We were in Portland last weekend, where the Powell mothership is

Here's the right aisle (see on the orange sign, it says BBQ/Cookout)





Ah, found it - but it's at ankle level?





There, a little rearranging - that's better!

I got the book and it's great and all, but it'd be nice to have a few brisket options.

tem wrote:I got the book and it's great and all, but it'd be nice to have a few brisket options.

When you complete the 5-step program, you will know how to use your WSM very well and you will have all the brisket options you need.

tem wrote:I got the book and it's great and all, but it'd be nice to have a few brisket options.

Cooking brisket in the WSM is pretty similar to cooking pork shoulder. Be sure you get a brisket with a good cap of fat on the top (say 1/4 to 1/2 inch). I usually figure that the total cooking time will be in the range of 45-60 min per pound of meat, but it really depends on a host of factors (temperature, amount of fat in the meat, etc.). Start with the fat side up, and flip and rotate periodically.

As you probably know, brisket has a very distinct grain when it is raw. When cooked, though, it is sometimes difficult to see the grain. A trick is that you cut a small piece of the meat off at a tip, perpendicular to the direction of the grain. When the meat is done, you may not be able to see the grain, but you will see the bit where you cut off the meat. Begin your slices parallel to this cut.

eatchicago wrote:When you complete the 5-step program, you will know how to use your WSM very well and you will have all the brisket options you need.

Darren72 wrote:Cooking brisket in the WSM is pretty similar to cooking pork shoulder.

Michael's point is subtle, but well taken. My methodology is to keep the learning experience as simple as possible, each of the 5-lessons slightly increase in difficulty, building on each step as one moves through the program.

Low and Slow is a Forest for the Trees teaching method, people see the 5-lessons as learning to cook chicken, ribs and pork shoulder - The Trees. What one is actually learning is basics of fire control, smoke preference, 5-senses clues as to when various meats are ready and overall confidence in their ability to produce Low and Slow BBQ - The Forest.

That said, there are a few simple steps to producing tasty brisket on the smoker: procuring the proper hunk-o-cow flesh (a full packer cut brisket point/deckle and flat with intact fat cap), clean burning fire, moderate application of wood smoke and the rub of your preference.

I typically smoke 15-lb. full packer cut briskets in the 250*F-275*F range, but rarely check temperatures. I start fat side up and flip twice during the cook because I want to finish fat side up—so as to maximize fatty crusty bark. In the last third of the cook I foil the very outer edge of the flat—not unlike what one would do with the end of a turkey drumstick—so it does not dry out.

A ballpark brisket estimate for the WSM is 8 to 10 hours. A two-tined meat fork should slide easily into the brisket, and the flesh itself should have a slight wobble (wabba wabba) when poked.

Enjoy,
Gary

Darren72 wrote:Cooking brisket in the WSM is pretty similar to cooking pork shoulder.

G Wiv wrote:...there are a few simple steps to producing tasty brisket on the smoker

So, since we were on the subject, I'm planning to try my first WSM-smoked brisket tomorrow. Thanks for the above tips. A few more questions:

What do you folks like for a brisket rub? Think the GWiv signature rub would do the trick? (I made a big batch, so it is on hand.) No sugar in a brisket rub either?

Also any opinions on using the pre-rub mustard layer as with pork shoulder?

Much obliged,
--Rich

No sugar. I think Gwiv's rub would be great, esp if you already have it on hand.

I do the mustard coat with brisket also.

Darren72 wrote:No sugar. I think Gwiv's rub would be great, esp if you already have it on hand.

I do the mustard coat with brisket also.

Yup! What he said.

Picked up my copy today at the Costco on Clybourn and am looking forward to reading it this evening. I'm even more excited to make the Picky Eater read it - I let him get the grill ready tonight and caught him out there with the lighter fluid again.

Picked mine up from Costco on Clybourn today too. It's currently just for some fun reading, as a gas grill is all I have access to at the moment (damn high rise condo association rules). I did check out the gas grill section though, it was a huge help

Seriously though, what I've read so far has been entertaining & easy to follow...great stuff!

Darren72 wrote:

tem wrote:I got the book and it's great and all, but it'd be nice to have a few brisket options.

Cooking brisket in the WSM is pretty similar to cooking pork shoulder. Be sure you get a brisket with a good cap of fat on the top (say 1/4 to 1/2 inch). I usually figure that the total cooking time will be in the range of 45-60 min per pound of meat, but it really depends on a host of factors (temperature, amount of fat in the meat, etc.). Start with the fat side up, and flip and rotate periodically.

