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Normally, we go to my folks for dinner on Sunday, but since tonight is UFC 100, I decided to fire up the smoker and try my hand at smoking a brisket. I have heard brisket is the toughest meat to master so hopefully it will turn out well. This is my first attempt at smoking a brisket, so here it goes!
The brisket I selected was a choice packer from Sams Club. A "Packer" is the term used for a whole brisket, (which is the point and flat still connected) usually still in the cryovac. This was a 15lb packer.
Once opened, I gave it a good washing to get rid of any extra blood and any little unwanteds that may have been cryovac'd with the brisket. Here she is all washed and patted dry.
Next the rub. Some people like to slather the meat with mustard prior to apply the dry rub, but I havnt found it necessary. I used a combo of Bad byrons butt rub and montreal steak seasoning.
Now that is is rubbed and happy, back in the fridge for a couple hours to chill the meat and let the rub penetrate into the meat a bit. After a couple hours in the fridge, it was time to put it on the smoker. I am using hickory pellets in my Traeger for this smoke. I set the temp at 225 on the digital controller, but my pit thermoeter was reading anywhere from 240~250* which is where alot of people like to smoke their briskets, so I was fine with that. The brisket went on at 0030 this AM. I love the sweet blue smoke of hickory!
After finishing to watch Hancock on Bluray, I was off to bed around 130am, with the brisket tucked nicely in her smokey bed.
I woke up this morning about 7, so off to check the progress. Looking good so far!
*note the meat temp probe. From what I have learned from pitmasters with much more knowledge than I, you dont really need the temp probe. You can tell the brisket is ready when you insert the probe into the side of the brisket, and it glides in like butter. I left it in, just so I could see where the temp was at, but I have decided to not pull the meat off the smoker, based on what the temp is, but by how easily the probe can be inserted into the meat.
The brisket has cooked faster than I thought it would. I really didnt have to start it at 1230am, but I figured better safe than sorry. It has now cooked for approx 12 hours and is ready to come off the smoker. The temp probe can be inserted into the meat effortlessly, telling me it is done. Since we are not eating until 5 or 6, I am going to foil it with a applejuice/vinegar spray and throw it in the cooler to rest for 4-5 hours.
I did seperate the point from the flat before foiling. It is rather easy to do, since there is a fat layer seperating the 2 pieces, and the grain of the meat is opposite each other. The flat is resting nicely in the cooler, and I have chopped the point to make burnt ends. For burnt ends, I just chopped the point into bite size pieces and threw them in a foil pan. Next I sprinkled them with some more rub and threw them back on the smoker. They will be there for the next 1.5 hours. After that I will pull them and re-apply more rub, and mix them with some BBQ sauce and smoke them for an additional 1.5 hours. I'm going to pull some of the meat and use it in the baked beans I am making.
I am also making some apple baked beans, possibly some cole slaw and some sweet corn cakes. Here are the recipes: (I have not tried these recipes except the sweet corn cakes)
.
The brisket I selected was a choice packer from Sams Club. A "Packer" is the term used for a whole brisket, (which is the point and flat still connected) usually still in the cryovac. This was a 15lb packer.
Once opened, I gave it a good washing to get rid of any extra blood and any little unwanteds that may have been cryovac'd with the brisket. Here she is all washed and patted dry.
Next the rub. Some people like to slather the meat with mustard prior to apply the dry rub, but I havnt found it necessary. I used a combo of Bad byrons butt rub and montreal steak seasoning.
Now that is is rubbed and happy, back in the fridge for a couple hours to chill the meat and let the rub penetrate into the meat a bit. After a couple hours in the fridge, it was time to put it on the smoker. I am using hickory pellets in my Traeger for this smoke. I set the temp at 225 on the digital controller, but my pit thermoeter was reading anywhere from 240~250* which is where alot of people like to smoke their briskets, so I was fine with that. The brisket went on at 0030 this AM. I love the sweet blue smoke of hickory!
After finishing to watch Hancock on Bluray, I was off to bed around 130am, with the brisket tucked nicely in her smokey bed.
I woke up this morning about 7, so off to check the progress. Looking good so far!
*note the meat temp probe. From what I have learned from pitmasters with much more knowledge than I, you dont really need the temp probe. You can tell the brisket is ready when you insert the probe into the side of the brisket, and it glides in like butter. I left it in, just so I could see where the temp was at, but I have decided to not pull the meat off the smoker, based on what the temp is, but by how easily the probe can be inserted into the meat.
The brisket has cooked faster than I thought it would. I really didnt have to start it at 1230am, but I figured better safe than sorry. It has now cooked for approx 12 hours and is ready to come off the smoker. The temp probe can be inserted into the meat effortlessly, telling me it is done. Since we are not eating until 5 or 6, I am going to foil it with a applejuice/vinegar spray and throw it in the cooler to rest for 4-5 hours.
I did seperate the point from the flat before foiling. It is rather easy to do, since there is a fat layer seperating the 2 pieces, and the grain of the meat is opposite each other. The flat is resting nicely in the cooler, and I have chopped the point to make burnt ends. For burnt ends, I just chopped the point into bite size pieces and threw them in a foil pan. Next I sprinkled them with some more rub and threw them back on the smoker. They will be there for the next 1.5 hours. After that I will pull them and re-apply more rub, and mix them with some BBQ sauce and smoke them for an additional 1.5 hours. I'm going to pull some of the meat and use it in the baked beans I am making.
