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I’ve done full packer briskets on my 18” WSM, no problem. Sometimes they are a tiny bit long but they shrink up and fit fine by the end. There have been a few times that I wish I had a 22, but the 18 really is Goldilocks. Mind you, a few times in the 15+ years I’ve had the 18. And now I have the Weber Summit Charcoal so I can do wider things when I need, and its more fuel efficient than the Smokey Mountain 22.
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Jul 11, 2020 19:50
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Ended up getting the 18.5”. Looks pretty new for being a few years old but it’s got some seasoning on it.
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Jul 11, 2020 19:55
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nwin posted:Ended up getting the 18.5”. Looks pretty new for being a few years old but it’s got some seasoning on it. You’ll be able to pass it along to future generations. Even the time I was sure I ruined it (put it away dirty and with a water pan full of water and grease, left it for a year) it cleaned right up.
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Jul 11, 2020 19:57
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If you cover it after a cook, you will 100% get mold inside. It’s not a huge deal: it burns off very easily. If you do a burn off in it, don’t get too hot. I was cooking off some mold and usually just lit a few brown paper bags, 1 at a time, until the fuzz was gone. Then I scrubbed the bowl/grates with my wire brush. Well, I didn’t have brown paper bags but I did have an empty Kingsford Blue bag. That bastard burnt so hot it blackened the dial of the dome thermometer, burnt out the silicone gaskets on the side, and warped the top/middle sections. I feel like a loving idiot because of course a bag full of loving charcoal dust is going to burn mega hot.
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Jul 11, 2020 21:41
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Bob A Feet posted:If you cover it after a cook, you will 100% get mold inside. It’s not a huge deal: it burns off very easily. If you do a burn off in it, don’t get too hot. I was cooking off some mold and usually just lit a few brown paper bags, 1 at a time, until the fuzz was gone. Then I scrubbed the bowl/grates with my wire brush. I used to get mold in my WSM because it got water in it, even when covered. However, if you invert the middle section then any water that gets through the cover will run down the sides fully instead of getting trapped in a lip and going inside the smoker. So, invert your middle section and open a bottom vent /top vent and you shouldn't have mold issues again. I ordered this cover for my WSM and it's much better than the OEM cover. Has a little more room so it's easy to put on, thicker material, and a draw strong around the bottom. I recommend it. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01F8V2VIE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Jul 11, 2020 23:33
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   Pulled pork went very well. Completely ruined the briskets though. What temps do you guys take them to for crazy fall apart juicy stuff? Think I was miles out. Tommahawks were amazing. I dry brined and used the amazingribs rub recipe someone here recommended (thanks!) and took them to 48 degrees, let them rest and then a few minutes on the fire to char up. All in all not a bad first attempt but I’m pissed off the brisket was so wrong.
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Jul 12, 2020 02:21
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Bape Culture posted:
How long were the briskets on and at what temp? Shoot for 200 to 205 on brisket.
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Jul 12, 2020 03:12
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ZombieCrew posted:How long were the briskets on and at what temp? Shoot for 200 to 205 on brisket.
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Jul 12, 2020 03:13
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Was the brisket just the flat? If so, it's nearly impossible to keep them from being not terrible.
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Jul 13, 2020 00:46
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Yeah. What should I be looking for and I’ll ask my butcher. That was all that Costco sold here. Tbf we only took it to like 84 which looking around is too low. But it seemed overcooked in that it was relatively hard and dry I can’t imagine more heat is going to be better but that’s what the internet tells me?! Why so high? Like brisket in a sous vide is amazing at 60-70. If the internal temp is same how is it more or less cooked on the smoker?? Very confusing and interesting 
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Jul 13, 2020 01:08
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Bape Culture posted:Yeah. What should I be looking for and I’ll ask my butcher. That was all that Costco sold here. The fat inside the brisket doesn’t render really until like 180F+ (82+). A cook until 200-210 (93.333333+) ensures a full render. The juiciness you taste in a well smoked brisket is fat; if you slice a hot brisket and don’t eat it right away, it’ll get really loving dry because all that warmed fat will cool and solidify.
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Jul 13, 2020 01:12
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Bape Culture posted:Yeah. What should I be looking for and I’ll ask my butcher. That was all that Costco sold here. ^edit cool Moisture loss with not being sealed in a bag would be my guess. Also I'm not sure if that's hot enough for collagen breakdown. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, though.
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Jul 13, 2020 01:14
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Whooping Crabs posted:^edit cool Apples and oranges cooking methods. So is vide brisket can be good but it has an entirely different texture to a smoked brisket that is pulled at a much higher temp than you would ever sours vide. Even combo methods have a different texture still. You can convert collagen in both scenarios but the product is still notably different.
