Social Saturday is BBQ Day V3 - How big is your meat?

[usmctanker242]

Did a brisket flat this weekend. I don't care what anyone tells me. Low and slow or death.

Great thing about BBQ is that there are so many methods. If you find one that works for you then stick with it and smoke up some good food.

 

[Te Huna Matata]

I tried a brisket in the oven on Sunday. It was 3.29lbs so it was on the small side. Salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Was doing it at 275. I got impatient and pulled it at around 194 which was a big mistake. Was extremely tough. I also had it unwrapped for an hour of the cook which I think contributed to it drying out. I felt the temp was rising too quickly so I unwrapped it after an hour when it was already sitting at ~135. Lessons learned. Keep it wrapped, let it get to 203, and buy a fucking smoker.

 

[MASShole]

@MASShole Looking good dude! I love how there's a completely empty chicken bone on the plate... looks like someone inhaled that wing! haha

I hope your cooker isn't starting to die on you... kind of strange to have such a large temp drop in this hot weather. Good luck with it and I hope it keeps on working for you.

It's electric, and I've had it for about 5 years, 3 of which were terrible winter weather in Boston. I moved to CO 2.5 years ago, and it was the winter of record snow in Boston. The thing was literally frozen to the ground, and I had to chip it away and use hot water to melt everything around it just to get it out. It was awful, but hey, it still works!

Who knows. It could have been a fluke. The water pan was full when I started it, and when I went to add the wings, it was completely empty so I had to fill that back up. That may have caused part of the drop, but not that big of a swing. We'll see next time I try to use it. I know its struggling to get to higher temps now too.

 

[MASShole]

Also, my wife loves the Head Country sauce. It's so good.

 

[Rob Battisti]

Anyone else smoking on a traeger?

 

[usmctanker242]

Anyone else smoking on a traeger?

Rot in hell you pellet burning bastard! haha

I was so close to pulling the trigger on a GrillaGrills "Grilla" but I'm just too attached to stickburning to make the move to pellets. It's just not enough smoke flavor for me.

 

[usmctanker242]

I tried a brisket in the oven on Sunday. It was 3.29lbs so it was on the small side. Salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Was doing it at 275. I got impatient and pulled it at around 194 which was a big mistake. Was extremely tough. I also had it unwrapped for an hour of the cook which I think contributed to it drying out. I felt the temp was rising too quickly so I unwrapped it after an hour when it was already sitting at ~135. Lessons learned. Keep it wrapped, let it get to 203, and buy a fucking smoker.

I've done a few oven briskets and they come out pretty decent. One thing to remember is that MOST (99%) of residential ovens have terrible temperature control. I've set mine to 250F and it swings up to over 300 and then down to low 200's. This is with a brand new oven which has some kind of built in "tru-temp control" feature but it doesn't work worth a damn.

It sounds like you learned the lesson that internal temp is a guide but not the true test for doneness. I have personally noticed that when I cook low and slow the brisket is tender between 195-200 internal, but when I go hotter it pushes the finishing temp higher as well. When I got hot and fast I've taken briskets to 207-209F internal before they were probe tender. Resting is also a big deal for large cuts of meat, but with such a small brisket an hour rest should be fine (or even too much in your experience).

Good luck next time and a smoker is truly a wonderful thing. Unless I'm lazy as all hell I pretty much smoke every single meal myself and my family eat. There's tons of different types so do some research before you put money into something which you really won't be able to use very often.

 

[Rob Battisti]

Rot in hell you pellet burning bastard! haha

I was so close to pulling the trigger on a GrillaGrills "Grilla" but I'm just too attached to stickburning to make the move to pellets. It's just not enough smoke flavor for me.

Dude I'm so in love with my traeger I went for the pro series 34 and I get more than enough smoke. I still rock my offset, but the ease of the traeger for overnight cooks and just in general is so incredible.

I used to think pellets were the devil, but I came over to the dark side. And the dark side is fantastic.


What woods are you using? I don't love to over power the meat with too much smoke. I like a mild taste.

 

[usmctanker242]

Dude I'm so in love with my traeger I went for the pro series 34 and I get more than enough smoke. I still rock my offset, but the ease of the traeger for overnight cooks and just in general is so incredible.

I used to think pellets were the devil, but I came over to the dark side. And the dark side is fantastic.


What woods are you using? I don't love to over power the meat with too much smoke. I like a mild taste.

It's cool man and I'm not going to lie... they are convenient.

As for wood I usually burn pecan, but I just picked up a 1/2 cord of oak and maple. As long as you're burning a clean fire the smoke gives a good, clean flavor without that heavy acrid smoke from a choked off fire.

 

[Te Huna Matata]

I've done a few oven briskets and they come out pretty decent. One thing to remember is that MOST (99%) of residential ovens have terrible temperature control. I've set mine to 250F and it swings up to over 300 and then down to low 200's. This is with a brand new oven which has some kind of built in "tru-temp control" feature but it doesn't work worth a damn.

It sounds like you learned the lesson that internal temp is a guide but not the true test for doneness. I have personally noticed that when I cook low and slow the brisket is tender between 195-200 internal, but when I go hotter it pushes the finishing temp higher as well. When I got hot and fast I've taken briskets to 207-209F internal before they were probe tender. Resting is also a big deal for large cuts of meat, but with such a small brisket an hour rest should be fine (or even too much in your experience).

