So in a nutshell.
The meat labeled "brisket" went on at 11:30. I was playing all day trying to shoot for a cooker temp of 225. When I finally got it down there, from around 240 it kept dropping, along with the meat temp, which was forever around 150-160. Six hours later I saw that my full charcoal ring only had about 20% of the charcoal left, which was put on minion style. I stirred it around and the temp started climbing above 218 again, so I went ahead and put some more charcoal on..... 240 was hit, the meat came back up to 160..... twenty minutes later the temp started to fall again
Enter Mr Ducane
The meat was transferred over on indirect. Immediately it started getting some nice color, other than the gray look it had before. Within an hour an internal temp of 192 was hit, so I pulled it off, wrapped it in foil, stuck a digital in it, and wrapped a towel around it. The temp never continued to rise
30 minutes later it was down to 185, so I decided it was time to eat.
The meat wasn't juicy, but it wasn't dry either. It did have a great flavor, but I certainly don't think it was worth all this bother. I am of the belief the same meat could have been had cooking indirect on my four burner Ducane
From all said, I guess this was not a "true" brisket, maybe the point, maybe the flat. it was like a big 1" thick steak and the butcher I got my beef from had it labeled brisket. It did not have a fat cap, but had decent marbeling running throughout.
I also think the lump charcoal I was using, while rated high at Amazon, was a big part of my problem. From all I've read, a full ring is supposed to last a lot longer than what it did.
But! Dinner was good and this was the best crusty bread I've made so far!
We'll have to see how this brisket reheats. It just may find its way into chili.
The meat labeled "brisket" went on at 11:30. I was playing all day trying to shoot for a cooker temp of 225. When I finally got it down there, from around 240 it kept dropping, along with the meat temp, which was forever around 150-160. Six hours later I saw that my full charcoal ring only had about 20% of the charcoal left, which was put on minion style. I stirred it around and the temp started climbing above 218 again, so I went ahead and put some more charcoal on..... 240 was hit, the meat came back up to 160..... twenty minutes later the temp started to fall again
Enter Mr Ducane The meat was transferred over on indirect. Immediately it started getting some nice color, other than the gray look it had before. Within an hour an internal temp of 192 was hit, so I pulled it off, wrapped it in foil, stuck a digital in it, and wrapped a towel around it. The temp never continued to rise
30 minutes later it was down to 185, so I decided it was time to eat.The meat wasn't juicy, but it wasn't dry either. It did have a great flavor, but I certainly don't think it was worth all this bother. I am of the belief the same meat could have been had cooking indirect on my four burner Ducane
From all said, I guess this was not a "true" brisket, maybe the point, maybe the flat. it was like a big 1" thick steak and the butcher I got my beef from had it labeled brisket. It did not have a fat cap, but had decent marbeling running throughout.
I also think the lump charcoal I was using, while rated high at Amazon, was a big part of my problem. From all I've read, a full ring is supposed to last a lot longer than what it did.
But! Dinner was good and this was the best crusty bread I've made so far!
We'll have to see how this brisket reheats. It just may find its way into chili.
. You will know it well...What it will do...What it doesn't like to do and how to make it do what you want it to do...Remember this...The best BBQ is not cooked in some famous competition, or in some fancy restaurant, but rather in somebody's back yard...with practice it can be your back yard!!
