Fatty Brisket Recipe

This recipe can be cooked in an oven as well as a outdoor grill or smoker.

In my continual quest to find the easiest and best smoked brisket recipe, here is my last attempt.  It is modeled (a few changes) after a pit master's recipe he shared with me at his Texas BBQ dive in Hollywood by the Burbank Airport.

Noon -  Bought a 21 lb PRIME brisket from the Costco Business store in Kearney Mesa, CA for $2.79/lb for a total of $56. I look for the biggest brisket I can find that has a complete fat side with no meat showing.  I also look at the marbling in the meat side.  Also I buy a "left-handed" brisket.  It just so happened this time that the biggest brisket met these requirements.

12:30 - Took brisket out of bag and placed it fat side down in the larger steamer pan (picture).  Do not wash the brisket or cut away any fat. Just use paper towels to dry it. Liberally shake Worchester sauce all over the meat and rub it in. Make sure it is holding as much Worchester sauce as possible. Next in order liberally shake a layer out of its box or dispenser, kosher salt, pepper, mustard powder, galic powder, onion powder, chili powder, chipotle chili powder (heat) and paprika. it should be mounting on top of the meat.  Do not rub in. Do not flip over and season the fatside yet.  You will do that later when you flip the brisket over while smoking it.

1:00pm - Place brisket meat side UP (seasoned) in smoker. Set smoker for 225 degrees. Do not look at it until you flip it.

7:00pm - Turn brisket over to fat side up for the rest of the smoking process.  Season fat with salt and pepper and any other seasoning you prefer. Place a remote temperature probe in it capable of reaching your bedroom.

8:00pm - Go to sleep with remote temperature reader next to you.

05:00am - Got up when the remote reader read 185 degrees.

05:05am - check brisket with a manual probe to verify the 185 degrees throughout the brisket.  It should penetrate the meat like going into a stick of room temperature butter.

05:05 am - Place the brisket fat side up back into the larger steamer pan with a rack on the bottom.  The rack should be at least 1/2" off the bottom. Placed 4 cups or more of beef broth in the pan but not enough to touch the meat side of the brisket. Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the brisket and seal to pan.  Leave it alone at room temperature for 6-12 hours to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.

1:00pm - Start cutting up the brisket for lunch and freeze for up to a year.

Below are some pictures of the finished product and a couple of meals I had with it.


Finished Fatty Brisket, fat side up.


Do not cut any of the fat off the finished FATTY brisket.  It is self-basting when sautéed.  The fat can be cutoff later. It is also another layer of protection when freezing it.


Brisket cooking in gravy made with its beef stock.


Hot brisket sandwich. My favorite meal with the brisket (removed fat).


Brisket slices with home made Texas BBQ sauce. Notice that the fat is left on while sautéing the brisket.


Before vacuum sealing place each brisket slice into the beef stock from smoked brisket for added flavoring.


Ended up with 25 packages (2-3 meals each) of brisket for the freezer.  Thus 50+ meals for about $60. Freezes very well for up to a year.

Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe

Sounds tasty, but this quote from Lobsterman, scares me," I look for the biggest brisket I can find that has a complete fat side with no meat showing!" Lobsterman, I also notice you eat the brisket, with Wonder White bread! Isn't there a better tasking if not healthier, bread you could be eating the brisket with? ( one of the photos shows a loaf of white bread, and so I assume, he eats Wonder bread.)

what other bread builds strong body's 12 ways? might come in handy if you ever decide to have that cup of coffee!

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy

Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe   Sounds tasty, but this quote from Lobsterman, scares me," I look for the biggest brisket I can find that has a complete fat side with no meat showing!" Lobsterman, I also notice you eat the brisket, with Wonder White bread! Isn't there a better tasking if not healthier, bread you could be eating the brisket with? ( one of the photos shows a loaf of white bread, and so I assume, he eats Wonder bread.) what other bread builds strong body's 12 ways? might come in handy if you ever decide to have that cup of coffee!

Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe

Sounds tasty, but this quote from Lobsterman, scares me," I look for the biggest brisket I can find that has a complete fat side with no meat showing!" Lobsterman, I also notice you eat the brisket, with Wonder White bread! Isn't there a better tasking if not healthier, bread you could be eating the brisket with? ( one of the photos shows a loaf of white bread, and so I assume, he eats Wonder bread.)

Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe

Sounds tasty, but this quote from Lobsterman, scares me," I look for the biggest brisket I can find that has a complete fat side with no meat showing!" Lobsterman, I also notice you eat the brisket, with Wonder White bread! Isn't there a better tasking if not healthier, bread you could be eating the brisket with? ( one of the photos shows a loaf of white bread, and so I assume, he eats Wonder bread.)

Quote: Originally posted by MMc

You sir, do not know Texas BBQ.... "if you want healthy go someplace else". White bread is the backbone of Good BBQ. Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe   Sounds tasty, but this quote from Lobsterman, scares me," I look for the biggest brisket I can find that has a complete fat side with no meat showing!" Lobsterman, I also notice you eat the brisket, with Wonder White bread! Isn't there a better tasking if not healthier, bread you could be eating the brisket with? ( one of the photos shows a loaf of white bread, and so I assume, he eats Wonder bread.)

Next month we will be in the Hill Country of Texas sampling some of the best brisket that can be found.

White bread is the cornerstone of a Texas brisket meal.

Black's BBQ, Lockhart, Texas.





Nice post Lobsterman

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

I thought the BBQ meat was the backbone of good BBQ, and the bread was a side. But you say the bread is the backbone and the meat is a side dish. Texas BBQ sounds kind of odd. Quote: Originally posted by MMc   You sir, do not know Texas BBQ.... "if you want healthy go someplace else". White bread is the backbone of Good BBQ. Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe   Sounds tasty, but this quote from Lobsterman, scares me," I look for the biggest brisket I can find that has a complete fat side with no meat showing!" Lobsterman, I also notice you eat the brisket, with Wonder White bread! Isn't there a better tasking if not healthier, bread you could be eating the brisket with? ( one of the photos shows a loaf of white bread, and so I assume, he eats Wonder bread.)

Thanks much ... always a good topic ... BBQ ... plus pic's

You're one cooking fool ..

gave me an appetite ... for sure

Quote: Originally posted by larryC

I'll be here in BoLA this spring, how do I get invited to sample some of that excellent looking brisket?

Like this year I'll be down probably the last week in May depending on the wagon master's grand kid's graduation date. We'll be at Guillermo's again and will bring a small smoker grill along. I'll be bringing down prepared smoked brisket, pull pork, St Style ribs and the fixes for a true Texas BBQ in Baja including Wonder "White Bread". I've always wanted to meet you cuz you have been so helpful to others for many years. I'm a man of history and would like to pick your brain about BOLA my favorite place in Baja. Been to the Museum on each of our trips. I enjoyed my conversations with Antonio (turtle guy) while staying at his place in Archelon. May he RIP.

I first camped on then that deserted part of the beach by his place in 1984 and beached launched a 14' car-topper tin boat to fish the abundance of sea life all around.

Hopefully the YT will be running again. Hot smoked YT, YUM!




[Edited on 11-6-2016 by Lobsterman]

Quote: Originally posted by MMc

You sir, do not know Texas BBQ.... "if you want healthy go someplace else". White bread is the backbone of Good BBQ.

Quote: Originally posted by Lobsterman

Quote: Originally posted by larryC   I'll be here in BoLA this spring, how do I get invited to sample some of that excellent looking brisket? Like this year I'll be down probably the last week in May depending on the wagon master's grand kid's graduation date. We'll be at Guillermo's again and will bring a small smoker grill along. I'll be bringing down prepared smoked brisket, pull pork, St Style ribs and the fixes for a true Texas BBQ in Baja including Wonder "White Bread". I've always wanted to meet you cuz you have been so helpful to others for many years. I'm a man of history and would like to pick your brain about BOLA my favorite place in Baja. Been to the Museum on each of our trips. I enjoyed my conversations with Antonio (turtle guy) while staying at his place in Archelon. May he RIP. I first camped on then that deserted part of the beach by his place in 1984 and beached launched a 14' car-topper tin boat to fish the abundance of sea life all around. Hopefully the YT will be running again. Hot smoked YT, YUM! [Edited on 11-6-2016 by Lobsterman]

