I am going to smoke a brisket and.....

[JR2]

I need some advice on how to and maybe a formula for a rub or marinade. I know some of you smoke your own and can help. I have a nice smoker, the kind with the firebox off to one side and the smoke stack. I have charcoal to get the fire started. What I don't have is any decent wood (other than alder which I use on fish) to make the smoke or a good formula for rub. I think if I really look around I may be able to find some wood chips for a little cheif smoker to ues for smoke. I also found some stuff on the net and it all seems good to me, but I bet some of you can give me better directions.



I am off to get a brisket tomorrow from the local meat cutter, he has great beef and I know to get one with the fat still on it and good marbleing.





Thanks in advance.



JR2

 

[Kernel]

Mesquite wood makes for a good but not over-powering taste, but don't know how you could get some. I have seen wood chips sold in the Commissary here, let me know I can pick you up some and mail it to you if your not in a hurry. As far as marinade I personally like a product called Stubb's made in Austin, TX. They make marinade for beef, pork, etc. The spicey is my favorite, try them here:



www.ilovestubbs.com



Hope this helps.



Scott

 

[Jumbo Jet]

Lawry's Seasoned salt and plenty of a good pungent black pepper.



I smoke 200 lbs. of brisket each month and apply the above two items generously before adding the meat to the smoker.



I use a little blackjack oak wood along with charcoal. After 14-16 hours at 160-170* the brisket will fall apart and melt in your mouth!

 

[Bob Wagner]

John, This rub rocks. Try it this summer



Hugh's Dry Rub.



Servings: 36. Use this dry rub on your favorite meat before grilling. It stores well in an airtight container.



8 tablespoons Hungarian Sweet paprika

3 tablespoons cayenne pepper

5 tablespoons ground black pepper

6 tablespoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons onion powder

6 tablespoons kosher salt

2 1/2 tablespoons oregano, dried

2 1/2 tablespoons thyme, dried



In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients. Mix all together well and store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. Yield: 2 cups. I use one of those Tone's bulk spice containers you find at Costco for storage, right size and has a shaker type top.



Personal notes: Killer rub for most meats. I haven't used this on Salmon because I have a different method for Salmon. But, Pork spareribs, babybacks and other pork products respond especially well. Generally, I marinate the pork (plastic bag) in Apple Cider Vinegar for a minimum of 1 hour, not to exceed 24 hours, drain vinegar, sprinkle Rub on the pork, how much you put on determines how hot this tastes. Gently rub in the Rub (Note: I use surgical gloves, those cheepy things you get at Costco, because this rub will stain your hands, and if you've got open cuts, you will wake up), let set on counter about 1 hour. Take out to the BBQ. I generally cook the pork indirect method, about 350-400 degrees, takes about an hour, meat should be about 160* when you remove it. The key thing to note about this Rub is that you change the degree of heat by how much you apply, the amount of cayenne pepper you add. This recipe makes alot of Rub. You might cut it in half (1 cup) or even quarter it for experimenting with. Note about the vinegar. You will NOT taste the vinegar in the finished product unless you overmarinate, exceeding the 24 hours. As I said, great on Beef and Chicken as well.





Sorry I got wordy but this Rub and others broke me away from "commercial sauces".

Too much sugar in most of the tomatoe based sauces.



BBQ is a year round cooking method for me.

 

[Eric_77]

My personal don't tell anyone recipe (oops I am posting on the net oh well )



Take brisket no marinade place fat side up place on heavy duty aluminum foil make foil into a boat shape to hold drippings (you could use a casarol (sp) dish but the smoke makes clean up a mess) then a second piece of foil over the top close tightly. Place in oven for 5 hours at 250 degrees (this can be increased to 7 hours at 225 to cook overnight) (this can be done on grill but maintaining temp can be PITA on smaller smokers/grills) then after take out of oven VERY carefully as the dripping will have filled the foil do not spill. Place on grill over indirect heat (about 175 - 225 degrees)with top foil removed for 1 1/2- 2 hours then remove from grill cut the fat off the top and split the briskit at the second fat line and cut 90 degree to grain of meat. Internal temp should be 160-170



Since you have the smoker type grill then you could get away with smoking everything in the grill and temp can be raised to 300 and time dropped to 4 hours. I like the longer cook time and using the oven; but when I am doing a few hundred pounds I will use our big smoker (it is a 500 gallon converted propane tank) the smoker method uses a lot of wood even cooking one brisket on our Weber grill it uses about 5 pounds of mesquite and 5 pounds of charcoal.



wood smoking secret, I use mesquite and pecan for red meat stay away from fruit woods kinda good for fish but not red meat, take wood soak in water for just a minute or two wrap with heavy duty aluminum foil then place over coals. The foil keeps the wood from catching fire and allows it to just smoke producing more effect per pound of smoke wood.

 

[Hammer]

JR2...

