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***Official Grilling and Smoking Thread*** (1 Viewer)

Ive heard its a very good thermometer.  I got the thermopop a few weeks back when on sale.  Takes 5 secs which is fine for me. 

 
Definitely some shenanigans going on at the local meat locker.  For the third time in a few months I've gone in on a Sunday morning  and found a brisket in the pile for sale in the very back and on the bottom for $2.99 a lb when the  rest of the pile is priced at $5.99 a lb..  Same date, same apparent quality, same rough weight as the rest.

my guess is one of the butchers is placing it back there for one of his friends to stop by and pick it up.

 
ok gents.  I just picked up my very first brisket. Going to smoke it sunday. 

Should i dry brine this?  Or just rub it a few hours prior? 

My plan is to cook it hot and fast.  so between 275-305 for the entire cook and then wrap at some point with butcher paper.

How much butcher paper should i be using to wrap this thing? 

 
Do not brine.  Salt and pepper.  Clean smoke.  Butcher paper once past the stall.  Maybe a little spritz of any liquid.  Test fro doneness with thermmemter around 200.

 
If you buy a good quality Choice or Prime whole packer brisket, no.  Trim the fat down evenly to 1/4-38", smoke it fat cap up, point into the airflow, spritz occasionally, and don't forget to rest for an hour or so after done.

 
I think Ron has you covered here.

Only thing I'd add is one of the most under rated part of the brisket preparation is the final cutting of the brisket.  You want to make sure you cut it against the grain.  Mucho mucho important!   It makes all the difference in the world.  If you cut it with the grain it comes out firm and super chewy.  

Good luck!

 
Also - I think your cook seems a little bit Hot for my taste but so long as you get the internal temp right.......

but thats all a matter of opinion.

 
Great call on slicing against the grain.  Pencil thickness is perfect.  Here is a great brisket slicing knife.  Also good for breads, tomatoes, etc.

https://smile.amazon.com/Dexter-13463-12-Inch-Sani-Safe-Scalloped/dp/B00CHU2SHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1470452433&sr=8-1&keywords=dexter+russell+slicer

Try and burn real wood if you can.  Post Oak, Red Oak, or Live Oak are my favorite followed by Pecan. Avoid the bagged stuff sold in the stores.  That's all kiln dried and it's too dry.  Burns hot and fast and harder to control temperature.  Plus, there's some satisfaction in curating your own wood pile for BBQ.

 
proninja said:
I think that cooking hotter is better if you're short on time, because it gives you more time to rest the meat. I'd much rather bring the meat to temp two hours before serving at 300 and let it rest than cook at 225 without the rest. I've had good luck at up to 350.
This is the reason i decided to go hot and fast.  After some research many folks seem to say there is no difference, other than the window of pulling it off at the perfect tenderness is shorter.

 
Great call on slicing against the grain.  Pencil thickness is perfect.  Here is a great brisket slicing knife.  Also good for breads, tomatoes, etc.

https://smile.amazon.com/Dexter-13463-12-Inch-Sani-Safe-Scalloped/dp/B00CHU2SHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1470452433&sr=8-1&keywords=dexter+russell+slicer

Try and burn real wood if you can.  Post Oak, Red Oak, or Live Oak are my favorite followed by Pecan. Avoid the bagged stuff sold in the stores.  That's all kiln dried and it's too dry.  Burns hot and fast and harder to control temperature.  Plus, there's some satisfaction in curating your own wood pile for BBQ.
WHen you say real wood, is royal oak real wood?  or actually real wood. Not sure where i can get that around here.  will have to look.

 
I mean real wood as in logs or splits.  If you have a smoker that can handle it.  If not you can cook on charcoal or even other means.  IMO the results aren't as good but its still ok.

 
Can real wood work with a Webber smokey mountain 18.5?
Not really, it's too small. Just use a good charcoal and wood chunk not chips.

ETA this is what I was able to do on my WSM with Kingsford competition and wood chunks.

The start to finish of my brisket smoke yesterday. I use a paste overnight (6Tbsp Ancho Chile powder, 3Tbsp mustard and 3 Tbsp Beef Better than bullion) and then rub with a mix of garlic salt, kosher salt, pepper, cayenne.

