Christmas Brisket - need some ideas

[Mudkap]

Just picked up a 20 lb Brisket and ready to tackle it for Christmas - First time with a Brisket. I have a 780.
Here is the recipe i was going to follow but I am looking for local knowledge from you all to help!

Take some of the fat off.
Cover it with Mustard and Rub Meat Church Holy Cow or Traeger Beef Rub the night before - Set in Refrig
Fat up or, fat down but then spritz every 30 min.
Start at 180* for 1 hour
Next 225* till 160 internal temp
3 foil wrap and back in at 225*.
Wait till to internal temp to 200*.
pull off and Wrap in towel in cooler for 1 hr.

Thoughts ?

 

[GrillMeister]

Be sure to put it on an upper rack with a full size drip pan with a gallon of water underneath it.

 

[Timmy]

The 780 has a narrow upper shelf that is high, so it would be hard to do a brisket up there. I put brisket right on the grate and a bowl of water beside it. Put point side to the left. I like to smoke my brisket overnight. I would run it at 180f for a least 2 hours. I do fat side down, and i inject I've never spritzed. I like to go to 165 to 170 then wrap. After the wrap you might want to bump the temp to 250ish. And take it to 195 to 205, somewhere in that range it will be probe tender, like butter. Then towel and cooler. Some people say a minimum of 2 hours, i usually do an hour.

 

[Mudkap]

Great idea with the water, I will use the bowl beside it and inject. What do you usually inject, beef broth?

 

[Timmy]

1 third apple juice, 1 third apple cider vinegar, 1 third apple beer. I have used angry orchard or reds apple ale. But you can use beef broth to.

 

[GrillMeister]

I've never injected a brisket.

 

[Timmy]

I inject everything, most of the time except ribs. Although i quit doing chickens.

 

[GrillMeister]

Christmas Brisket #4 going on tonight. Rubbed in mustard and dusted with BBQ Rub.

 

[Timmy]

The 780 has a narrow upper shelf that is high, so it would be hard to do a brisket up there. I put brisket right on the grate and a bowl of water beside it. Put point side to the left. I like to smoke my brisket overnight. I would run it at 180f for a least 2 hours. I do fat side down, and i inject I've never spritzed. I like to go to 165 to 170 then wrap. After the wrap you might want to bump the temp to 250ish. And take it to 195 to 205, somewhere in that range it will be probe tender, like butter. Then towel and cooler. Some people say a minimum of 2 hours, i usually do an hour.

I should add, one of the last ones i fix. I put in towel and cooler for 4 hours. Still was 160f when i took it out. To date its one of the best ones I've fixed.

 

[GrillMeister]

I should add, one of the last ones i fix. I put in towel and cooler for 4 hours. Still was 160f when i took it out. To date its one of the best ones I've fixed.

Yep. That's the resting part. Lots of folks forget that. You should let it rest like that for at least an hour, but it comes in handy to finish early and keep it hot in a cooler till dinner time like Timmy's done.

 

[magoo40]

Consider the overnight brisket method it works very well (this is my preferred method now), 180 overnight and it will be close to wrap in the morning if not increase temp to 225 until IT of 165+, wrap and set your final temp 250 or so. If it is ready early leave it wrapped place in a cooler wrapped in a towel. (i pre heat the cooler by sitting in the sun or hot water etc. and keep in a warm location) if sitting for several hours. I have stored brisket in a cooler for 5-6 hours and it has remained warm.

The overnight method gives you a nice buffer and removes the stress of getting the timing right.

 

[RemE]

Agreed, low overnight is the way to go for timing buffer! I rested in the cooler for 3 hours before dinner and it was still almost too hot to lift out by bare hands, man was it tender!

Or as Meat Church's Matt Pittman says, "I like my brisket like I like my women, with a little bit of jiggle"

 

[RemE]

Christmas Brisket #4 going on tonight. Rubbed in mustard and dusted with BBQ Rub.

View attachment 3452

I want to be you when I grow up!

 

[Mudkap]

great tips - thanks everyone!!