Beef Brisket - Do I need to spray during the initial 180 phase?

[MrBalloonHands]

Hello to all!

This is my first attempt at smoking a brisket on my Silverton 620. It's a 12.5# packer. I plan on using the recipe linked to below:

Texas-Style Smoked Beef Brisket by Doug Scheiding

https://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/scheiding-bbq-brisket

My question is how important is it to spray during the initial phase after the first 3 hours? I have seen other methods of protecting against a dry brisket like leaving an open container of apple juice or marinade in the grill to evaporate or injecting at different times. Would these be a decent alternative to spraying with the apple juice?

My concern is the timing of the first phase. If I want to serve at 6pm and plan on an initial phase of 12 hours, a secondary phase of 4 hours and a 2 hour rest in the cooler that puts me at starting the initial phase at midnight and spraying apple juice starting at 3 am and doing so every 45 minutes until noon. That seems like way too much trouble and I haven't seen anyone mention doing so on the forums.

Thanks to everyone who helps this noob out! My guests (and myself) will be forever in your debt.

MBH

 

[MrBalloonHands]

Bump. Any brisket pros care to weigh in???

 

[primeone]

Welcome @MrBalloonHands ? - I haven't tried that exact method but I might have to give it a shot next time, so please let me know how it comes out! I've only used Apple Juice on pork, never beef.

The Traeger coffee rub is awesome though. I use that along with S&P. I do use a small water bowl and spray it with water every hour before I wrap.

 

[MrBalloonHands]

Will do! Thanks for the reply!

Hopefully the bowl by itself will suffice until around hour 7 when I'm back up and can spray.

 

[StillinICT]

Yes, the bowl will help a lot. I usually put my brisket on at 10PM with water in a bowl then start spritzing from then on once I'm up and awake, about every 30 minutes or so. Apple juice with bourbon to the end and just before the wrap and rest.

 

[Rodney007]

I can say these things from doing alot of brisket.

1) Spraying a bisket will not effect tenderness or juiceyness of the internal meat. It will effect the bark and smoke ring only. 90% of tenderness and juicyness is the quality and fat content of the beef.

2) Water bath will also not effect the tenderness/juicyness of the internal meat. It will also only really effect the bark. Last week I used a water bath for the first time and it was the dryest brisket I have done yet. However this was because of the quality of the beef.

3) Even if you did a side by side test, no beef is the same and it is hard to make comparisons from testing.

I.e you may think the water bath made a difference however THAT COW may have had fattier meat/marbilisation and muscle structure.

I am no expert but the big big difference is the quality of the beef.

Being from New Zealand... all of our beef is grass fed. So in that, even we have lower quality grass fed beef that to many in America would be considered very good or "prime" quality.

I personally never spray, or use a water bath and usually always get juicy, moist amazing briskets. Just use butchers paper at 160f and pull at 203 with a wrapped insulated rest for 1 hour at least

 

[ScotchnSmoke]

I can say these things from doing alot of brisket.

1) Spraying a bisket will not effect tenderness or juiceyness of the internal meat. It will effect the bark and smoke ring only. 90% of tenderness and juicyness is the quality and fat content of the beef.

2) Water bath will also not effect the tenderness/juicyness of the internal meat. It will also only really effect the bark. Last week I used a water bath for the first time and it was the dryest brisket I have done yet. However this was because of the quality of the beef.

3) Even if you did a side by side test, no beef is the same and it is hard to make comparisons from testing.

I.e you may think the water bath made a difference however THAT COW may have had fattier meat/marbilisation and muscle structure.

I am no expert but the big big difference is the quality of the beef.

Being from New Zealand... all of our beef is grass fed. So in that, even we have lower quality grass fed beef that to many in America would be considered very good or "prime" quality.

I personally never spray, or use a water bath and usually always get juicy, moist amazing briskets. Just use butchers paper at 160f and pull at 203 with a wrapped insulated rest for 1 hour at least

Rodney,

Interesting perspective and procedure. Reinforces my thoughts exactly. I also share your thoughts on the quality of the meat making the difference. Yep, it's gonna' cost more for a quality cut but the results will be worth it.

 

[Rodney007]

Rodney,

Interesting perspective and procedure. Reinforces my thoughts exactly. I also share your thoughts on the quality of the meat making the difference. Yep, it's gonna' cost more for a quality cut but the results will be worth it.

Yes, I have a very nice brisket in currently, double the price of what I usually get just to try. 11 pounds trimmed Black Ebony Australian Angus... cant wait.... ?

 

[Pits_N_Pellets]

Hello to all!

This is my first attempt at smoking a brisket on my Silverton 620. It's a 12.5# packer. I plan on using the recipe linked to below:

Texas-Style Smoked Beef Brisket by Doug Scheiding

https://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/scheiding-bbq-brisket

My question is how important is it to spray during the initial phase after the first 3 hours? I have seen other methods of protecting against a dry brisket like leaving an open container of apple juice or marinade in the grill to evaporate or injecting at different times. Would these be a decent alternative to spraying with the apple juice?

My concern is the timing of the first phase. If I want to serve at 6pm and plan on an initial phase of 12 hours, a secondary phase of 4 hours and a 2 hour rest in the cooler that puts me at starting the initial phase at midnight and spraying apple juice starting at 3 am and doing so every 45 minutes until noon. That seems like way too much trouble and I haven't seen anyone mention doing so on the forums.

Thanks to everyone who helps this noob out! My guests (and myself) will be forever in your debt.

MBH

I don’t usually wrap my brisket, but I used butcher paper last weekend for the first time ever. However I didn’t do it until AFTER the stall, sounds weird right?

I usually do 3hrs at 180, then do 225 until done (15-20hrs total). I will put a water tray in the traeger by setting a foil tray directly on top of the and filling it with water.

Last weekend:

Seasoned with soy sauce and steak seasoning. Placed fat side down for 3hrs at 180, then cranked to 225. Then once meat hit around 168 I realized it wasn’t going to be done on time so I butcher wrapped and raised temp to 275 (2hrs). It was done in time to rest for 1hr, but instead of the cooler method this time I used “keep warm” to see how that went. (Pix attached)

Honestly, I’ve never cooked a dry brisket in my life and don’t see why people say it’s so hard. Perhaps the water tray is saving my life, Perhaps it’s the soy sauce, or maybe because I always let it cook naturally past the stall which is typically 150f-160f (lasts about 6hrs sometimes).

 

[magoo40]

It looks good, so what's the verdict, better, worse or the same as your normal method?