Drop a note to Wiredawg and ask him about his formula. Ron's brisket was legendary with our Mason-Dixon Chapter while he was out East here with us... ... Andy

 

[DieselPuter]

Try this guy

http://www.bbqchipsandchunks.com/





This guy lives right up the street from me, and I use his whiskey and wine flavored chips. I don't even use a marinade anymore for anything. I have tried all the different woods he offers, but I like the wine and whiskey flavored by far the best. I belive he gets the oak wine barrels directly from the Gallo winery here in town, and I think he said he gets the whiskey oak barrels from a Jim Beam distillery in Fresno, but I could be wrong. For fish you can't beat the alder wood.



Anyway just a ringing endorsement for a good guy with a great product at a fair price... ... .....

 

[RonaldLarson]

Ya gotta.....

let it sit in the refer for at least a day after rubbing, in a ziplock bag. In my humble but abject opinion, it ain't a rub without cumin in the recipe. Here's the best we've ever had.

2tbsp paprika

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sugar

1tsp kosher or sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2tsp curry

1/2tsp dry mustard

1/2tsp ground red pepper

1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves, crushed



I suggest an aluminum foil cover layed loosely on top of the meat to hold the moisture and smoke flavor. The cook temperature that works best in our big gas smoker is 200 to 225.



Ron

 

[JR2]

Well I got my brisket today, it weighs 12 pounds and was the smallest the local butcher had. As luck would have it he also hooked me up with some Mesquite wood, 50 lbs for $15. Its in large logs, but I cut it up into small chunks with the sawsall.



I found a marinade formula on the net and the meat should be soaking in an hour or two. The only question I have now is how long to smoke the meat. Its for dinner tomorrow night and the butcher told me to smoke it for 24 hours, that means I will be smoking all night, others say 1-1. 5 hours a pound. Any advice??

 

[nps]

Smoke it longer - the longer the better. Just don't turn up the temp too high (about 200) or it will get dried out.

 

[RonaldLarson]

The scientific (right) way

Stick in a meat thermometer and shoot for 150-170 degrees. Forget fire timing, the meat temp is what counts. You can get sick from under cooked or chew all night with over cooked. Keep the fire temp at around 200-225. Trust me, I have learned the hard way, but it was still great fun!

Ron

 

[Carlsummers]

Next time, whatever you do, do not use Mesquite... it is a noxious weed that is better left for such things as maybe fenceposts ( stolen from "Smokey Hale"... )... . I like to use pecan wood and oak... . hickory will do in a pinch... also, if you want a really excellant cut of beef, use Tri Tip or maybe even a whole chuck... . much better than bisket (although, brisket can be excellant, and is less expensive)..... the Hugh's Dry Rub that Mr. Wagner posted is excellant... just be sure to use Kosher salt and not the regular iodized salt... ... I agree, in Florida, grilling/bbq'ing is a year-round art form..... I've grilled 30+ lbs. chicken for the last 3 weekends in a row... love bbq.....

 

[JR2]

whatever you do, do not use Mesquite

Wish I had another option, but I could not see going to the home depot and buying oak 4x4's to cook some meat. Next time I plan on getting better wood, but the Mesquite was available and only $15 for 50 lbs.





I am a little more than 12 hours into the cooking and all is going well. It got kind of cold out last night (35 deg) but the fire held throught the night and the coldest the smoker got was 160. This AM its back up to 230 or so for the rest of the day. Let you know how it went later this eveing.

 

[JR2]

Just thought I would let you all know that my brisket was a hit, the family said it was better than the local BBQ place.



Now on to my next project, Pulled Pork. What can you tell me about that.





John

 

[Bob Wagner]

congrats John

 

[Carlsummers]

Good on ya'. Its always good to please the people you feed. On the 28th, I have to bbq chicken for 100 people... . gonna be fun.

 

[Jumbo Jet]

Now on to my next project, Pulled Pork. What can you tell me about that.

Go down to your meat market and get yourself a large fresh pork shoulder or a fresh butt.



On a shoulder, I get the dry spices all down in the meat, every crack and crevice.



Long, slow cooking like the brisket. Wet down some hickory chips, or get some green hickory. Use the hickory sparingly. A little green can put out a lot of smoke and too much can add a bitter taste. Oak works good on pork too!



Most pork will cook quicker than beef due to fat content and density of meat.



Now if you can get you a good feral hog that's lean... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .

 

[Jumbo Jet]

Here is the smoker I use for brisket, pork, etc.



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I'm doing 120 lbs. of brisket this weekend along with 100 lbs. of ribs and pork loin.

 

[jnelson]

Carlsummers is right.



You grill with mesquite - steak, chicken, etc... .



you smoke with pecan, oak, cherry, etc... .



Mesquite is about the only thing you can find here in S. Texas sometimes, so we use oak when we can.



2001 San Patricio County Brisket Champion

2002 Houston LiveStock Show and Rodeo World Championship BBQ Go Texan Chicken 5th Place.



We been out of it a few years but were going to Houston agian next year. If youve never been you need to go. Its a 3 day party. .