Slow Smoking Meat: I'm a Microbiologist, Dumbass.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Goons with Spoons > Slow Smoking Meat: I'm a Microbiologist, Dumbass.

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Hi smoking thread! I have some (probably dumb) questions about my first smoke.

We just moved and my dad bought me a Trager Smoker as a house warming gift. I haven�t set it up yet (the rain in so cal has been something else) but I�m going to set it up tomorrow.

I went to Costco today and bought a 20lb brisket with the intention of smoking it early Saturday morning. Im pretty sure I have the jist of what I need to do down but my dad suggested that I cut the brisket down into 3rds so if I gently caress it up it�s not a waste of the whole cut.

Does this sound like something I should do? I have a meat thermometer so I�m really not worried about fuckin things up too bad.

I also realize I should have started with a pork butt but I really wanted some beef so here we are.

I fully admit that I�m probably being stupid starting with a brisket but I really think I can do it after watching some videos and reading a bunch on it.

Im also going to smoke some cream cheese on Saturday.

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 01:55

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# ¿ May 14, 2024 13:01

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Discussion Quorum posted:

If you're set on beef you could always start with chuck roasts. They're much faster and cheaper to gently caress up and still pretty drat good.

Well I think that ship has sailed since I already have the cut in my fridge lol

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 02:32

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Thanks everyone! I just got done watching one of that dudes videos and he�s really good! I am going to trim the brisket tonight and hopefully not gently caress that up too bad.

I�ll report back the progress lol

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 03:01

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Doom Rooster posted:

He has a video specifically about getting the most out of a pellet smoker for brisket. If you haven�t already checked that one out, I definitely would do so.

And also, absolutely save all of the trimmed fat, chop it up into as small of pieces as you�re willing to spend time on, then put it into a container in the smoker with the brisket. Smoke it, stir it once or twice over the span of 5 hours, then strain it. Smoked tallow is loving incredible to have hanging around in the fridge.

Welp! Read this too late lmao. I�ll remember that for next time. I also need a way better knife. I thought mine would be ok but clearly not. I�m not going to post a picture of the trimmed brisket because it�s not pretty. I think I did it right though.

I�m gonna check out that video tonight before bed so thanks!

The plan is to start it about 8 am at 250 and go from there.

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 04:07

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Kaddish posted:

Get a Victorinox boning knife. Extremely useful for trimming cuts of meat and not expensive.

Done!

Any recommendations for a sharpening stone or just whatever?

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 04:16

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Awesome. Thanks and sorry for all the dumbass questions tonight.

Setting the smoker up tomorrow.

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 04:44

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

TITTIEKISSER69 posted:

If you're smoking 20 lbs of brisket tomorrow, you may not get to smoke the cream cheese until Saturday.

So everything I read was at 250 it�s approx 30 min per lb. Is that not correct?

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 13:47

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Well guess I�m getting up earlier lol.

That�s fine though my dog has been getting up stupid early every day anyway.

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 14:11

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Doom Rooster posted:

Echoing the �start sooner, always� sentiment. Don�t be worried about it finishing too early. A wrapped brisket resting in a turned off oven will stay at a good serving temp for hours. You want to let it rest for at least an hour anyway.

If you trimmed that 20lb big boy down to 16ish, I would count on 40min/lb at 250 unless it�s a weirdly thin, long brisket. With a minimum rest time of an hour. That puts you at 11h40m from the time it goes on the smoker.

Thanks!

I�ll post pictures tomorrow of my progress!

# ¿ Mar 24, 2023 14:26

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Last question before I go to bed.

How long do I let the brisket sit out of the fridge before I throw it on the grill? I�ve read an hour but not sure if that�s correct.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 03:38

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Awesome thanks! I�ll get to get an extra hour sleep then.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 04:01

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

I am going to use aluminum foil on this first one.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 04:26

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Hopefully I don�t gently caress this up lol

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 15:02

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

2 hour update

Looks ok I guess? Lol

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 17:09

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Kaddish posted:

Stop opening it.

