Holiday Smoking, YUM

[Dutch445]

took me about 3 years, but I think I finally got this smoking thing
down.
We had a H.S. graduation party on Saturday so we served up some
food for about 80. The menu had mac/potato salad, cole slaw,
baked beans, sausage/peppers, hot dogs, pulled pork and brisket!

my G/F does the pork in a crock pot, and it is excellant. I do the
brisket in a smoker, and this time it was incredible. We smoked 3
full briskets, about 45lbs, but really only needed 1 for the party. Lots
of leftovers and some to take to other parties!

my process was different this time, using the brinkmann smoker,
I seasoned the meat with salt/pepper/paprika/garlic powder, and
a seasoning salt. then used Kingsford charcoal with Hickory, with a mix of
Hickory/Apple/Cherry wood for smoke flavor. Put the meat on for 6 hrs in the
smoke, then wrapped in HD alum foil and put back in smoker for another 5 hrs,
all running around 200 degrees give or take. Took the meat off, and put
in the fridge till the following day and just warmed in an oven to serving temp,
opened up the foil, and tried to cut it. It just melted. Had a great bark, good flavor,
and the most tender I could ever ask for. I literally had a
hard time slicing it because the knife wouldn't cut thru the bark before the
meat just shredded, but that's not a bad problem to have! Everybody loved it!
here's a couple pictures, of early and later in the smoker.

 

[arsenix2001]

took me about 3 years, but I think I finally got this smoking thing
down.
We had a H.S. graduation party on Saturday so we served up some
food for about 80. The menu had mac/potato salad, cole slaw,
baked beans, sausage/peppers, hot dogs, pulled pork and brisket!

my G/F does the pork in a crock pot, and it is excellant. I do the
brisket in a smoker, and this time it was incredible. We smoked 3
full briskets, about 45lbs, but really only needed 1 for the party. Lots
of leftovers and some to take to other parties!

my process was different this time, using the brinkmann smoker,
I seasoned the meat with salt/pepper/paprika/garlic powder, and
a seasoning salt. then used Kingsford charcoal with Hickory, with a mix of
Hickory/Apple/Cherry wood for smoke flavor. Put the meat on for 6 hrs in the
smoke, then wrapped in HD alum foil and put back in smoker for another 5 hrs,
all running around 200 degrees give or take. Took the meat off, and put
in the fridge till the following day and just warmed in an oven to serving temp,
opened up the foil, and tried to cut it. It just melted. Had a great bark, good flavor,
and the most tender I could ever ask for. I literally had a
hard time slicing it because the knife wouldn't cut thru the bark before the
meat just shredded, but that's not a bad problem to have! Everybody loved it!
here's a couple pictures, of early and later in the smoker.

Looks sweet man, i have a hard time finding full brisket around here. I just did some butt and spare ribs the other week, still working on getting those $@*#% ribs right. Ive gone from moist and chewy to fall off the bone but dry. Going to try foiling differently. Not to be a nitpicker, "I literally had a
hard time slicing it because the knife wouldn't cut thru the bark before the
meat just shredded, but that's not a bad problem to have!". But that statement usually means you have overcooked your brisket. Acorrding to judging handbook recommendations, brisket meat should have slight elasticity yet pull apart under slight pressure. You want to avoid crumbling or shredding. Just pointing that out as everytime I do it, its a learning experience.. Makes it that much better the next time :licking:

 

[jinman]

That looks terrific, Dutch. I did two dozen chicken breasts and a 4-lb bologna for the 4th. It was the first bologna I had ever smoked and it is terrific. I marinated the chicken breasts for 12 hours before smoking and cooked them 2-1/2 hours at 200 degrees. I kept the bologna in the smoker another 1/2 hour. I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker and it is extremely easy to use. The hardest job is cleanup.

 

[Bird]

The hardest job is cleanup.

Yeah, and I'm gettin' old and lazy, I guess. The last brisket I bought was $1.78 a pound and I noticed them for $1.48 a pound at Walmart today, and didn't even buy one.

But all the Walmarts in this area have had some good sweet corn for $.15 an ear the last week or so, and we did buy several of those.

 

[NativeSon]

Yeah, and I'm gettin' old and lazy, I guess. The last brisket I bought was $1.78 a pound and I noticed them for $1.48 a pound at Walmart today, and didn't even buy one.

But all the Walmarts in this area have had some good sweet corn for $.15 an ear the last week or so, and we did buy several of those.

Good brisket is hard to beat, but give me some of those roasting ears soaked in water shucks and all and then cooked over charcoal. Uhmmmmmm!!

Charlie

 

[300UGUY]

Good brisket is hard to beat, but give me some of those roasting ears soaked in water shucks and all and then cooked over charcoal. Uhmmmmmm!!

Charlie

My wife showed me how to cook ears in the husk. Sure seems better that way.

 

[Bill 55]

Looks good. I am going to smoke a full brisket this w/e. Last weekend it was a nice buffalo roast and the week before it was a boneless leg of lamb. I love my propane smoker. Started out with a Brinkman charcoal, and upgraded when it took 13 hrs to get a medium sized turkey done one Thanksgiving when it was cold and I couldn't get any heat.My next project is a smokehouse so I can cold smoke. I can't keep the heat low enough to do cheese in the propane. It will come in handy for hams, bacon and smoked sausage when we butcher too. I have been running my sausage through the neighbor's old smokehouse the last couple of years, and it is time to get one built on my place

 

[Dutch445]

Not to be a nitpicker, "I literally had a
hard time slicing it because the knife wouldn't cut thru the bark before the
meat just shredded, but that's not a bad problem to have!". But that statement usually means you have overcooked your brisket. Acorrding to judging handbook recommendations, brisket meat should have slight elasticity yet pull apart under slight pressure. You want to avoid crumbling or shredding. :licking:

I wonder how it would have been taking it right off the smoker and
serving it, instead of waiting until the next day. I don't plan on ever being
judged other than by those who enjoy it!!

 

[arsenix2001]

I wonder how it would have been taking it right off the smoker and
serving it, instead of waiting until the next day. I don't plan on ever being
judged other than by those who enjoy it!!

I was wondering myself about that, as you continue cooking after removal an then the reheat. As long as you guys liked it, thats all that counts. I was just mentioning it for informations sake. Have you tried any fish yet? We did a half salmon last fall and it was amazing!

 

[Bird]

I used to have briskets fall apart or shred when I tried to slice them, so I've gone to the electric knife and that solved that problem