[bluesman]

Going back to the 24-hour thing, if your rub has salt, you really need to make sure you don't do it for too long, otherwise the proteins start to denature.

+1

Not only will salt break down the meat but it also dehydrates it as well. I make my own rubs and keep the sodium as a smaller percentage of the ingredients.

[brewmichigan]

Going back to the 24-hour thing, if your rub has salt, you really need to make sure you don't do it for too long, otherwise the proteins start to denature.

+1

Not only will salt break down the meat but it also dehydrates it as well. I make my own rubs and keep the sodium as a smaller percentage of the ingredients.

Alright then, I think I've been convinced to run just before I put in to smoke. I'm not looking for "corned" beef just good smoked brisket.I was going to do a cajun type rub with garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and some crushed peppers I grew in my garden last year that have been dehydrated and ground up.

[bluesman]

Going back to the 24-hour thing, if your rub has salt, you really need to make sure you don't do it for too long, otherwise the proteins start to denature.

+1

Not only will salt break down the meat but it also dehydrates it as well. I make my own rubs and keep the sodium as a smaller percentage of the ingredients.

Alright then, I think I've been convinced to run just before I put in to smoke. I'm not looking for "corned" beef just good smoked brisket.I was going to do a cajun type rub with garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and some crushed peppers I grew in my garden last year that have been dehydrated and ground up.

Try it both ways and taste the difference...as I said, the level of salt in the rub can make a difference. If the rub doesn't have a significant level of salt then I recommend applying it the night before for more flavor infusion. IMO, applying right before the smoke is perfectly fine as well.

[euge]

If you choose to let the brisket come to room temp first a good way is to submerge the sealed packer in the sink with some warm water for about 30 minutes. Change the water a couple times. It'll take that cold edge off the brisket and you won't be cooling you smoker down with a 35F hunk of meat.

Alternatively, if I put a cold packer in- it goes in about 165F and I let the smoker rise up to temp 225-250F over the course of a couple hours. This lets the smoke permeate the meat and you develop a hell of a smoke-ring. This also works with a room temp brisket.

When the internal temp reaches 150F double-wrap the brisket tight in foil and return to smoker. This'll shave hours off your cook. When the internal temp reaches 195 or or so remove package from smoker and wrap in a couple towels. This goes into a cooler or unlit oven for at least a couple hours.

A 5 pound brisket will take at least 7 hours if you don't foil it.

[bluesman]

+1...to what euge has stated.

I always allow the meat to come to R.T. before smoking or grilling. This facilitates more even cooking throughout the meat as well.

[bo]

I really don't see the problem putting the brisket in the smoker when it cold. It does cool it down, but there's still some smoking going on, at least there is in my electric smoker.

Of course I also don't see a problem letting it come up to room temp either. It's my standard procedure for grilling steaks, but that's so I can get cooked just right, medium rare.  With smoking, time is on your side.

[bluesman]

I really don't see the problem putting the brisket in the smoker when it cold. It does cool it down, but there's still some smoking going on, at least there is in my electric smoker.

Of course I also don't see a problem letting it come up to room temp either. It's my standard procedure for grilling steaks, but that's so I can get cooked just right, medium rare.  With smoking, time is on your side.

There's not necessarily a "problem" with it, however adding 5 or 10 lbs of cold meat will cause a significant  loss of thermal mass. This equates to more time and charcoal for all of the wood/charcoal users out there. It doesn't take any effort to allow the meat to come to R.T. unless you don't have the time to do it.

[bo]

I guess if I was using charcoal I'd be more concerned with the meat temp.

[tschmidlin]

Going back to the 24-hour thing, if your rub has salt, you really need to make sure you don't do it for too long, otherwise the proteins start to denature.

Can you describe what you mean by denature?  With my work it has specific meaning to me that is not applicable here, so what does it do?  How does it affect the flavor/texture?

When I corn beef I do it for up to 10 days, no problem, good flavor/texture.

Which reminds me, I'm going to corn some beef - can anyone recommend a non-brisket cut for corning?  I might just go with brisket again, but I'm up for trying something else.

[bo]

Going back to the 24-hour thing, if your rub has salt, you really need to make sure you don't do it for too long, otherwise the proteins start to denature.

Can you describe what you mean by denature?  With my work it has specific meaning to me that is not applicable here, so what does it do?  How does it affect the flavor/texture?

