Smoking Meat Questions and Discussion

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I separate them too. I will put the flat on a rack below the point and have the point fat side up. (I just remember I forgot to score the fat on the last one I did, probably why it didn't turn out like I wanted). The fat will melt and drip on the point and flat underneath. I avoid trimming if I can and what I do trim is very little. I usually am fighting a few fires due to this but I think it really adds flavor.

I've started doing all of my briskets and pork butts fat side down. Long story short you want to protect the non fat side so smoke it facing up. The whole fat dripping down and moisturizing the meat is more of an idea vs reality. I won't go back, I've definitely noticed a difference.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I dry brined a turkey last year for Thanksgiving, first time I'd done it, always had wet brined before, turned out amazing.

Nice! I've always done a wet brine but will definitely try a dry brine next time. IMO the problem with a wet brine is that it's easy to over salt the bird.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I may have mentioned, but separating the point from the flat is a lot easier when if the brisket is partially frozen.

It's also easier to trim IMO. It's maddening watching the guys on you tube trim a brisket, they make it look so easy.

 

[tm3308]

160 is kind of a general guideline. Every piece of meat is different. It's a guess at what temp the meat will "stall" and start rendering the fat -- which means it will take heat but not go up in IT for some time. Wrapping helps it blow through that stage quicker. Some roasts will hit this at 156-158, so you just need to be ready to call it and go...depending upon your patience and time tolerance.

I don't really consider the stall when deciding when to wrap. I go by the bark. Once it's set where I want it, I wrap in butcher paper. That's usually right around the same time as the stall, but not always.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I don't really consider the stall when deciding when to wrap. I go by the bark. Once it's set where I want it, I wrap in butcher paper. That's usually right around the same time as the stall, but not always.

Agree. If it hits 160-165 and I don't love the color I will just spritz it and let it roll for another hour or so and then wrap.

 

[Gonzo]

Nice! I've always done a wet brine but will definitely try a dry brine next time. IMO the problem with a wet brine is that it's easy to over salt the bird.

Wet brine has always turned out good too. It was actually our Christmas night turkey last year that I dry brined. I wet brined the turkey per usual for Thanksgiving. But we do tons of cooking the week of Christmas having different family over, so by Christmas day I was wiped, didn't want to go through all the work of the wet brine, so I just coated it in kosher salt and stuck it in the fridge uncovered, only for about 6 hours. Turned out great, I do think it was better than the wet brine. Going to dry brine for 10-12 hours from here on out.

 

[BCClone]

Does everyone wrap their brisket? I avoid it because it will make a nice bark on the outside and have had better results not wrapping.

 

[tm3308]

Does everyone wrap their brisket? I avoid it because it will make a nice bark on the outside and have had better results not wrapping.

I use butcher paper. It does a better job of preserving the bark than foil because the paper is permeable and lets it breathe a little. But in the event that the bark doesn't have as much crunch as you'd like, you can also unwrap it and put it back on the smoker for the last half hour or so and it'll bounce right back.

 

[BACyclone]

Does everyone wrap their brisket? I avoid it because it will make a nice bark on the outside and have had better results not wrapping.

I wrap all large chunks of meat in pink butcher paper now. You can usually get a nice set of bark before you wrap, and the paper allows it to breathe enough that it won't soften much while wrapped like it does with foil. Then at the end of the smoke I will open up the top just a bit and let it roll for another ~30 minutes to slightly dry out the bark again.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Does everyone wrap their brisket? I avoid it because it will make a nice bark on the outside and have had better results not wrapping.

No. It's mostly because I'm lazy, but I save the foil for the baked potatoes. Though truthfully I do those unwrapped as well.

 

[tm3308]

No. It's mostly because I'm lazy, but I save the foil for the baked potatoes. Though truthfully I do those unwrapped as well.

Not me. I slather those ******* with melted bacon grease and season, wrap them in foil and stick a probe in them.

 

[BACyclone]

I wrap (pink paper) because:

It likely helps speed the meat through the stall stage.
It helps keeps some moisture in meat so it's less apt to dry out over the cook.
At the end I have a wonderful pool of juices in the bottom that I can pour back into my leftovers.
The paper still lets the meat breathe enough that it's not soggy at the end.

 

[ScottyP]

For some reason, I have issues with butcher paper helping with the stall. it will get to about 160 or 165 and I will wrap in butcher paper. The temp will just creep the rest of the way and take forever (1 degree every 15 minutes). I have better luck with the stall if I use foil.

 

[BACyclone]

I am sure foil helps more with the stall, because it doesn't breathe and thus creates much more of an oven effect than the paper ever could.

I have not SxS tested with and without paper, but it seems like the paper method gives me the best of both worlds. I don't end up with a mushy bark at the end, it "seems" like it still pushes through the stall faster than nothing, and I get a juicy hunk of meat. I don't know if this makes any difference, but my paper is pretty thick and by the time I wrap in paper it ends up double-wrapped...one piece the long way underneath the meat, and another one the short way across the top of the meat. I try to do one, but I'm never happy with how it "seals" with just one big piece -- and I just use probes to hold it all together, or the top piece ends up with ends trapped underneath the roast.

