Brisket - Made Easy With a Weber Kettle

[MacEggs]

This was only my second attempt at cooking a brisket.  My first was 3 years ago on my UDS.

I have wanted to try one using a Weber kettle.  This beauty "A" code got the nod for this try - I call it, Phil. 




I picked up a full brisket weighing in at 8 lbs.  I trimmed off about 2 lbs of fat.
My trimming skills are lacking, plus the knife is not the best even though I honed it before this.










I gave it a good slathering with Worcestershire sauce, and then some Schwartz's steak spice.
I got this from @MrHoss .  He picked it up when he made a trip down east last summer.  Into the fridge for a few hours.




The snake / fuse was the charcoal set-up, along with small chunks of oak - more stuff that Hoss gave me. 
Foil in the center plus along the edges.








I lit 10 briquets to start the fuse.  A 30 minute pre-heat, then on went the brisket at 10:30PM.  An Overnighter!








After 1 hour, the thermometer that was poking thru the vent hole was reading around 275°.
After about 2 to 2.5 hours, it was reading close to 300°.  That was fine with me .... Off to bed for some shut-eye.




Got up to check it at 6:30AM - 8 hours in.  Got an IT of 170°.  I decided to wrap it in 2 layers of HD foil.






After 11 hours, I removed it from the cooker.  It was probe-tender, and I was getting readings in the 195-204° range.
Into the cooler for a rest.  Wrapped in towels.




The fuse was right near the end.  Nice! 






After resting, I removed the point from the flat with very little effort.  I thought that was a good sign.






Saved the drippings from the foil-wrap.  The flat may have been slightly on the dry side, but not really bad.  Tasted amazing.
The point was awesome, too.  It was very rich tasting and loaded with flavor.  The smoke ring was pretty awesome looking, too.










I used the word "Easy" in the title of this thread with some trepidation.  I have very limited experience cooking brisket as already mentioned.

However, I have seen and read countless brisket cooks on the internet, plus some discussion and advice from MrHoss proved invaluable.
@1buckie has done some amazing brisket cooks on the kettle, as well.  Not to mention others who have shared their experience.  Thank you to all.

Also, I did not feel the need to fiddle with the intakes to control temperature. 
Lid vent was fully open.  2 intakes were closed, and 1 was fully open for the duration.  I just let it ride ... and I got sleep. 

So ... maybe it was easy. 

[pbe gummi bear]

Done like a true professional. Congrats on the successful sophomore brisket cook!

[1buckie]

Right down the pipe, Mark !!!!

Good Job, no GREAT job on that mate !!!!!

Look at the ring on that thing !!!!!

[MrHoss]

Looks damn tasty Mac....glad you like the Schwartz's. One of these days maybe we'll make it down to see @1buckie and see how a Master operates.

Phil looks awesome. Love the name.

[bbquy]

Wow! Looks soooo guuuuud! Great cook up!

[Nate]

Awsome! I'm doing a brisket flat tomorrow on the WSM. Not sure if I should foil wrap it though.

[1buckie]

Awsome! I'm doing a brisket flat tomorrow on the WSM. Not sure if I should foil wrap it though.

Just a guess Nate, but maybe so, as the flat usually has more of a tendency to dry out some.....

It may help with that part, but maybe wait fairly far into he cook.....see how big & crunchy Mac's bark is?

Getting the bark set good & built up before the wrap will keep it pretty good & not mushy from the wrap......

[1911Ron]

Looks like you hit that one out of the park!  I'd say you set up your snake just right!

[WNC]

Looks great, that smoke ring almost goes all the way through!

[TheDude]

Looks great! Eases my mind a bit in planning my fist, before too long.

[Bob BQ]

glad you like the Schwartz's.

Schwartz's, eh? Seeing as how that's my surname, I may just have to find me some of this tasty sounding goodness.

Briskie looks phenomenal!

[demosthenes9]

Nice job on your second attempt.   Based on the second to last pic (side view of a slice), I'd say that the dryness of the flat was due to it being slightly undercooked.    Was the flat a slight bit tough/elastic as well?

[MacEggs]

Thanks for looking, guys!  I hope to do more of these, but the price up here may deter me from doing very many.

Nice job on your second attempt.   Based on the second to last pic (side view of a slice), I'd say that the dryness of the flat was due to it being slightly undercooked.    Was the flat a slight bit tough/elastic as well?

Actually, the 3rd to last pic was the flat, and the last 2 pics were the point.
The flat was not tough at all.  I have re-heated (quick to remove chill) slices the last two days, and it is fine.

I should mention also that I don't have much experience eating brisket, either, so I may not know what is truly ideal.
All-in-all, I am very pleased with how it turned out, and I know that I would like to improve upon this for the future.

[Hell Fire Grill]

Nicely done!

[Uncle JJ]

Looks damn fine to me!