I think I am getting a handle on controlling the temperature in my New
Braunfels Jr.
I am mildly successful at bbq-ing brisket. The problem is that I can never
achieve that nice crust the I have seen.
I keep my temperature around 225-250F for 10-12 hours for 10# brisket.
I have marinated the meat over-nite using beer and Italian dressing.
Should I have sprayed the meat with water very hour or so?
I am using briquettes and wood (pecan) chunks for smoke. Once I become more
experience, I'll graduate to using charcoal instead of briquettes.
It's moderately soft but not falling apart and I feel that it could be
juicier.
Any additional advice would be most helpful

All of you have given me some valuable advise in the past and I do
appreciate all the help which I desperately need.


Ken

ken ullman wrote:
> I think I am getting a handle on controlling the temperature in my New
> Braunfels Jr.
> I am mildly successful at bbq-ing brisket. The problem is that I can
> never achieve that nice crust the I have seen.
> I keep my temperature around 225-250F for 10-12 hours for 10#
> brisket. I have marinated the meat over-nite using beer and Italian
> dressing. Should I have sprayed the meat with water very hour or so?
> I am using briquettes and wood (pecan) chunks for smoke. Once I
> become more experience, I'll graduate to using charcoal instead of
> briquettes. It's moderately soft but not falling apart and I feel
> that it could be juicier.
> Any additional advice would be most helpful
>
> All of you have given me some valuable advise in the past and I do
> appreciate all the help which I desperately need.
>
>
> Ken

Where are you measuring your temperature and with what? And what's the
approximate internal temp of your brisket when you take it off? Do you test
for doneness with a fork (should twist easily)?
My guess is that your temperature is much lower than you think it is and
that's why you're not getting bark. Spraying the meat won't help - you need
to cook at 250 - 275 degrees until it's done, which will give you bark and
nice juicy meat. Try a rub instead of the marinade, or for a simple one,
salt/pepper/garlic powder/paprika/red pepper.

Jack Curry

On 6/27/04 5:07 PM, in article
, "Jack Curry" <Jack-Curry
deletethis @cfl.rr.com> wrote:

> ken ullman wrote:
>> I think I am getting a handle on controlling the temperature in my New
>> Braunfels Jr.
>> I am mildly successful at bbq-ing brisket. The problem is that I can
>> never achieve that nice crust the I have seen.
>> I keep my temperature around 225-250F for 10-12 hours for 10#
>> brisket. I have marinated the meat over-nite using beer and Italian
>> dressing. Should I have sprayed the meat with water very hour or so?
>> I am using briquettes and wood (pecan) chunks for smoke. Once I
>> become more experience, I'll graduate to using charcoal instead of
>> briquettes. It's moderately soft but not falling apart and I feel
>> that it could be juicier.
>> Any additional advice would be most helpful
>>
>> All of you have given me some valuable advise in the past and I do
>> appreciate all the help which I desperately need.
>>
>>
>> Ken
>
> Where are you measuring your temperature and with what? And what's the
> approximate internal temp of your brisket when you take it off? Do you test
> for doneness with a fork (should twist easily)?
> My guess is that your temperature is much lower than you think it is and
> that's why you're not getting bark. Spraying the meat won't help - you need
> to cook at 250 - 275 degrees until it's done, which will give you bark and
> nice juicy meat. Try a rub instead of the marinade, or for a simple one,
> salt/pepper/garlic powder/paprika/red pepper.
>
> Jack Curry
>
>
The temperature of the cooking chamber, I thought, was around 225-250 but
the thermometer is located on the lid about half-way to the top.
It sounds like I should get an oven thermometer and check out the "real"
temperature of the cooking chamber.
The internal temperature of the meat was 180F.
Thanks for all the advice... I'll try the rub and upping the temp.

ken ullman wrote:
> I am mildly successful at bbq-ing brisket. The problem is that I can
> never achieve that nice crust the I have seen.

Keep tryin; it'll come.

> I keep my temperature around 225-250F for 10-12 hours for 10#
> brisket.

First thing ya can do to get a nicer bark on a brisket is to cook it
at around 275°F. Most briskets that size should be done in 6-8 hours
at that temp.

> I have marinated the meat over-nite using beer and Italian
> dressing.

Marinade a brisket?! I guess ya could but I don't see the need in it.
Rather, try puttin ya rub on it the night before, wrappin it in
plastic and put it to bed in the fridge. Be sure to take it out and
let it get back to room temp before ya toss it on ya cooker. Just
unwrap the plastic and let it set on the kitchen counter for an hour.
That ought to do it.

> Should I have sprayed the meat with water very hour or so?

Sprayin with water is only gonna get ya wet meat; no extra bark or
juicier meat. Put the meat in ya cooker, close the lid and let it
cook at least the first 6 hours without poppin the lid to peek.

> I am using briquettes and wood (pecan) chunks for smoke. Once I
> become more experience, I'll graduate to using charcoal instead of
> briquettes.

Why wait to use lump? Learn it once, learn it right.

