Used the Grill Dome - my best brisket ever!

[SeanB]

I was able to use my GD for the first time. I made a 9lb brisket, started around 11:30pm Thursday night, and removed it about 1pm Friday afternoon. I did have to relight the fire one time when I woke up to go to work a little after 4am. As I was not awake to watch, I'm not sure what happened. I'll keep a better eye on it next time to adjust air flow. There's just a bit of a learning curve to get the air flow just right.

While the fire was getting going again, I went ahead and wrapped the brisket in heavy foil and put it back on after about 15 minutes once the fire was good again.

However, even with that, I took the meat up to 193 degrees F by lunch time and it was the most tender brisket that I have ever made and possibly the most tender I have ever had - no exaggeration. It did need more smoke (didn't soak the chunks long at all so they went up too quick) and it needed better seasoning - used a store bought rub as I was out of my own.

I did notice one other thing that was never an issue before. When I've cooked briskets in the past, I've always been happy with the flavor but they were never tender enough - poor heat control. While the meat was firmer, so was the fat, so it was easy to cut off after the cook.

This brisket was so tender (fell to pieces when I put the knife to it) that it was difficult to separate the fat, which was so well cooked into the meat.

Next time I will leave only a VERY thing layer of fat, and trim the rest before cooking.

So, while I still need a little tweaking, I can already say that this was an excellent purchase! Next weekend I'll be trying my first pulled pork ig: (shh - don't tell the other Texans).

 

[stevenbrla]

I don't know what a GrillDome is, Sean, but you sure made its end product sound delicious.

Weren't you involved in another site regarding grilling?

I think I joined it, but honestly don't recall where it is, etc.

I'd really like to get more involved in cooking... or maybe more correctly... I'd like to cook some.

A few weeks ago I attempted to copy a friend's recipe... turned out pretty good. He had put jalepeno and cream cheese in a dove breast, wrapped with bacon and grilled. Lacking doves, I did the same with chicken breasts (cut in half or thirds). The second batch, that I didn't let catch on fire, turned out pretty darn good... especially for a rookie like me.

Thanks again for all your work on this site!

Steve

 

[SeanB]

:lol: If you look at the name of this section of the forum, it may jog your memory - "Grill With Skill."

I simply did not have enough time to promote and work on GWS as I wanted to as a seperate site so I decided to incorporate it right here at TFP. I hope to eventually have a fair number of members who participate in GWS even if they are not pool owners.

The Grill Dome is a ceramic style grill/smoker - excellent for very low n slow cooks with steady temperature and minimual effort. Similar to a "Big Gree Egg" if you are familiar with that brand. I think the Grill Dome has some important advantages, but either is a fine product.

 

[gonefishin]

Yum Yum!

I started getting better brisket results after letting the brisket plateau at 190f for a slicing brisket and 200f for shredding or pulling brisket. You can still slice it at 200f but you have to go thicker.

dan

 

[j4ydubs]

So, while I still need a little tweaking, I can already say that this was an excellent purchase! Next weekend I'll be trying my first pulled pork ig: (shh - don't tell the other Texans).

Pulled pork? Did someone say pulled pork?

Have you written up a review for the Grill Dome yet? I missed it if you did.

John

 

[texasbrew]

Sean -

I suspect that some of the tenderness can be attributed to the f word...foil. I recently did a high heat brisket (325 deg - as high as the WSM would go with lump). I was able to do the flat from a 10lb packer in 6 hrs by placing the brisket in foil at 165 deg and cooking until fork would enter the meat like butter. I then removed the point from the packer and continue to cook the point. The point cooked for another 2 hours at lower temps (has more fat to render). The flat was very tender. This is a high heat method that I picked up from another site and it seems that the foil helps to retain much of the moisture.

 

[cruzmisl]

Sean, sounds delicious. I've been cooking on Kamado style cookers for years and they can't be beat. The learning curve is steep so you should be an expert in no time. I have a Komodo and you can come over to the forum anytime you want. It's a great resource for this style cooker and a great group of people. Everyone is welcome regardless of where you purchased your cooker from.

I don't want to boast but I'm a pork butt MASTER! I too used to put my butts on at midnight, let them cook through the night and get up every hour or two to make sure my temp was OK. What a HYOOGE PITA. I went and bought a BBQ Guru and now I sleep like a baby with no worries about temps. They make an adapter for your cooker.

http://secure.thebbqguru.com/ProductCart/pc/configurePrd.asp?idproduct=235

Worth EVERY solitary cent!

Here is a link to the forum,

http://www.komodokamado.com/forum/

 

[steve78412]

Sean,

I've owned a Grill Dome for two weeks now and it is changing how I smoke. My first low and slow with it was an 8# pork butt. I smeared it with mustard, and applied my rub, smoked using hickory and pecan at a dome temperature of 225F.

Sixteen hours later it hit an internal temperature of 205F and it came off. My best ever. I'm going to like this thing. I have always used an offset or bullet smoker and this is different for sure. There will be a learning curve.

Here is my rub recipe, it has evolved over 20 years:

1/4 Cup Salt
1/4 Cup Sugar
3 Tbl. sweet paprika, I use Penzey's smoked
3 Tbl. pure chili powder (I use ancho)
2 tsp. fresh pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Spread on a thin layer of yellow mustard then sprinkle on the rub. If you use Garlic Salt or Onion Salt instead of the powders, subtract a like amount from the 1/4 cup of salt.


Steve

 

[SeanB]

Nice. Here is the base of the rub I use. I tweak it everytime I make a batch based on what sounds good:

It comes form Mike Mills, 3 time champion of the International Memphis in May BBQ Cook-Off.

It's called Magic Dust. I like to use this as a starting point and then tweak it to my own tastes:

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

1/2 cup paprika

1/4 cup kosher salt, finely ground

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons mustard powder

1/4 cup chili powder

1/4 cup ground cumin

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

1/4 cup granulated garlic

2 tablespoons cayenne

Mix all ingredients and store in a tightly covered container.

Mike says, "You'll want to keep some in a shaker next to the grill or stove. Keeps indefinitely but won't last long."

It's become a hit with the neibhbors who have been asking me to make some for them too.

On the brisket, why do you take it to 225°F? How does that change the properties? I took mine to 193° and it was fully cooked and fork tender. Is it just a matter of preference or do you find that the flavor or texture improves with the additional temp? I also rub mine with mustard first. It doesn't seem to affect the flavor and keeps the seasoning on to make a nice bark around the meat.

 

[steve78412]

My smoker temperature is 225F, I take my Pork butts to an internal temperature of 205F and Briskets to 210F. The collagen is broken down at this temperature and the meat is very tender. Personal preference is part of this. It would be a little overdone by KCBS judging criteria, but only a bit. The brisket still slices but is very moist and tender. The technique I use has has a bit to do with this.

I also start my meat very cold, right out of the fridge. The smoke ring quits developing when the meat hits 140F, and I think the chilled start gives it more time to develop.

Hit my brisket page and video for what the final result looks like at an internal temperature of 210F, with an explanation of our technique. (pre Grill Dome)
http://www.tumbleweedglass.com/brisket.html

Steve