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Jul 13, 2020 01:41
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Bape Culture posted:Yeah. What should I be looking for and I’ll ask my butcher. That was all that Costco sold here. Ask for a full packers brisket and cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 203 degrees. When you reach that temp, wrap it up tightly in a cooler and let it rest for a few hours. For the dry part, here are a few things you can do. Smoke with a waterpan to keep things moist, wrap around 165, cook it up to 203 so that collagen so that it makes things nice and really as already mentioned, let it rest in the cooler. That resting time allows for moisture to settle in. And finally, slice as you need brisket slices and don't slice it all up at once. I follow that method and my brisket is never dry.
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Jul 13, 2020 02:49
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Bape Culture posted:
You could get a point cut, flat cut, or a whole brisket. Most of the fat is in the point. I havent sous vide a brisket, but ive made a ton of corned beef in my life. I need to simmer a corned brisket in a pot for at least 4 hours for it to be chewable. Simmer temps are usually around 190to 195f in a pot of water. How long do you sous vide a brisket at your temps?
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Jul 13, 2020 07:00
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In regard to the dry flat problem - make sure the butcher you're getting it from (and/or you yourself) don't cut too much of the fat off it. The first flat I bought was this way as the butcher trimmed it way too much.
Dango Bango fucked around with this message at 13:34 on Jul 13, 2020 |
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Jul 13, 2020 13:32
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ZombieCrew posted:How long do you sous vide a brisket at your temps? I've done sv brisket a couple of times with varying degrees of success, honestly I think it depends on the cut of the flat I get. Some coming out perfect other dryer. I've been following Kenji's recipe but might try different time/temps next time. His suggestion is 155f for minimum of 24-36hrs. Then finishing up on a gas grill at 275-300 for about 2hrs for bark. I'm open to trying something different if I can get more consistent results. I've seen recipes for something like 135f for 50hrs.
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Jul 13, 2020 16:02
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Yeah but you’re just gonna end up with a brisket cooked rare. If that’s what you’re going for that’s cool but it ain’t gonna be anything like a smoked brisket which pretty much has to be taken to 200-210F (95c??)
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Jul 13, 2020 16:18
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Bob A Feet posted:Yeah but you’re just gonna end up with a brisket cooked rare. If that’s what you’re going for that’s cool but it ain’t gonna be anything like a smoked brisket which pretty much has to be taken to 200-210F (95c??) 155F works fine. You get the smoked brisket to 205F for an instant, versus holding at 155 for a day and a half. Connective tissue will break down at 155, it just takes longer, which is why you cook it longer. Have you found 155/36 brisket to be nothing like a smoked brisket? I’ve never had a problem with SV brisket not being juicy or an appropriate texture, compared to the ones I’ve smoked to 205.
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Jul 13, 2020 17:11
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Bob A Feet posted:Yeah but you’re just gonna end up with a brisket cooked rare. If that’s what you’re going for that’s cool but it ain’t gonna be anything like a smoked brisket which pretty much has to be taken to 200-210F (95c??) That is not how sous vide works. The longer cook time helps the brisket breakdown properly, just like a low and slow smoke.
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Jul 13, 2020 17:32
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I don’t know a thing about sous vide and have never had anything cooked like that. All I know is you throw that brisket over a slow, indirect fire at 225-275 until it wiggles and is 200-210 internal temp it’s gonna most likely be tasty. poo poo dog this is the BBQ thread not the sous vide thread
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Jul 13, 2020 17:39
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OK, took some of the advice from you guys earlier and got the slow n sear, a multi-probe thermometer (Signals, because I like gadgets), and been reading through Meathead's book. Spent last weekend cleaning the gunk out of my Weber kettle, because my god 4 years of nothing more than cleaning the grates leaves tons of crud baked on all the surfaces... whoops. Anyhow, I'm trying to plan out baby's first smoke. Hopefully next weekend, we'll see. I'm a bit confused though, because I'm trying to combine Meathead's slow n sear advice with the "perfect pulled pork" recipe procedure, and I'm not clear on how to tie it all together: https://amazingribs.com/ratings-reviews/tools/weber-accessories-and-addons/slow-n-sear https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/pork-recipes/perfect-pulled-pork-recipe For the slow n sear advice, he says to light ~12 briquettes, set it to 1 corner of the basket, and fill the rest of the basket with unlit briquettes. Then plop a few wood chunks on top. If I'm interpreting the article correctly, you are now set for 8-10 hours of cooking...? By contrast, in the "perfect pulled pork" recipe, he says to throw in 4oz of wood chunks every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. Not sure exactly what sort of smoker he designed this advice for, though. In any case, these seem to be almost opposing pieces of advice. For the former, I guess I'm assuming that the charcoal will slowly light over the course of the cook, and as such slowly take the wood with it, which will end up with constant smoke throughout the cook. For the latter, obviously there's only smoke for the first 2 hours. So how do I really work this all together? Seems like I'm missing some key info here. My main concerns are 1) making sure I use the right amount of wood/smoke, and 2) making sure I fuel it properly. Also, if/when I do need to refuel, do I add unlit briquettes on top, or do I light them separately and then add them in?