Flat trimmed and rubbed

Point trimmed and rubbed

Point pulled, cubed, rerubbed and sauced.

Finished flat and burnt ends.
 
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Doing my first Boston Butt (8lb) on the WSM over apple wood.  I was holding off doing long cooks until I got my grill probe. My ThermoPro came about a week ago so today's all about smokin'. Got the butt all rubbed up, wrapped and in the fridge last night - on the grill at 8:30 this morning (later than I wanted, sleep and all).

Looks like the dome thermometer runs about 20 degrees low.  Probe temp's been holding pretty steady between 238-243.  IT's already up over 100 an hour and a half in.  Higher than I would have expected.

 
Doing my first Boston Butt (8lb) on the WSM over apple wood.  I was holding off doing long cooks until I got my grill probe. My ThermoPro came about a week ago so today's all about smokin'. Got the butt all rubbed up, wrapped and in the fridge last night - on the grill at 8:30 this morning (later than I wanted, sleep and all).

Looks like the dome thermometer runs about 20 degrees low.  Probe temp's been holding pretty steady between 238-243.  IT's already up over 100 an hour and a half in.  Higher than I would have expected.
The first is always fun! You'll hit that stall and it'll slow way down. Likely won't be done till ~8pm the earliest though.

 
The first is always fun! You'll hit that stall and it'll slow way down. Likely won't be done till ~8pm the earliest though.
Never hit a stall.  Done in 8.5 hours to 201. Still wrapped in foil sitting in the oven for an hour or so.  Got a dozen chicken thighs and a bunch of burgers and dogs on the regular grill - food for the week!

 
Amused to Death said:
Never hit a stall.  Done in 8.5 hours to 201. Still wrapped in foil sitting in the oven for an hour or so.  Got a dozen chicken thighs and a bunch of burgers and dogs on the regular grill - food for the week!
Nice.  8.5 is pretty solid.  At those temps im surprised it didnt stall.  did you foil at any point?  How did it come out?

 
Lets go.  Question for yall.  My butcher trimmed my brisket a bit.  but that part on the left, thats the point correct?  I didnt really notice where im supposed to separate it from the flat.  :shrug:

http://i.imgur.com/kN14lu5.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/emjbqgw.jpg?1
The point sits on top of the flat, with a layer of fat in between. I can't tell for sure from the picture, but it looks like there's a fat layer and a meat layer on the underside at the lower left.  So you may have it "upside down" from the normal orientation.

Or I could be completely mistaken, and your butcher took the entire point off and is at home making burnt ends for himself.

ETA - here's a pic showing the two parts clearly

 
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Any of you guys grill chicken wings? 

I've gotten pretty good at bone in thighs but i rely on my thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh to tell me when they're done. I'm wondering if there's enough meat on the wing to get a good reading

 
Any of you guys grill chicken wings? 

I've gotten pretty good at bone in thighs but i rely on my thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh to tell me when they're done. I'm wondering if there's enough meat on the wing to get a good reading
I don't use a thermometer on the wings. I find it pretty easy to tell when they are done. I look at the skin (use only salt) and then separate a 'drummette' from a middle part. If if can be done without a knife they are done

 
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wings are definitely next on my list to try.  I imagine you want to do wings hot correct?
yep. very. Doesn't take long. Get them in one piece w/o the tip if you can, but with it is no problem. Don't cut them up until they are done, that makes them easier to turn (you'd not believe how long it took me to realize that :bag: ).

I like my skin crispy so I use salt as the only condiment, and sauce for dipping in individual pots (or if more informal then people take a dollop on their plate and smear/dip from there)

 
yep. very. Doesn't take long. Get them in one piece w/o the tip if you can, but with it is no problem. Don't cut them up until they are done, that makes them easier to turn (you'd not believe how long it took me to realize that :bag: ).

I like my skin crispy so I use salt as the only condiment, and sauce for dipping in individual pots (or if more informal then people take a dollop on their plate and smear/dip from there)
Glad i saw this because I've been doing thighs over a medium / medium lowish heat and was planning to throw the wings on with them

 
Glad i saw this because I've been doing thighs over a medium / medium lowish heat and was planning to throw the wings on with them
You can do them medium but it just takes longer and you might have issues with getting the skin crispy.