Quote: Originally posted by Lobsterman

I've been a member of this site for quite sometime and thinking back I'm trying to remember one positive reply or thread that these two gentlemen have offered to this site. They appear to have negative comments or offer innuendos to try and compromise ones replies or threads into something negative. A glass half full approach to life. Perhaps it's just in their MO and one must just have to tolerate such behavior if one is to post or reply to a thread on this side of BN. I know I have grown to do so. However, I kinda just feel sorry for them for looking at the world through dark colored lens. Must be a pretty lonely place.

now lets get back to BBQ ... Something which many enjoy, regardless of "sides" served

btw ... what do you have "growing" Busy guy ... which is great ... enjoy that you are so active ... keep it up, and don't forget to "snap" your safety

And the pic's are great ... from all ... maybe some from your meeting and cook out in Baja... next year

[Edited on 11-6-2016 by wessongroup]

btw ... what do you have "growing" Busy guy ... which is great ... enjoy that you are so active ... keep it up, and don't forget to "snap" your safety harness.

Wes,

I tried growing some Carolina Reaper chilies from the 10,000 seeds I harvested a few years ago but all died this time shortly after birth. I still have over a gallon of CR hot sauce in a frig I turned off a year ago. It's 2.5 years old now aged in vacuum sealed jars but I do not know if is still good. My friends are scared of it and will not sample it for me. So that chapter is now closed.

As far as work goes my last radio/antenna tower install was in Burbank for two months back in July-Sept. That's where I discovered the recipe of this thread for smoked brisket. I made a few changes to the recipe since I use a pellet smoker and not the wood kind. In August my Rescue Climber Certification expired and I decided not to re-certify. I just felt I could not safely rescue a disabled 250 lb person, suspended 100 feet off the ground hanging in his climbing harness with a rescue sling while grappling down the outside of the 100' antenna tower. I just did not want to put a fellow climber in harms way due to my declining strength and agility. I'm sure I can still do it but at 70 it's time to look for another profession or job. I have been offered an engineering position with the company designing and project managing these projects but it's full-time employment working 120 miles from my house. I'm negotiating a part-time position working on 1 or 2 projects at a time with a couple of days working at home. But that option does not look promising. We'll see what next year brings. After working for over 50 years it's just hard to turn the motor off. I really loved the part time position traveling throughout the western states and Hawaii, a lot of great golf courses and fishing spots, but all good things eventually come to an end. Let the kids have their day in the sun instead.

After Burbank my wife (just retired) and I went on a month long road trip with my 2002 SC430 convertible visiting all the towns along the coasts of TX, LA and AL. It went over 200,000 miles during the road trip. While in AL visited cousins and continued my golfing trek playing the Robert Trent Jones Trail courses in Birmingham, Auburn and Mobile.

Next week the family and I are going back to Hilo for a long Thanksgiving vacation instead of work this time.

Other than ocean fishing and golfing a couple of times a week my life is pretty boring. Looking forward to visiting BOLA again this coming May and perhaps running my boat down to Ensenada and staying at a marina while fishing its outside waters for bottomfish. CA rockfishing is closed Jan-Feb.

Yeah, that you were still up in the "air" .... was something to me

That is definitely something for a younger man .... very difficult at any age ... and strength and agility is really important

Ya might want to try that "sauce" out for paint remover or take it over to a plating shop, they might find a use for it

Have a good one on the "Big Island" ...

Chuckie thanks for your critique of this brisket recipe. You are correct in many of your comments.

Lack of a smoke ring: This pellet smoker even after 16 hours of smoking offers little in the way of smoke as compared to other wood or charcoal smokers I've used in the past. None can compare to the professional smokers from a BBQ joint. This recipe is for the local joe at home and not for a professional BBQer to try. I look at it as more as an outdoor "convection oven" that heats with wood pellets. I do not know if other pellet smokers are like this but mine is.