I am sure there's a video of someone testing these theories out there -- I vaguely think watching one sold me on buying some paper and trying it out. As with anything, YMMV.

 

[tm3308]

I am sure foil helps more with the stall, because it doesn't breathe and thus creates much more of an oven effect than the paper ever could.

I have not SxS tested with and without paper, but it seems like the paper method gives me the best of both worlds. I don't end up with a mushy bark at the end, it "seems" like it still pushes through the stall faster than nothing, and I get a juicy hunk of meat. I don't know if this makes any difference, but my paper is pretty thick and by the time I wrap in paper it ends up double-wrapped...one piece the long way underneath the meat, and another one the short way across the top of the meat. I try to do one, but I'm never happy with how it "seals" with just one big piece -- and I just use probes to hold it all together, or the top piece ends up with ends trapped underneath the roast.

I am sure there's a video of someone testing these theories out there -- I vaguely think watching one sold me on buying some paper and trying it out. As with anything, YMMV.

I use two pieces for brisket, side by side with a healthy overlap (I use 24" paper). I spritz the paper all over to make it more pliable (makes it easier to get a tight wrap), then put the meat down the way I want it to sit on the grate, about 1/3 of the way from the edge of the paper. I fold that tail 1/3 of paper over the top, then I fold in any excess paper on the sides, and then fold/flip the meat twice so that the "open" side of the wrap is on the bottom. If there's any excess left after two flips, you can either trim it off, or fold it back under the meat (my preference). Between the two flips and putting the open side between the meat and the grate, it won't leak (any drippings are just what saturates the paper and would have been lost, anyway).

I do the same with pork butt, just with one piece of paper.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I am sure foil helps more with the stall, because it doesn't breathe and thus creates much more of an oven effect than the paper ever could.

I have not SxS tested with and without paper, but it seems like the paper method gives me the best of both worlds. I don't end up with a mushy bark at the end, it "seems" like it still pushes through the stall faster than nothing, and I get a juicy hunk of meat. I don't know if this makes any difference, but my paper is pretty thick and by the time I wrap in paper it ends up double-wrapped...one piece the long way underneath the meat, and another one the short way across the top of the meat. I try to do one, but I'm never happy with how it "seals" with just one big piece -- and I just use probes to hold it all together, or the top piece ends up with ends trapped underneath the roast.

I am sure there's a video of someone testing these theories out there -- I vaguely think watching one sold me on buying some paper and trying it out. As with anything, YMMV.

IMO it all boils down to personal preference. I've done both and actually like the results I get from foil better. Just my two cents but the texture difference between foil and paper may make a difference for competition appearance but for general taste I really don't think it matters. I prefer foil just because it helps speed up the cook and it becomes much more of a predictable cook.

 

[Sousaclone]

Did my first rack of ribs last night.

Turned out pretty well since I basically said F-It to all the methods you see online.

Removed ribs from package, patted dry, coated in Traeger spice rub, placed directly in Traeger at 225. I got impatient after 3 hours and bumped it to 250 for an hour and then 275 for the last 0.5 hours. Threw a little bit of sauce on for the last 30 minutes. No spritz, no foil, no nothing.

Nice color, good flavor, juicy, and firm meat. Granted, I do also like a dry rib versus wet ribs.

Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest of the ribs since a Costco 3 pack is a little much for one person.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Did my first rack of ribs last night.

Turned out pretty well since I basically said F-It to all the methods you see online.

Removed ribs from package, patted dry, coated in Traeger spice rub, placed directly in Traeger at 225. I got impatient after 3 hours and bumped it to 250 for an hour and then 275 for the last 0.5 hours. Threw a little bit of sauce on for the last 30 minutes. No spritz, no foil, no nothing.

Nice color, good flavor, juicy, and firm meat. Granted, I do also like a dry rib versus wet ribs.

Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest of the ribs since a Costco 3 pack is a little much for one person.

My life has been better once I started cooking at a higher temperature. I'll often times even go up to 275 or so.

It doesn't give you as many bragging points on the internet or in a bar, but you get so much time back.

 

[Gonzo]

My life has been better once I started cooking at a higher temperature. I'll often times even go up to 275 or so.

It doesn't give you as many bragging points on the internet or in a bar, but you get so much time back.

"Hey everyone, look, it's one of those 'high-heat' smokers..."

 

[JustAnotherTimeline]

My life has been better once I started cooking at a higher temperature. I'll often times even go up to 275 or so.

It doesn't give you as many bragging points on the internet or in a bar, but you get so much time back.

I only have a pit barrel....no thermometer. Outside of opening the lid a crack there is no temp control anyways.

I have no idea what the temp is in there. Feels primal. It could be 400 in there for all I know.