Obviously if you have them on high heat the risk of flare ups is higher.

You coud do them on medium and then blast them on direct heat at the end fo the skin, I've done that, it depends on the day and what else you need to have on the grill at the same time

 
You can do them medium but it just takes longer and you might have issues with getting the skin crispy.

Obviously if you have them on high heat the risk of flare ups is higher.

You coud do them on medium and then blast them on direct heat at the end fo the skin, I've done that, it depends on the day and what else you need to have on the grill at the same time
If my thighs on medium take about 45 mins, you wanna take a stab at how long the wings will take?

 
So i took the brisket off and have it resting.  Was pretty much probe tender all the way through.  Had a little resistance in parts of the flat when i get deep enough, however it was like 210 in those spots and was still like butter for the most part so i have it resting in the butcher paper. 

How long should i let this thing rest? 

 
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First run at grilled wings was successful. Slathered with sweet baby rays hickory and brown sugar a cpl minutes before they came off.

Too about 20 mins or so turning pretty often. Juicy, skin was crispy. Idk how to put pics on here or I would have. They were pretty :)

Thanks msommer

 
First run at grilled wings was successful. Slathered with sweet baby rays hickory and brown sugar a cpl minutes before they came off.

Too about 20 mins or so turning pretty often. Juicy, skin was crispy. Idk how to put pics on here or I would have. They were pretty :)

Thanks msommer
You're welcome

 
First run at grilled wings was successful. Slathered with sweet baby rays hickory and brown sugar a cpl minutes before they came off.

Too about 20 mins or so turning pretty often. Juicy, skin was crispy. Idk how to put pics on here or I would have. They were pretty :)

Thanks msommer
aww you got to share some pics.  imgur upload to there.

Btw, did you do anything special prior to smoking them? WHat temp did you smoke at?  I think i want to try wings soon. 

 
aww you got to share some pics.  imgur upload to there.

Btw, did you do anything special prior to smoking them? WHat temp did you smoke at?  I think i want to try wings soon. 
Yeah I gotta figure out the pics

I didn't smoke them, I grilled them. Gas grill to boot :)

Eta- direct heat, medium (about 350)

 
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aww you got to share some pics.  imgur upload to there.

Btw, did you do anything special prior to smoking them? WHat temp did you smoke at?  I think i want to try wings soon. 
Smoking wings gives you a skin problem. Not unsolvable but it requires a bit more.

You need three things to crisp chicken skin: fat, salt and temp

If you smoke then you remove the fat (it's under the skin) and the temp, so you need to put them on extra heat to get the crisp going. It's a fine line between smoky crisp and burnt skin

 
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Smoking wings gives you a skin problem. Not unsolvable but it requires a bit more.

You need three things to crisp chicken skin: fat, salt and temp

If you smoke then you remove the fat (it's under the skin) and the temp, so you need to put them on extra heat to get the crisp going. It's a fine line between smoky crisp and burnt skin
I'll usually smoke my wings for 45 to 60 minutes at about 275. (About 20 minutes into smoke, hit the skin with melted butter. 5 minutes later flip them and apply butter to other side)

Take them off lightly sauce them, throw them over direct heat on the kettle for roughly 10 minutes or so to crisp them up, then sauce them again.

Also I'm a big proponent of brining your wings. Cut off the flaps, throw the whole wings in a gallon ziploc with warm water, kosher salt, garlic powder, crushed red pepper. I was doing spicy teriyaki sauce so I added some ginger and soy to the brine as well. Refrigerate for 90 minutes.

 
Anyone have a good recipe for "Alabama White " bbq sauce?  Not my cup of tea but I promised I'd give it a whirl....seems like salt, pepper, mayo, horseradish, some sort of vinegar etc.  

 
proninja said:
You should try making your own. I find the stuff from the store fairly disgusting, but the mayo I make fresh is delicious. I add a microplaned garlic clove or two to this recipe. 

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/10/two-minute-mayonnaise.html
I may have to try that. It looks pretty easy to make. I don't have an  immersion blender though. I'll be on the lookout for one when I go to Costco on Monday. 

 

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