The Weber Smokey Mountain WSM grill above is what I used before I purchased this one. It got that infused smoke ring that this smoker does not. You had to be careful not to add too much wood or your meat would taste too woody. However, the WSM can only smoke one brisket at a time where this one can do 2 briskets along with 2 pork butts or 3 racks of ribs as well as prime ribs, chicken, whole turkeys, meat loafs and steaks at temps from 190-450 degrees with just a temp setting on the controller.

On my last brisket before this one, I placed smoldering wood chunks in a pan inside the smoker to give it more of a smoke flavor and thus said ring as well as a pan of water. This time I just kept it simple only opening the lid twice during the 16 hour smoking process. I cook for parties of 50 or more often so ease and grill space is important to me. Not only am I smoking the meats but preparing the fish I catch, salads and other side dishes at the same time. It's also a great large warming oven after things are cooked.

Every time I smoke I do things a little differently, i.e. inject, not to inject, different rubs, dry or wet aging, phosphates or not, smoking temps, meat temps, fat side up or down, with or without fat, etc.. always looking for the tastiest meat method. This is just how I prepared it this time looking to ease of preparation and how it compared to other ways I did it in the past. I'm sure I'll do it another way when I smoke my next brisket, my favorite cut of meat.

Unless you inject the brisket very little flavor is imparted deep into the brisket especially a 21 pounder so that's why I dipped the brisket slices in the salty and smokey beef stock drippings before freezing. The 1/2-3/4" slices are stacked 2 to 3 high inside the vacuum sealed bags. The pics did not capture that. Even after 8 months stored this way the brisket came out moist and tender.

You must have missed my point of this recipe in that I'm not trying to replicate a perfect Texas BBQ brisket recipe but a low cost brisket recipe that can be cooked simply in an oven and whose leftovers can be prepared into many other dishes afterwards for months into the future, i.e. hot roast beef sandwiches, burnt ends, chili con carne and many others. Whether its a brisket, pork butt, ribs, lamb or poultry, I cook in large qualities to repurpose later into other delicious meals for family and friends. My presentation of the above partial dishes was just for me to try out a couple of ways to sample the brisket's flavor and texture straight after it's cooking process not how I would present it at a party with complementing side dishes.

Seeing that you come from KN, a reknown state for BBQ, I can understand that this is not your cup of tee as a BBQ dish but to the 50+ seniors I cook for at an Ole Fogy Home for free they are quite pleased with this recipe and others I bring to them from my heart two or 3 times a year.

Again thanks for your comments. Critiquing ones recipes is how one improves upon them for their guests. If you came to my house for dinner I'd definitely use the WSM!

........................................................................Brisket Chicharones with My Garden's Herbs.....................................................




[Edited on 11-7-2016 by Lobsterman]

Quote: Originally posted by wessongroup

Thanks much ... always a good topic ... BBQ ... plus pic's You're one cooking fool .. gave me an appetite ... for sure

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

I used to do 30-40 briskets a year, and there is no "best" way, just different. I seldom did them the same way, but just followed a similar pattern....Good rubs, wet smoke,about a 12 hour cycle and finished em in foil. Never used a pellet smoker for the reasons you pointed out. Ihad several smokers either homemade or modified by me. I usually made about 3 different sauces, mild, hot and heroic....Always fun to do...did NINE in one day once..lotta work...I enjoy your writings...stay well Thanks [Edited on 11-7-2016 by chuckie]

One thing that some take rather seriously ... BBQ

I just eat it ... When I can, even with Benzo[a]pyrene and all

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzo(a)pyrene#Carcinogenicity

Our neighors used to hate us when growing up .. The old man used to smoke everything he/we "caught" ... even canned it too ... was one of our chores, keeping the coals going ... "mill" scraps from cabinet shops, hard woods

Was eating smoked Albacore 10 years after he passed Salmon was a fav ...



[Edited on 11-8-2016 by wessongroup]

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

CRAPOLA!!!! I had this all done except the last few sentences on serving and the whole thing went away.....DANG!

Looks spectacular! Gotta believe it tastes the same way.