So, keen to hear your tips... I just can't quite get my brisket the way I'd like on my Classic Joe grill... It's the one cook that always leaves me a little frustrated! Always tastes great, but just not quite there... I will fully admit to being a perfectionist... and also to not being a BBQ expert at all!
Some of the things I do:
- Start with a ~1.5kg lump of brisket
- Smoke at ~225F (usually hovers up to about 250F before I'll tweak the vents, but I try to aim for 225F)
- Duration of cook dependent on temp of the meat - cook to around 200F then wrap to rest for a short while before carving (don't wrap during the cook as wanting to get a good bark and didn't really like the bark a few times I did wrap it!)
- Water bath on the heat deflector, keep topped up during the cook (someone else with a Kamado I got talking to suggested this not long after I bought mine - I know in theory they say you don't need one in the kamados)
- Have tried injecting recently, really didn't think it made that much difference in flavour (mix of beef stock and Worcestershire sauce)
- Usually rub before it hits the grill and trim the fat to 1/4 before rubbing. Rub is usually a DIY mix of various spices, salt, etc. Usually will splash it down with a bit of Worcestershire sauce before rubbing to help the rub stick.
The issues I get:
- Minimal smoke ring. Flavour is there, but often negligible smoke ring present.
- Drying through any thinner parts around the edges
- I have had dryness throughout the meat but ONLY when I've used pretty poor quality brisket with minimal fat and haven't injected
What I'm happy with:
- Rub is giving some really nice flavour and a good bark over much of the brisket (as long as I don't wrap for too long after the cook and let it sweat! LOL!)
- Usually - when using a good quality lump of brisket - will get fairly moist meat... BUT I think I may be over-cooking as it'll tend to break up a bit when I cut it (I also know my knives aren't great - they tend not to cut well through the bark so I end up tearing the meat a bit. I've been using an ordinary carving knife. Any knife suggestions?) Dry edges are nearly always an issue on any thin areas though.
So... what are other people doing? What should I change? Should I try smoking unwrapped/wrap for a while/then back on the grill unwrapped to finish off the bark? Other advice...?