BRISKET - FAT UP or DOWN

[primeone]

@RemE - Maybe it was just the cut of meat? Another idea to try is to use a small water bowl while you are smoking it (at least before the wrap). That might help to keep the meat from drying out and get you that melt in the mouth finish you're looking for.

I feel like that made a difference with my briskets. Another thing to try is butcher paper instead of foil. It should certainly take a lot longer by using that method but it sure does produce a much better bark.

Be sure to report back and let us know what works for ya though! I haven't mastered brisket the way I want to, but it's gotten a lot better over the past year

 

[primeone]

Prime, I’m with you 100 as I’ve enjoyed learning different ways with this thing as watching a fire all night isn’t quite the rave these days lol. My no wrap left an incredible bark and remained juicy with the fat up so give it a try as I think you’ll enjoy it.

How does everyone place their brisket in the traeger? I for example have tried a few different position (obviously not fat up LoL) but I mean on the grate; main or second, point at back and flat at the front by door, point over burn pit with flat toward grease trap, etc??

Since I have the Ironwood, I move the grate up to the middle position and throw the meat directly on the grate.

Now that's a good question about what side to place the thicker cut of the meat on. Hmm. I believe I normally have the flat pointing away from the grease trap side. I'll have to pay more attention to this but I'm interested to see what others are doing.

 

[Francwa73]

I did my first brisket last weekend using Traeger's "Chef's Brisket" recipe.

I followed it carefully, 13lbs fat side down, 225F super smoke, until probe temp 165F should be 4-5 hrs (did I mention WiFire sucks serious wind with NO audible alarms on the phone?). Then foil wrap and more 225F until temp probe hits 203F, 3-4 hours. Then they say remove from foil and rest for 1 hour before slicing.

I figured 9 hour cook worst case so gave myself 13 hours to be safe for our dinner. Started at 6am for a 7pm dinner. Guess what? it took 13 hours and it still wasn't really done in my opinion, it looked good, tasted great but didn't melt in my mouth. Dinner was not my best that night.

Next time I'm going Texas, with Meat Church, 20+ hours with the long cooler rest. I have to say I forgot just how GOOD brisket is!

I will never let myself be in-between hungry friends and dinner time, I was so embarrassed.

What's the best plan for a 7pm sit down time for dinner? I need to get this mapped out. I have chicken and ribs down cold but really want to master the brisket!

The meat church texas style is 21 hour cook plus rest time. With a full hopper, there no need to get up in the middle of the night. Unless you want to spritz it with apple juice. I need to type up my notes and post them...

 

[RemE]

Thanks for the thoughts primeone! It was a "choice cut" about $100 but I'm not a judge of good meat, yet!

It was like it just hadn't completed rendering the fat in the meat. There was about 2 cups of drippings in the foil when I removed the meat.

I placed my rack in the middle position like I had seen in all of the brisket videos. I placed the tail to the right as I believe that mine is hotter on the left of center. Next long cook maybe I'll rotate the meat once.

 

[RemE]

The meat church texas style is 21 hour cook plus rest time. With a full hopper, there no need to get up in the middle of the night. Unless you want to spritz it with apple juice. I need to type up my notes and post them...

That would be awesome! Thanks!

 

[LMT2020]

I did my first brisket last weekend using Traeger's "Chef's Brisket" recipe.

I followed it carefully, 13lbs fat side down, 225F super smoke, until probe temp 165F should be 4-5 hrs (did I mention WiFire sucks serious wind with NO audible alarms on the phone?). Then foil wrap and more 225F until temp probe hits 203F, 3-4 hours. Then they say remove from foil and rest for 1 hour before slicing.

I figured 9 hour cook worst case so gave myself 13 hours to be safe for our dinner. Started at 6am for a 7pm dinner. Guess what? it took 13 hours and it still wasn't really done in my opinion, it looked good, tasted great but didn't melt in my mouth. Dinner was not my best that night.

Next time I'm going Texas, with Meat Church, 20+ hours with the long cooler rest. I have to say I forgot just how GOOD brisket is!

