Meat: get a full brisket, a packer brisket, with both point and flat.
Seasoning: 1/4 Tbsp per pound salt, 1/4 Tbsp per pound black pepper, 1/8 Tbsp per pound garlic powder.
Starting smoker temp: 225℉
Desired end temp: 203℉
Start the smoker. Trim up the brisket so there’s about 1/4 inch of fat, max, on surfaces. Maybe cut the brisket in half to fit the smoker - either separate point from flat or just cut it in half. Put the seasoning in a shaker and shake it onto every exposed surface. Put it on the smoker with the point (fattier piece) on top, and the fatty sides on both up. Remember which temp probe is in which piece.
16 lbs of brisket from Costco at $3.99 per pound (and people act like brisket is crazy expensive…), 15 lbs pork butt at $2.29 per pound, 4.87 lbs top sirloin at $5.99 per pound, and about 5 pounds salmon at $11.99 per pound.
I’m going to try to cook the brisket and the pork butt at the same time… I think it’ll fit and not overload the smoker, but I’m a bit worried about that. On the brisket I’ll use 4.5 Tbsp salt, 4.5 Tbsp pepper, 2.25 Tbsp garlic powder. On the pork butt I’ll use 2.5 Tbsp salt, and about 1.5 cups of Memphis dust.
Today I’m smoking brisket, salmon, and lamb. Last night I brined the fish, then got it drying around 10, and started the smoker at 1250. I’ll smoke it until about 1700, then do the lamb to 160℉, then do the brisket overnight. The lamb is 5.7 lbs at $7.99 per lb, brisket 14.2 at $4.99 per lb. Unfortunately the brisket has a ton of fat on it - this was a bad buy. Doing these all at the same time means I only have to clean the smoker once.
This brisket was 16.6 lbs, $3.49 per pound, from Costco.
0730: started trimming. I’ve separated the point and flat again, so I expect this to be done around dinner time, although I’ll probably have to pump up the temperature around 1300.
0815: 4 tbsp salt, 4 pepper, 2 garlic powder
0830: on the smoker at 225℉.
1230: 173℉ and 177℉, which I would guess is past the stall
1400: 174℉ and 178℉, so still going slow. I upped the temperature to 275℉.
Time for a very COVID-19 Thanksgiving, and that means a break with family, a break with friends, a break with tradition. That means - Thanksgiving brisket!
I’m not sure why but almost everyone I ask is doing brisket instead of turkey. Ok, I am sure why… If nobody is coming over that expects turkey, then why make it? I don’t love turkey. I love chicken. I love ostrich (no joke, ostrich steaks are great).
I’m back in Texas! And Sarah’s living here for the first time. She had only visited, previously. I’ve already taken her to a local BBQ place that was great, she tried the brisket as did I. Her standards are set high! I’m pretty confident about how this first Texas brisket will turn out though so I’m not worried 😉
I picked up a 15.65 lbs brisket, $2.98 per pound from Sam’s. I ended up cutting more fat off than usual, so that’s not amazing. I also picked up some $8.98 per pound Atlantic salmon (skinless, Sam’s has both), a 3.25 lbs filet and 3.42 lb’er.
Well - the world is on lockdown - it’s COVID-19 time. We don’t have any toilet paper at the store, but there’s plenty of meat. Don’t ask me why there’s such a disparity - I guess folks are stocking up on other things…