When I corn beef I do it for up to 10 days, no problem, good flavor/texture.

Which reminds me, I'm going to corn some beef - can anyone recommend a non-brisket cut for corning?  I might just go with brisket again, but I'm up for trying something else.

I use Morton Tender Quick for corning with great results. Do you use something different?

And I've gone a week on a 1" cut with little salty taste.

[tschmidlin]

I use Morton Tender Quick for corning with great results. Do you use something different?

And I've gone a week on a 1" cut with little salty taste.

I mix my own spices, dry corn, and don't use nitrates/nitrites.  I can post the recipe if you like, it's a variation on something I got out of Tony Hill's "Herbs and Spices" and ATK's "Best Slow and Easy Recipes".  It might already be posted here somewhere . . .

[bo]

I use Morton Tender Quick for corning with great results. Do you use something different?

And I've gone a week on a 1" cut with little salty taste.

I mix my own spices, dry corn, and don't use nitrates/nitrites.  I can post the recipe if you like, it's a variation on something I got out of Tony Hill's "Herbs and Spices" and ATK's "Best Slow and Easy Recipes".  It might already be posted here somewhere . . .

I'd like to see it when ever you get a chance. Thanks.

[tschmidlin]

After reviewing it, I use mostly Tony's recipe for corning spices, but with the salt proportion and dry corning method from the other book.  Tony calls for yellow mustard seed, Turkish bay leaves, white and black peppercorns, allspice berries, and celery seeds.

The other book uses salt, bay leaves, black pepper, thyme, allspice, and paprika.

I usually use 1/4 cup of salt, plus 1/4+ cup of spice mix for a 4-5 lb brisket.

The spice mix contains (cracked/lightly ground in a coffee/spice mill before using):
1/4 cup mustard seed
5 bay leaves
2 Tbs of peppercorns (I use black, sometimes long pepper, sometimes some Szechuan too)
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp allspice

I rub it with the salt, then the spice, put it in a 2-gallon ziploc in the fridge with bricks on top, flip it daily for 5-10 days.  Wash it and rub it with some fresh spice blend (no salt) before cooking.

We like it.  The lack of nitrates makes they meat turn brownish grey during cooking, but we don't mind.

<edit> forgot some directions

[bo]

After reviewing it, I use mostly Tony's recipe for corning spices, but with the salt proportion and dry corning method from the other book.  Tony calls for yellow mustard seed, Turkish bay leaves, white and black peppercorns, allspice berries, and celery seeds.

The other book uses salt, bay leaves, black pepper, thyme, allspice, and paprika.

I usually use 1/4 cup of salt, plus 1/4+ cup of spice mix for a 4-5 lb brisket.

The spice mix contains:
1/4 cup mustard seed
5 bay leaves
2 Tbs of peppercorns (I use black, sometimes long pepper, sometimes some Szechuan too)
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp allspice

I rub it with the salt, then the spice, put it in a 2-gallon ziploc in the fridge with bricks on top, flip it daily for 5-10 days.  Wash it and rub it with some fresh spice blend (no salt) before cooking.

We like it.  The lack of nitrates makes they meat turn brownish grey during cooking, but we don't mind.

That was fast, thanks. I assume you use non iodized salt.

[tschmidlin]

After reviewing it, I use mostly Tony's recipe for corning spices, but with the salt proportion and dry corning method from the other book.  Tony calls for yellow mustard seed, Turkish bay leaves, white and black peppercorns, allspice berries, and celery seeds.

The other book uses salt, bay leaves, black pepper, thyme, allspice, and paprika.

I usually use 1/4 cup of salt, plus 1/4+ cup of spice mix for a 4-5 lb brisket.

The spice mix contains:
1/4 cup mustard seed
5 bay leaves
2 Tbs of peppercorns (I use black, sometimes long pepper, sometimes some Szechuan too)
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp allspice

I rub it with the salt, then the spice, put it in a 2-gallon ziploc in the fridge with bricks on top, flip it daily for 5-10 days.  Wash it and rub it with some fresh spice blend (no salt) before cooking.

We like it.  The lack of nitrates makes they meat turn brownish grey during cooking, but we don't mind.

That was fast, thanks. I assume you use non iodized salt.

Anything to keep me from working

Yeah sea salt, presumably non-iodized but I've never looked that closely.