> It's moderately soft but not falling apart and I feel
> that it could be juicier.

Good brisket don't fall apart like a butt does. When ya get 188°F
internal or it twists easily in the flat, ya brisket's done. Take it
off the fire, wrap in some plastic and let it set 30 minutes before
cutting so the juices can soak back into the meat. When ya cut it,
cut across the grain of the meat.
--
-frohe
Life is too short to be in a hurry

On 27-Jun-2004, "frohe" > wrote:

> ken ullman wrote:
> > I am mildly successful at bbq-ing brisket. The problem is that I can
> > never achieve that nice crust the I have seen.
>
<snip a bunch>

>
> Good brisket don't fall apart like a butt does. When ya get 188°F
> internal or it twists easily in the flat, ya brisket's done. Take it
> off the fire, wrap in some plastic and let it set 30 minutes before
> cutting so the juices can soak back into the meat. When ya cut it,
> cut across the grain of the meat.
> --
> -frohe
> Life is too short to be in a hurry

Mostly what Frohe said. Except the last brisket I cooked pulled
easily at 200° in the point. I only got the flat to 185° and that was
tender, but would not pull. I cooked mine at about 285°, but not
because I think that's the right number. It's just easy to run my
pit at that temp and I get good results so why mess with it? I
used a dry rub applied just before it went in the pit and got real
nice bark on it. I'd rather rub it the day before though.
--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")

"frohe" > wrote in message
news
> ken ullman wrote:
> > I am mildly successful at bbq-ing brisket. The problem is that I can
> > never achieve that nice crust the I have seen.
>
> Keep tryin; it'll come.
>
> > I keep my temperature around 225-250F for 10-12 hours for 10#
> > brisket.
>
> First thing ya can do to get a nicer bark on a brisket is to cook it
> at around 275°F. Most briskets that size should be done in 6-8 hours
> at that temp.
>
> > I have marinated the meat over-nite using beer and Italian
> > dressing.
>
> Marinade a brisket?! I guess ya could but I don't see the need in it.
> Rather, try puttin ya rub on it the night before, wrappin it in
> plastic and put it to bed in the fridge. Be sure to take it out and
> let it get back to room temp before ya toss it on ya cooker. Just
> unwrap the plastic and let it set on the kitchen counter for an hour.
> That ought to do it.
>
> > Should I have sprayed the meat with water very hour or so?
>
> Sprayin with water is only gonna get ya wet meat; no extra bark or
> juicier meat. Put the meat in ya cooker, close the lid and let it
> cook at least the first 6 hours without poppin the lid to peek.
>
> > I am using briquettes and wood (pecan) chunks for smoke. Once I
> > become more experience, I'll graduate to using charcoal instead of
> > briquettes.
>
> Why wait to use lump? Learn it once, learn it right.
>
> > It's moderately soft but not falling apart and I feel
> > that it could be juicier.
>
> Good brisket don't fall apart like a butt does. When ya get 188°F
> internal or it twists easily in the flat, ya brisket's done. Take it
> off the fire, wrap in some plastic and let it set 30 minutes before
> cutting so the juices can soak back into the meat. When ya cut it,
> cut across the grain of the meat.
> --
> -frohe
> Life is too short to be in a hurry

I took an idea I believe Belly Maynard said he used for marinating a brisket.
Mix up the marinade, cut a small slit in the cryovac, pour in the marinade, and
then seal the cryovac back up with tape. Not exactly as easy as it sounds but it
ain't brain surgery either.

Ditto on the lump. Start now.

I can't imagine why somebody would want brisket to pull like pork, but hey, to
each his own.

_________
ht_redneck

According to Anton, of "Good Eats" on the food channel, you want to keep the
temperature 200-250 degrees. This means the temperature right there where
your meat is sitting. As for a crust, you can get that by putting on some
BBQ sauce during the last few hours of cooking....the sugar will do that.
You can also, as in ribs, impart a tasty crust by finishing them off under a
hot broiler or on a hot grill--just long enough to get a crust. Oh, I'm on
my 14th annual pig roast and have been using mesquite for my smoke for the
last five or six years as some of the people thought the hickory was a tad
too strong. Hmmmm...could have been all me. Anyway, good luck!
"ken ullman" > wrote in message
. ..
> I think I am getting a handle on controlling the temperature in my New
> Braunfels Jr.
> I am mildly successful at bbq-ing brisket. The problem is that I can never
> achieve that nice crust the I have seen.
> I keep my temperature around 225-250F for 10-12 hours for 10# brisket.
> I have marinated the meat over-nite using beer and Italian dressing.
> Should I have sprayed the meat with water very hour or so?
> I am using briquettes and wood (pecan) chunks for smoke. Once I become
more
> experience, I'll graduate to using charcoal instead of briquettes.
> It's moderately soft but not falling apart and I feel that it could be
> juicier.
> Any additional advice would be most helpful
>
> All of you have given me some valuable advise in the past and I do
> appreciate all the help which I desperately need.
>
>
> Ken
>