It�s the second time!

When should I open it again to put the probe in? I was thinking about the 4 hour mark.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 17:13

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Kaddish posted:

Really no reason to take the probe out until you wrap it, if you're wrapping.

Well I haven�t actually put the probe in yet but I probably should have done that when I started?

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 17:22

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Got it!

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 17:32

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Kaddish posted:

Hopefully, you're rendering some of the trimmings for your wrap. I like to use duck fat as well.

Oh never mind, you said you're using foil. Could still put some fat in the bottom if you wanted, though not sure how effective that would be.

Yeah I hosed that up already because I tossed the trimmings. I got that for next time though

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 17:45

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Kalman posted:

Yeah, meat goes on, probe goes in before the lid gets closed.

Got it for next time. It�s at 145 now at about 5 hours in.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 19:52

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

It�s at 161 right now and it�s probably not as dark as I�d like but I�ve turned the heat down to slow it a bit more. I�m gonna take it out and wrap it at 165 so maybe in about 30 min or so.

Then leave it in there till 185.

So far so good.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 21:43

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

TITTIEKISSER69 posted:

Why 185? You want to pull it when a temp probe can slide in and out like it's room-temp butter. This typically happens above 195, usually 203 or 204. It probably won't get much hotter once you wrap and cambro it.

I dunno lol everything I read said 185 was the spot to pull it off? Should I not even wrap it at 165?

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 21:48

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Bob A Feet posted:

Unless you need to eat it sooner, I wouldn�t touch it or even open the grill from the time I put it on until the time I pulled it. I pull between 203-210, depending on the probe feel and jiggle. I�m in the US central time zone, and if you haven�t wrapped by now, you are not having it for dinner tonight.

When do you wrap it then?

Like temperature

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 21:56

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Thanks a bunch everyone! I�ve wrapped it and it�s still going! I have definitely learned a lot so far so I�ll see how things have turned out in a few more hours.

Gonna throw the cream cheese on there now and get that smoking too.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2023 23:56

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

I have two very judgmental people watching me do this whole thing.

# ¿ Mar 26, 2023 00:35

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Doom Rooster posted:

Ask 10 goons about brisket technique and you�ll get 15 opinions, but here is mine.

It�s still going to be delicious, but in the future, don�t wrap until the bark looks (almost) as dark as you want it to, especially on a pellet smoker.* Temp doesn�t matter, almost at all. Once you wrap it, no more bark development will happen, and if you haven�t gotten a proper set, the pepper will soften and fall off instead of staying a nice chewy/crunchy bark. ** You�ll just end up with a delicious smoky, wet brisket that looks more like it came out of a slow cooker instead of a smoker.

Pellet smokers tend to develop bark/color significantly slower for a few reasons, so on mine I give it way longer.

As for when it�s done, temperature also almost doesn�t matter. Connective tissue breakdown starts at like, sub 140f, it just happens faster at higher temperatures. Brisket doneness is a function of time/temp on a curve. A brisket is done when it�s done. I�ve had briskets be perfect at 195, and some not until 205. poke it with your probe. If you get almost no resistance, it�s ready, pull it. If you have to use any force to push the probe through, keep it going.

*if the trajectory of your unwrapped brisket is going way too slow and you neeeeeed to speed up, wrapping will get you to an edible product faster. ***

* A brisket�s bark will darken a few shades in color after the wrap and rest.

** The higher temp you get to before wrapping, the more water comes out of the meat. If you wrap early, before it�s given off most of its water, you�re going to trap a ton in there if using foil, and you�ll be braising, getting a soggy bark. Ideally you want the wrap to just encase your brisket in rendered fat and prevent evaporation of what water is there from keeping you in the stall.

*** Goddammmit, I planned on this being a short post.

You can get brisket that looks like this off a pellet smoker, it just takes longer prewrap.