I am also making some apple baked beans, possibly some cole slaw and some sweet corn cakes. Here are the recipes: (I have not tried these recipes except the sweet corn cakes)
Keri's Hog-Apple Baked Beans
3 or 4 slices bacon, diced
2 28-oz cans Bush's Baked Beans
1/2 c. Blues Hog BBQ Sauce (or other sweet-spicy favorite)
1 lb. smoked leftover smoked pork or beef, more or less, or 1 lb crumbled cooked pork sausage
1 can apple pie filling (chop up the big chunks some)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. Mustard (prepared)
1 tsp chipotle or cayenne powder (optional, to taste*)
1 tsp Blues Hog barbecue rub (or your favorite de jour)
Brown bacon, and saute onion and green pepper in bacon grease. Mix in remaining ingredients. Bake at 325ยบ for 1 hour, or simmer on stovetop in large pot for 30 minutes if you don't have time to do them in the oven. Serves 12.
3 or 4 slices bacon, diced
2 28-oz cans Bush's Baked Beans
1/2 c. Blues Hog BBQ Sauce (or other sweet-spicy favorite)
1 lb. smoked leftover smoked pork or beef, more or less, or 1 lb crumbled cooked pork sausage
1 can apple pie filling (chop up the big chunks some)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. Mustard (prepared)
1 tsp chipotle or cayenne powder (optional, to taste*)
1 tsp Blues Hog barbecue rub (or your favorite de jour)
Brown bacon, and saute onion and green pepper in bacon grease. Mix in remaining ingredients. Bake at 325ยบ for 1 hour, or simmer on stovetop in large pot for 30 minutes if you don't have time to do them in the oven. Serves 12.
This is the slaw recipe from the 17th Street Bar & Grill in Murphysboro, IL. I am copying it from the cookbook Peace, Love and Barbecue by Mike Mills (owner of the 17th Street Bar & Grill) and Amy Mills Tunnicliffe. The book has great recipes from barbecue joints all over the country and is loaded with good reading too.
Mike's Crunchy Cole Slaw
1 head green cabbage finely chopped...about 5 c.
1/4 head red cabbage finely chopped...about 1 c.
1 shredded carrot
mix together in a large bowl
Dressing
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt finely ground
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic
Make dressing mixing till the sugar is dissolved. Using a measuring cup mix half of the dressing with the cabbage tossing with hands or large spatula. Keep adding dressing 1/4 cup at a time being careful not to drench the cabbage. It may not take all the dressing: any remaining dressing can be stored in a covered container for up to 5 days and used on salad or as a vegetable marinade.
SERVES 10-12
Mike's Crunchy Cole Slaw
1 head green cabbage finely chopped...about 5 c.
1/4 head red cabbage finely chopped...about 1 c.
1 shredded carrot
mix together in a large bowl
Dressing
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt finely ground
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic
Make dressing mixing till the sugar is dissolved. Using a measuring cup mix half of the dressing with the cabbage tossing with hands or large spatula. Keep adding dressing 1/4 cup at a time being careful not to drench the cabbage. It may not take all the dressing: any remaining dressing can be stored in a covered container for up to 5 days and used on salad or as a vegetable marinade.
SERVES 10-12
Sweet Corn Cake
Yield: 10 servings
1/4 c Butter, unsalted
2 tb Shortening
1/2 c Masa harina
3 tb Cold water
1 10 Ounce Pkg frozen corn kernels
3 tb Cornmeal
1/4 c Sugar
2 tb Whipping cream
1/4 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Salt
1) Whip butter and shortening in mixing bowl until fluffy and creamy.
Add masa harina gradually and mix thoroughly. Add water gradually,
mixing thoroughly.
2) Blend corn kernels until coarsley chopped. Stir
into masa mixture.
3) Mix cornmeal, sugar, whipping cream, baking
powder and salt in large bowl. Add butter-masa mixture; mix until
blended.
4) Pour masa mixture into 8" greased baking pan. Cover with
foil and bake at 350 degrees until corn cake is firm, 40 to 50
minutes. Allow to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting
into squares. Or use ice cream scoop to serve.
Each serving contains
about: 147 calories; 76 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 17
grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.21 grams fiber
Yield: 10 servings
1/4 c Butter, unsalted
2 tb Shortening
1/2 c Masa harina
3 tb Cold water
1 10 Ounce Pkg frozen corn kernels
3 tb Cornmeal
1/4 c Sugar
2 tb Whipping cream
1/4 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Salt
1) Whip butter and shortening in mixing bowl until fluffy and creamy.
Add masa harina gradually and mix thoroughly. Add water gradually,
mixing thoroughly.
2) Blend corn kernels until coarsley chopped. Stir
into masa mixture.
3) Mix cornmeal, sugar, whipping cream, baking
powder and salt in large bowl. Add butter-masa mixture; mix until
blended.
4) Pour masa mixture into 8" greased baking pan. Cover with
foil and bake at 350 degrees until corn cake is firm, 40 to 50
minutes. Allow to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting
into squares. Or use ice cream scoop to serve.
Each serving contains
about: 147 calories; 76 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 17
grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.21 grams fiber
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