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Jul 13, 2020 19:12
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DaveSauce posted:OK, took some of the advice from you guys earlier and got the slow n sear, a multi-probe thermometer (Signals, because I like gadgets), and been reading through Meathead's book. Spent last weekend cleaning the gunk out of my Weber kettle, because my god 4 years of nothing more than cleaning the grates leaves tons of crud baked on all the surfaces... whoops. When I refuel I add unlit to the lit. I’d intersperse some unlit wood chunks with your coal in the slow and sear. The meat supposedly is only going to absorb that smoke flavor during the first few hours of the smoke, which is why that dude recommends going with chunks during the first two hours. I more align with the cooking methods of the former link you referenced. In the smokers I’ve used, I intersperse wood chunk and briquettes (or chunks and lump) so that as the fire spreads during the progress of the cook, it slowly lights the other charcoal and the chunks. As you check on the meet to baste/spritz/curiosity, check the fuel level. Add more earlier than you’d think to give it a chance to ignite. If I’ve noticed a temp drop due to low fuel, I’ll light it in the chimney to get it going faster.
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Jul 13, 2020 19:22
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The wood will stop smoking after a while as you more or less bake it into charcoal. A bit of a misnomer, you don't want smoke for the entirety of the cook even though it's called a smoker. It will impart too much smoke flavor if you did it for an entire cook. Add wood chunks as necessary. I have apple wood chips I literally toss in by the handful every once in a while. Toss briquettes in unlit. Because you restrict air to the coals, the flame front will propagate across the unlit coals instead of burning an entire hot zone. To start try your inlet vent at 1/4, top vent 1/4 to half. That's where my kettle likes to sit at 225°F.
um excuse me fucked around with this message at 19:48 on Jul 13, 2020 |
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Jul 13, 2020 19:43
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DaveSauce posted:Anyhow, I'm trying to plan out baby's first smoke. To touch on some of your questions since I also use a Weber kettle: - Listen to the SnS advice for lighting. And an extra tip - don't let the ~12 briquettes get ripping hot in the chimney. About 5-7 minutes is all you need for a smoke. Too hot and they'll ignite the unlit too fast causing your temps to soar. - 4oz every 30 minutes seems like a lot. I usually add more wood on the hour (or turn the chunk to an unlit side). - Fuel usually lasts at least six hours for me. I use baskets w/ water pan and not the SnS, but usually your temps will start to drop consistently when you need to refuel. - Don't overthink things - "if you're lookin', it ain't cookin'"
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Jul 13, 2020 19:46
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Alright, I think I have a much better handle on lighting/fueling, thanks. I had to do a bit more reading about wood, but I THINK I'm clear. If I'm using chunks, a couple at the start is probably more than adequate for the whole cook, but chips will burn quicker and therefore need to be added more frequently (but in small amounts). Sound right? Really I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible. I know there's a lot more detail to be had with regards to wood/smoke, but with so many variables I want to be able to focus on keeping the temperature right and not worrying about adding too little or too much wood.
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Jul 13, 2020 20:58
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Chunks seem to last longer in my experience, but if they all catch at the start then yea, expect to add more. Don't sweat it too much. Smoking is just as easy as grilling once you get the hang of it. It doesn't need to be harder. Like others have said, don't nanny it and trust your probe numbers. um excuse me fucked around with this message at 21:03 on Jul 13, 2020 |
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Jul 13, 2020 21:00
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Bape Culture posted:All in all not a bad first attempt but I’m pissed off the brisket was so wrong. This time tomorrow I’ll probably be right there with you buddy. I’ll let you know if I turn it into shoe leather. I’m going to attempt my first over night smoke and also first brisket tonight. It’s 16 pounds, trimmed 4 lbs off last night and salted it. Got my WSM filled to the top with charcoal so all I have to do it start it later tonight, probably around 11PM. I’ve never had the charcoal filled all the way, when you guys start it do you just do the minion method and spread the lit coals evenly or just in one spot? I’m using a billows/smokex if it matters. Any last tips? Plan is bright it up to temp tonight, cool at 225 until I hit 200 or so? Should I wrap it? I don’t have any timeframe to eat tomorrow. I have hickory, Apple, white oak, and cherry wood. What do you guys like for beef/brisket?
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Jul 13, 2020 21:28
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I usually do hickory. Only tip I got is wake up a few times to check the fire and have a chimney of charcoal ready to light in case you wake up and the fires gone out. Learned this the hard way. Sounds like you got a solid plan though! Good luck!
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Jul 13, 2020 21:53
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Having a chimney ready is a good idea. I’ll definitely be in my back yard at 3:30AM with a headlamp, beer, and no shirt on checking on it haha.
