First whole packer brisket attempt.

[Johnpv]

So last week my KCBS membership card came in and I took a ride to Restaurant Depot.  Where I was FINALLY able to find a whole packer brisket! 

I decided to go small to start off with and got a 7.5lb one.



I trimmed it (which I think I over trimmed it) and rubbed it down with half salt and half freshly ground black pepper.



I smoked it with hickory wood for 8 - 8 1/2 hours.



I let it rest for about an hour and then sliced it.  Overall it was tasty but the flat definitely came out kind of dry.  The flavor was there and good, but I think it could have been tenderer and juicier.  Next time I won't trim off as much fat.  The point came out pretty close I would say, was tender, juice and flavorful. 



Some things I'll change for my next attempt will be like I said, to trim it a fair bit less.  I also won't use the Smokenator.  I picked one up like 2 months ago used, and this was my 3rd time using it and I'm just not happy with how it runs compared to just setting up a snake.  I thought with the brisket I might avoid burning some edges by using it, which it did do that, but other aspects of it were just a royal pain in the ass.  I find it doesn't stay on temperature the way a snake will, I felt like I was adjusting the vents all the time.  Plus adding in more charcoal seemed to cause all of it to start which jumped the temps to like 350!  To which I had to remove all the now lit charcoal.  With the way I add coals to a snake it basically just reverse the direction of it and keeps humming along at temp. 

[MacEggs]

That last pic is ... well ... it's awesome!!

So, did you smoke this on a kettle? Sorry for the stupid question.
Just wondering, as I have yet to try a brisket on the kettle. I want to this summer.
The size you cooked looked like a good one to practice technique and such. Thanks for sharing. 

[Johnpv]

Thanks!  and yes I smoked it on my blue 22.5 OTG.   I'll second this being a good size to practice on, it's still a lot of meat but it's not like I ended up with 10lbs of left over brisket.  I plan on trying again in a couple weeks and will probably seek out a similar sized one.

[1buckie]

Very well done !!!

Looks like you got it just right, nice & juicy, still a tad of fatcap if you wanted burnt ends later.....just right, man !!!!!

[wyd]

Looks great.  I can see the juice and nice smoke ring.  I would like to attempt a hole brisket myself.  I have a few friends that said they will give me some money towards the brisket if I will cook it in my kettle.  So I think I'm taking them up on the offer.

[OoPEZoO]

It looks tasty

I agree about the smokenator.  Thats why mine now sits unused in the back of my grilling cabinet.  I hated having to fiddle with it all the damn time.  It worked, but there are so many better (easier) ways to smoke things in a kettle.