The Texas BBQ Forum

Great info, thanks Arnie!

Would you say that balanced flavor includes any hint of sweetness?

I have never injected a brisket and have always used my own homemade rub that has done pretty good for me so far. I KISS.... KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID. Trim, rub, rest, smoke, wrap, rest, slice..... I have had pretty good results even though I have only cooked in a few competitions, so until my current method proves to be a bust I don't plan on changing it. Here are a couple pictures of my turn ins, feel free to critique me! BBQ Brotherhood IS THE BEST!!!

TC - Cannonball Express Pitmaster

I second the thanks for sharing Arnie! I always enjoy reading the posts after someone has judged, gives a good insight into what is winning in comps. The only comp out of 8 last year I did not place in brisket was when I went heavy with copycat, the other 7 comps, I was middle of the road, beefy, moist and tender and got calls.
Good looking slices TC!

Looks great TC! Not to get ahead of this roundtable but it looks like your slices are getting a soak in au jus, is that right?

js-tx wrote:Looks great TC! Not to get ahead of this roundtable but it looks like your slices are getting a soak in au jus, is that right?

That is correct to a certain extent... I don't make a special au jus sauce, I just use the dripping from the brisket to moisten it prior to placing it in the box.

Here we go, a duel question, but a good one...fat side up or fat side down? And what temp are you smoking the briskets at? I'm a fat side down guy and always have been, but especially on my RF pit, using the fat layer to protect the meat from the radiant heat coming from the plate under the meat. I prefer to smoke at 250 degrees, but have played with lower and higher temps. 250 works for me, plus my pit just seems to like to settle in right there.

bruno994 wrote:Here we go, a duel question, but a good one...fat side up or fat side down? And what temp are you smoking the briskets at? I'm a fat side down guy and always have been, but especially on my RF pit, using the fat layer to protect the meat from the radiant heat coming from the plate under the meat. I prefer to smoke at 250 degrees, but have played with lower and higher temps. 250 works for me, plus my pit just seems to like to settle in right there.

I am a RF pit guy as well, but I go fat side up low and slow. I try to keep my pit at 225.

22WSM, 275-300* fat side down

Offset smoker, 225, fat-side up. Seems to be the magic situation for me. I'll cook a lil hotter sometimes, but not too much.

Fat down and cook em around 225* works best for me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fat side down 300 -325 for me on an offset stick burner.
Those boxes look real good, hungry for some real Texas style brisket now brisket now.

Insulated RF ... 275, fat side down.

... and yes, thanks for the write up Arnie. Always good to hear the observation of someone that judged.

Fat side up, on a homemade offset, 325-350.

275 fat side down on a Pitmaker vault

How much smoke are you putting on it before you wrap, if you wrap? Do you wrap? 4 hours smoke, then wrap (actually I pan it, then wrap the top of the pan with foil, with some beef broth or left over au jus from the last cook), I don't probe for temp or worry about color, I know my pit and my timelines and know what to expect in my finished product.