I will never let myself be in-between hungry friends and dinner time, I was so embarrassed.

What's the best plan for a 7pm sit down time for dinner? I need to get this mapped out. I have chicken and ribs down cold but really want to master the brisket!

I am no expert but After wrapping you can increase temp to 250-275f

 

[RemE]

OK, I watched Matt's video and took notes, after the gospel, I ordered up some Holy Rubs and a T-Shirt from the Church and will try Brisket #2 soon.

Here's my quick notes;

Week Day Brisket – Meat Church
Prime Full Packer Brisket 12+ lbs
Day Before Meal
5:30p Trim Fat
6:00p Season, meat side, 70% Holy Cow, 30% Holy Gospel
6:30p Season, fat side. Start Grill.
7:00p Grill 190F Super Smoke, Meat on middle rack (remove top rack), Fat side up.
7:00am Pull meat, wrap in paper, fold under, Fat side up. TempProbe set 195F
12p Change Grill Temp to 250F
4pm (Approx.) After probe 195F alert, wait about 20min more until 203F, Set grill to “Warm” if away.
At 204F, probe meat, should have no resistance, like a cake.
Pull meat, wrap in towel, place in cooler, rest 1-3hrs.

“I like my brisket like I like my women, with a little bit of jiggle”, Matt Pittman.

 

[n_maher]

OK, I watched Matt's video and took notes, after the gospel, I ordered up some Holy Rubs and a T-Shirt from the Church and will try Brisket #2 soon.

Here's my quick notes;

“I like my brisket like I like my women, with a little bit of jiggle”, Matt Pittman.

Just one thing to throw on your checklist for a cook that long:

At some point, mostly likely while starting the grill, check the pellet hopper to ensure that it is full. Even running low (190) you're going to burn thru a pretty serious qty of pellets depending on ambient temps and other factors. I'd make a mental note to check the hopper the next morning too, just to be on the safe side. At least make sure to give the hopper a good stir the next morning. Mine tends to draw down the corner by the sensor which gave me a bit of a panic when it appeared on the app that'd I'd burned thru 60% of the pellets in 6hrs at 200F. Turned out to just be a depression and was only ~20%, but still better safe than sorry on a 24hr planned cook in my book.

 

[RemE]

Just one thing to throw on your checklist for a cook that long:

At some point, mostly likely while starting the grill, check the pellet hopper to ensure that it is full. Even running low (190) you're going to burn thru a pretty serious qty of pellets depending on ambient temps and other factors. I'd make a mental note to check the hopper the next morning too, just to be on the safe side. At least make sure to give the hopper a good stir the next morning. Mine tends to draw down the corner by the sensor which gave me a bit of a panic when it appeared on the app that'd I'd burned thru 60% of the pellets in 6hrs at 200F. Turned out to just be a depression and was only ~20%, but still better safe than sorry on a 24hr planned cook in my book.

Good tip,
I always check pellets and stir the hopper often. I also pile the pellets high on the left when stirring. Plus I have the sensor.
I like to do a quick clean as well before a long cook.

 

[Rodney007]

Hi Rodney, always good to see someone from 'over the ditch' here. Put any of your wonderful trout on the smoker?

No I havnt yet. Not much of a fisherman and not something we can get at the market either ?

 

[davwhite]

And I thought every Kiwi was born with a rod in his hand

 

[Pits_N_Pellets]

I don't think you meant wrap at 195, did you? And curious to hear what you're cooking at for that long. I cooked a 6lb flat over the weekend at 200 and it was at ready to wrap (165F) after 6hrs, bumped to 225F and finished to ~203 internal after another 3hrs. Can't imaging the slab of meat that would take 21hrs to cook.

I’ve had briskets take 20+ hours to cook, and others done in 12. Just depends on density, fat and moisture levels matters.

I usually cook fat side down because I feel like a heavy fat washes away seasoning too much. But I think that’s just mental games.

I wrap around 165ish also if I were to do so...