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Jul 13, 2020 22:45
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DaveSauce posted:Alright, I think I have a much better handle on lighting/fueling, thanks. The SnS guide has a great technique on how to adjust your vents. Depending on how hot it is where you're at, you may not need to light so many coals to get started. I know it is a tad costly, but I really love my SnN, good luck with your cook!
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Jul 13, 2020 23:06
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I smoked some bacon today! I started the cure last Sunday. 10 lb pork belly, cured with salt, brown sugar, coarse ground pepper and Prague powder #1. I had to cut the belly in half to fit it in the vacuum bags. I then let it cure for a week in the fridge, flipping everyday. Then today I smoked it for about 4 hours @ 225 F on my pellet grill. It turned out awesome.  Next time, I’ll cut down on the salt a bit, it’s a little too salty for my taste. Also, I’ll either buy or borrow a meat slicer, because cutting that all by hand SUCKED. Even after throwing it in the freezer for an hour didn’t help, I wasn’t able to slice it as thin as I wanted. Oh well, it tastes awesome.
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Jul 14, 2020 02:20
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That looks great, and probably freezes nicely. If space isn’t an issue call around to local restaurant supply stores. You can get older used Hobart deli slicers pretty cheap. They’re built like tanks too. e: It begins  dangling pointer fucked around with this message at 04:44 on Jul 14, 2020 |
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Jul 14, 2020 02:34
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um excuse me posted:Chunks seem to last longer in my experience, but if they all catch at the start then yea, expect to add more. Yeah, I'm not super worried, just trying to plan things out because that's how my brain operates. Also because we have a toddler and an infant, so the more I can plan this the better I can handle all the other un-planned things that are bound to happen. Also looks like I'm using hickory chips instead of apple chunks, because that's what the hardware store had! Only chunks they had were pecan, which probably would have been fine but oh well. I mean, they had cherry, mesquite, and some other chips as well. As much as I want to try cherry, I decided to keep it basic. Speaking of, what's a reliable online source for wood chips/chunks? I'm always skeptical of Amazon these days, and apparently trusting the local stores to have decent stock is not a good plan. DaveSauce fucked around with this message at 14:04 on Jul 14, 2020 |
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Jul 14, 2020 14:02
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Pecan owns it’s my favorite wood.
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Jul 14, 2020 14:42
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Do you have a Home Depot nearby? From my experience they always have a good supply of chunks. Lowe’s on the other hand does not plus the brand of lump charcoal they carry is complete trash.
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Jul 14, 2020 14:44
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DaveSauce posted:Speaking of, what's a reliable online source for wood chips/chunks? I'm always skeptical of Amazon these days, and apparently trusting the local stores to have decent stock is not a good plan. Never had a problem ordering these wood chips from Amazon. And they go on sale for cheap quite often - like these apple wood chips at $2.94.
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Jul 14, 2020 14:47
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bird with big dick posted:Do you have a Home Depot nearby? From my experience they always have a good supply of chunks. Lowe’s on the other hand does not plus the brand of lump charcoal they carry is complete trash. yeah lowes is never worth it for bbq poo poo ace hardware near me is pretty good for chunks or chips in a variety of different woods
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Jul 14, 2020 16:04
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It was a home depot. To clarify, they had a decent variety, just empty shelves. Which was kind of annoying, since I went there specifically because their website showed they had plenty in stock at my nearest store. That said, there is a small local hardware store that shares a parking lot with the butcher I usually go to, maybe I'll swing by when I pick up my meat. Been in there a couple times, and as I recall the grill section there takes up a considerable amount of their limited floor space, so I'm sure they'll have something. If nothing else, I'll have the hickory chips to work with so no biggie. DaveSauce fucked around with this message at 18:49 on Jul 14, 2020 |
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Jul 14, 2020 18:46
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To go back a bit... Regarding sous vide and smoking, in particular brisket, I have cooked in varying degrees of both. SV + Smoke is nice when you are going blind into a place and don't know what kind of tools you'll have available. This works out great for bring BBQ to a party/cookout/vacation. Being able to throw it in the cooler/freezer and know that at some point in the future it can be ready within a couple of hours is really the biggest draw/advantage. You can also get some of the fun/weird/different textures with the SV and smoke finish from the low-and-slow-135-for-72-hour steak-like brisket to the 155/24 for a more traditional but heckin juicy brisket. The bag juices can make for some drat fine bbq sauce if you don't listen to Kenji and over salt. At the same time, sometimes it's nice to plug the smoker in, throw the brisket on Saturday afternoon, and have something ready for Sunday dinner, or same day if it's a small enough trim. I personally don't have the fucks enough to babysit a lump smoke overnight, and even 6-8 hour cooks get mildly annoying unless you've got enough friends and beer to keep you busy.
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Jul 14, 2020 20:59
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