As you probably know, brisket has a very distinct grain when it is raw. When cooked, though, it is sometimes difficult to see the grain. A trick is that you cut a small piece of the meat off at a tip, perpendicular to the direction of the grain. When the meat is done, you may not be able to see the grain, but you will see the bit where you cut off the meat. Begin your slices parallel to this cut.

oh, I know. I've already done the 5-step a couple years ago and have done a few briskets as described on the old wiviott.com (which, FYI, can be seen via archive.org). I did a 13lb-er from Paulina last Saturday (~9.5 hr cook) w/ the G-Wiv rub and mesquite instead of hickory (it wasn't too acrid) and it was the hit of the party.

All I was saying is that it would have been nice if it were mentioned w/ maybe a few different options than the same-as-pork-shoulder methods already discussed.

tem wrote:ll I was saying is that it would have been nice if it were mentioned w/ maybe a few different options than the same-as-pork-shoulder methods already discussed.

Tem,

Low & Slow is essentially a method book, teaching the basics of Low and Slow BBQ in 5-lessons. God willing and the creek don't rise there will be a book two with methods, recipes and instructions for herds, flocks and schools of other tasty creatures.

Enjoy,
Gary

LTH,

Going to be on with Steve Dolinsky, aka The Hungry Hound, Friday June 5th doing a demo and talking about Low & Slow toward the end of the 11am ABC7 news cast.

Very exciting, 3.5 minutes of live TV, going to be fun. (I hope)

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:LTH,

Going to be on with Steve Dolinsky, aka The Hungry Hound, Friday June 5th doing a demo and talking about Low & Slow toward the end of the 11am ABC7 news cast.

Very exciting, 3.5 minutes of live TV, going to be fun. (I hope)

Enjoy,
Gary

thats great Gary, you deserve all the kudo's you have been receiving for your and colleens great book.

Gary, great appearance with Steve Dolinsky on the 11:00-am news today. The ribs looked incredible, I almost came down to try some. Now I just need to have you autograph my book .

This is, perhaps, a bit off topic (if so feel free to move it):

Thanks to Gary's book, I've been using my offset smoking box much more frequently at higher temperatures for longer periods of time.
I paint had decided to go elsewhere--I'm willing to sand and repaint, but wonder if anyone can recommend a source of paint designed to withstand high temperatures.

Thanks!

bean wrote:This is, perhaps, a bit off topic (if so feel free to move it):

Thanks to Gary's book, I've been using my offset smoking box much more frequently at higher temperatures for longer periods of time.
I paint had decided to go elsewhere--I'm willing to sand and repaint, but wonder if anyone can recommend a source of paint designed to withstand high temperatures.

Thanks!

Give this a try: http://www.vhtpaint.com/flameproof.html

I watched Mr. Wiv on Ch. 7 - it was a lot of fun.

As far as high-heat paint, my local Ace has its house brand, as well as Rustoleum spray paints that are designed for high heat. I've used them to touch up my grill on occasion - should be easy to find.

mbh wrote:Gary, great appearance with Steve Dolinsky on the 11:00-am news today. The ribs looked incredible, I almost came down to try some. Now I just need to have you autograph my book .

It was a very fun segment, and nice to see Steve engaged by the 'cuemaster. I'd like to see you and Bittman trade barbs sometime, which seems somehow more likely than you and Sandra Lee (the only thing with higher potential entertainment value). Nice work and most deserved congratulations!

I missed the naked midget jokes, though.

Video: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=6850115

This link has the video and the rub recipe.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?sectio ... id=6850030

Nice job, BBQ Bear!

=R=

very cool. Bravo, Gary!

Great job Gary-
you really held your own with the TV guy...
and those gave me such a craving....
mmmmmmmmmmmm

BTW
I did #1 on my kettle and it turned out fabulous...
when I put the chopped leftover chicken in spaghetti sauce
(since mea culpa I made two chickens)
my family said it was the best sauce ever....

LTH,

Never have 3.5 minutes gone by so fast! I was well prepared, thanks to Colleen who is one of the, if not the most, linear well organized people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Once it started Steve Dolinsky kept us on track, the man is a true professional, and whoosh we were done.

Gary, Steve Dolinsky, Colleen Rush





Enjoy,
Gary

Well done, GWiv, and those ribs look excellent, sauced on the grill, Chicago-style!

David Hammond wrote:sauced on the grill, Chicago-style!

David,

You are insufferable, which is what I love about you.

Sauced ribs glisten and look terrific on TV, I wanted the ribs to look silky smooth and delicious.

Enjoy,
Gary

Wonder what book he's using?



Apologies and thanks to The New Yorker

Yeah, it's a bit frightening that when I look at that comic all I could think is "God uses propane?"