Thank you so much for this! I�m taking notes I swear for next time!

# ¿ Mar 26, 2023 00:45

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

The brisket is coming off soon but so far the smoked cream cheese is hella good

# ¿ Mar 26, 2023 03:22

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

HootTheOwl posted:

I meant to ask about this.....
What is it? It looks amazing

Basically it�s just a block of cream cheese with a bit of olive oil drizzle and I used the seasoning from the brisket on top. Throw in the smoker for approx 2 hours and eat as a dip.

Supposedly it�s great cold too but it�s legit hot.

It�s super smoky.

It�s great with a ritz or tortilla chips.

# ¿ Mar 26, 2023 03:28

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Ok so it�s not terrible!

So I think maybe it could use some sort of drizzle on it? The flavor is great! Overall I�m happy with this first attempt.

# ¿ Mar 26, 2023 04:28

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Thanks everyone for all the help! I�ve got a long way to go!

# ¿ Mar 26, 2023 04:37

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Now that I have like 15lbs of leftover smoked brisket does anyone have any recipes I can use this stuff on?

I was trying to find a smoked brisket pasta recipe but I didn�t see anything that looked fantastic.

# ¿ Mar 26, 2023 16:14

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Chad Sexington posted:

Brisket ragu is a thing. It might be better over polenta or something though because it does retain some BBQ flavor profile which is a little odd with pasta.

But yeah, vacuum seal that poo poo, freeze it and eat it all the time with everything.

Looking forward to restocking the fridge when I do one soonish.

Yeah I saw the ragu recipe gonna try that. Making some brisket pasta dish tonight and tacos tomorrow.

Definitely need a vacuum sealer at this point.

# ¿ Mar 27, 2023 01:18

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

This recipe is pretty banging. I�d add more asparagus but it was easy and great.

https://jamiegeller.com/recipes/pulled-brisket-bowtie-pasta/

quote:

Mix a saucy brisket with bowtie pasta, asparagus and grape tomatoes. This Pulled Brisket & Bowtie Pasta recipe is a dish really fantastic for reinventing leftovers.

I added the cold brisket to the veggies and then mixed in the pasta to cover everything in the brisket juice / oil.

# ¿ Mar 27, 2023 03:04

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

I've been doing some looking online and I'm not sure if what I am reading is correct or not. I want to smoke some ribeyes tomorrow. They are a little over an inch thick and about 1lb each. Everything I read said it would take about an hour to get to med-rare (ish) does that sound right? I'm still trying to get the timing right on things.

Any advice? I was going to smoke them for a bit then turn the grill up and sear them.

# ¿ Apr 1, 2023 03:55

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Kaddish posted:

Yeah that�s about right. Don�t go by time though - use a thermometer and pull it a few degrees under your target temp. When you sear them, make sure whatever you�re using is hot as hell.

Oh yeah sorry definitely have a probe in each steak.

Sounds good! Thanks!

# ¿ Apr 1, 2023 04:08

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Smoked ribeyes came out bangin

# ¿ Apr 2, 2023 05:29

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Kaddish posted:

Looks nice. I like smoking picanha too if you haven't tried that yet.

Thanks I�ll try that next Sunday!

# ¿ Apr 2, 2023 17:19

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Hell yea

# ¿ Apr 8, 2023 03:40

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Murgos posted:

Going to try smoking some cream cheese this weekend, anyone have a good topping idea?

When I did mine I put some olive oil over it and just used the same beef rub I had put on my brisket and it was 10/10.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2023 01:07

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Gonna smoke some New York steaks tonight.

The ribeyes came out fantastic so I have no doubt these will be bangin.

# ¿ Apr 15, 2023 22:08

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# ¿ May 14, 2024 13:01

MarcusSA: Sep 23, 2007

Great flavor! It was a little finicky because one of them is significantly smaller but they both came out great.

Gonna try pork chops next weekend.

# ¿ Apr 16, 2023 04:12

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