Vertical smoker brisket issues

[James D]

Hello everybody. So I have had my pit Boss vertical smoker for over a year now and so far I love everything that I cook in it except for brisket. I have tried multiple different ways from low and slow at 225 wrapping halfway through with butcher paper and I've tried going at 300° wrapping halfway. I've even tried not wrapping them but my brisket consistently comes out tasting like pot roast. Is it because I keep the water tray full at the bottom? I'm running out of ideas before I give up this was my 30th unsuccessful brisket LOL. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[nvhunter]

Are you wanting more smoke flavor? how do you season it? and what grade of brisket are you using?

I use the prime briskets from Costco and wrap in foil when I hit 165ish. I season heavy with course salt and pepper and granulated garlic ( I have also cut with 50% Montreal steak seasoning ) I do trim my briskets at least the big chunks of fat from them.
I smoke at 225 to 240 by thermometer not the setting on the smoker and I run a smoke tube till I wrap. Most of my cooks have been between 10 to 12 hours even on briskets that are in the 16 to 18 lb range. On a couple of the smaller briskets or thinner flats I have added a half cup of beef stock when I wrap and that seemed to have more of a roast beef flavor but they didn't dry out .
I moved the water pan up away from the fire box but I have the copperhead 7 with lots of room in it. I find that I don't get a heavy dark bark with the water pan.

 

[James D]

I do pretty much the same thing minus the steak seasoning and I use the butcher paper instead. Still has the post roast flavor. My big ass water pan that is part of the vertical smoker runs out every 5 ish hrs so I refill it which is why I was wondering if it gets too much steam from that.

 

[nvhunter]

Thats why I raised my water pan up to where the second or third rack would be in my smoker. What type of pellets are you using?

 

[James D]

Thats why I raised my water pan up to where the second or third rack would be in my smoker. What type of pellets are you using?

Mesquite usually because that's how we do where I'm from in Texas. Sometimes I add some pecan to it also. Before you raised your water pan were you getting too much moisture?

 

[James D]

Also I just realized maybe I'm not wrapping my brisket tight enough in the butcher paper. If I'm not could that be causing the problem?

 

[jerryjj]

Hello everybody. So I have had my pit Boss vertical smoker for over a year now and so far I love everything that I cook in it except for brisket. I have tried multiple different ways from low and slow at 225 wrapping halfway through with butcher paper and I've tried going at 300° wrapping halfway. I've even tried not wrapping them but my brisket consistently comes out tasting like pot roast. Is it because I keep the water tray full at the bottom? I'm running out of ideas before I give up this was my 30th unsuccessful brisket LOL. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I smoke my brisket on my weber grill the with slow and sear with lump charcoal and wood chunks for two hours and then finish it in the Brunswick and I do you wrap it at approximate 170° in butcher paper… completely better brisket this way better smoke flavor…..

 

[James D]

I smoke my brisket on my weber grill the with slow and sear with lump charcoal and wood chunks for two hours and then finish it in the Brunswick and I do you wrap it at approximate 170° in butcher paper… completely better brisket this way better smoke flavor…..

Yes I wrap it around 165 ish. Depending on when it stalls

 

[nvhunter]

Mesquite usually because that's how we do where I'm from in Texas. Sometimes I add some pecan to it also. Before you raised your water pan were you getting too much moisture?

I've had that roast beef flavor when I used a mixed pellet and when I tired injecting the brisket. Some times too with the beef stock it will have that flavor and get stringy like crock pot beef, but its not dry and thats why I do It if the flat starts to dry and the point still has a ways to go on temp.

I was trying to get a better bark and not have to fill the pan, I generally start my brisket cooks at midnight or early am and check every hour to two. Have you tried to rub it then put it in the fridge for 12 hours?

 

[James D]

I've had that roast beef flavor when I used a mixed pellet and when I tired injecting the brisket. Some times too with the beef stock it will have that flavor and get stringy like crock pot beef, but its not dry and thats why I do It if the flat starts to dry and the point still has a ways to go on temp.

I was trying to get a better bark and not have to fill the pan, I generally start my brisket cooks at midnight or early am and check every hour to two. Have you tried to rub it then put it in the fridge for 12 hours?

No it's usually last minute for me when I find out people wanna come over I just go buy it. Season it. Let it sit for an hr and put it on the smoker

 

[Dab942]

I have done briskets many ways -- this is how I did my last one and will probably do them from now on.

I think I stole this from Myron Mixon.

I marinade it in beef broth over night. Season it -- I only use salt and pepper. On the rack at 300F for a couple of hours. I put a little broth in an aluminum pan and put the brisket in the pan and wrap it until it gets to temp -- somewhere in the 195-200 ish.

I take the whole thing out and wrap it in moving blankets -- cheap at harbor freight - for at least a couple hours - but it's still HOT much longer than that.

Next time, I'm going to baste in beef tallow before in the pan, instead of broth for the second part -- just to see. I've done it with nothing in the bottom of the pan and it seems to overcook the bottom edge.

I've stopped doing the low and slow thing -- beef, I do at 300 and everything else 275 -- generally.
I did some country ribs at 225 last weekend for about four hours -- but they weren't large pieces of meat.

 

[MrDavePa]

I trim off the ends. Anything with less then 3/4 to an inch of meat. That gets cooked on another shelf and pulled off and rested before the main piece. That goes into brisket mac&Cheese