Good luck next time and a smoker is truly a wonderful thing. Unless I'm lazy as all hell I pretty much smoke every single meal myself and my family eat. There's tons of different types so do some research before you put money into something which you really won't be able to use very often.

I rested it for about 30 minutes before cutting. I cut the first piece, did the pull test, and wanted to cry. I knew I fucked up.

The guide I was using said 325 and 1hr/lb. I tested the temp after 1 hour and saw it was already up to the mid 130s and I panicked. I took the foil off and dropped the oven to 275. Tested the temp at the 2hr mark and re-wrapped it until it was "finished" at either 194 or 195. I forget which. If I do another one in the oven, I'll keep it wrapped, keep it at 275 for the whole cook, and wait until it gets to temp.

 

[Rob Battisti]

It's cool man and I'm not going to lie... they are convenient.

As for wood I usually burn pecan, but I just picked up a 1/2 cord of oak and maple. As long as you're burning a clean fire the smoke gives a good, clean flavor without that heavy acrid smoke from a choked off fire.

That was a big take away from Myron. Run with the damper open and just put in less fuel. Ensures a cleaner cook.

 

[usmctanker242]

That was a big take away from Myron. Run with the damper open and just put in less fuel. Ensures a cleaner cook.

Yep, Tuffy taught the same thing. It's funny but lots of people were kind of stunned that he cooked that way at the class. So many people control offsets like you would a charcoal grill with choking off the oxygen to keep their temps where they want them... just unreal. Were you guys cooking on his H20 cookers at his class? If so can you give any kind of feedback on them?

I have been looking for a dedicated whole hog cooker and his MMS-60 is on my list of possible future cookers.

 

[MASShole]

I rested it for about 30 minutes before cutting. I cut the first piece, did the pull test, and wanted to cry. I knew I fucked up.

The guide I was using said 325 and 1hr/lb. I tested the temp after 1 hour and saw it was already up to the mid 130s and I panicked. I took the foil off and dropped the oven to 275. Tested the temp at the 2hr mark and re-wrapped it until it was "finished" at either 194 or 195. I forget which. If I do another one in the oven, I'll keep it wrapped, keep it at 275 for the whole cook, and wait until it gets to temp.

You'll cook for about 1 hour per pound at 250 degrees. Since it is in the oven, just foil wrap it after it hits about 130 or so, and then let rest for an hour after it hits 205ish.

 

[MASShole]

Guys. I love sous vide steak. That's all.




Also, I want to smoke a giant prime rib soon. Any thoughts?

 

[usmctanker242]

Guys. I love sous vide steak. That's all.




Also, I want to smoke a giant prime rib soon. Any thoughts?

I'm also looking at doing a full section of prime rib in the not too distant future. I'm planning on smoking it over pecan at about 250F until I hit about 120F internal. I'm a big fan of Jess Pryle's steak rub, Hardcore Carnivore Black, so that's what I'm planning on using with it. Probably going to give a quick "reverse sear" after I smoke it to kind of caramelize the rub a bit. Probably looking at a final internal temp of 132-135 and then go hog wild with it.

Meathead (AmazingRibs.com) has a pretty good recipe as well.
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/prime_rib_roast.html

 

[Rob Battisti]

Smoke the prime rib. Do it.

 

[MASShole]

I'm also looking at doing a full section of prime rib in the not too distant future. I'm planning on smoking it over pecan at about 250F until I hit about 120F internal. I'm a big fan of Jess Pryle's steak rub, Hardcore Carnivore Black, so that's what I'm planning on using with it. Probably going to give a quick "reverse sear" after I smoke it to kind of caramelize the rub a bit. Probably looking at a final internal temp of 132-135 and then go hog wild with it.

Meathead (AmazingRibs.com) has a pretty good recipe as well.
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/prime_rib_roast.html

I was thinking of doing it to 125ish, then sear, then rest for 15-30 or so.

Thanks for the info.

 

[usmctanker242]

Brisket and pork shoulder (both picnic and butt) that I smoked today for a customer. Put the brisket on at about 6am and the pork on at about 7am. I kept the smoker right at 245-255F for about 10 hours total. Brisket was rubbed with a heavy pepper / salt / garlic / chipolte / celery seed rub and I used a basic commercial rub on the pork. Never wrapped or spritzed anything and it came out so juicy and tender. The brisket was basically "meat jello" and the pork was nice and soft without being mushy. One thing I hate about cooking for other people is that I don't get to slice the brisket or pull the pork, so I don't get to see that amazing smoke ring or really revel in the smells.

 

[MASShole]

So if these are for a customer, do you just deliver them whole? How much do you charge?

 

[usmctanker242]

So if these are for a customer, do you just deliver them whole? How much do you charge?

Right now I have almost zero overhead, so I'm just charging double the meat prices plus about 10%. So I charged $75 for the brisket and $50 for the pork... total cost to me was about $50. I've had a few people who want the pork pulled or the brisket sliced, but usually I just deliver a fully cooked, whole hunk of meat. I'm still working out a good way of doing that though : right now just using aluminum pans inside of chafing dishes for some stability. I've got a nice Cambro which holds a bunch of trays and it's very well insulated so it makes for an easy delivery system.