layers of heavy foil, wrapped in two beach towels, and put in the chest for 4 hours to rest.
Sliced up nice and juicy... didn't crumble, passed the pull test nicely ... just a slight tug before coming apart. Very Very happy. Smoke flavor was exactly where I wanted it and the pink smoke ring was solid.
Didn't do burnt ends this time, ended up doing slightly thicker cuts for sandwiches ;) so good.
Was very happy ... and was not dry at all. The bark was nam nam nammy candy good. Very happy and really happy that I got the smoke flavor (almost, not exactly) that my offset produces.
Let me know what y'all think. (Next I'm tackling my Pork Shoulder - taking it back to the basics and moving forward again).
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