Competition Practice

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Competition Practice

Postby TX1911 » Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:41 am

Morning folks!

We've got our big competition coming up in about 10 days, and I am so pumped. Our usual brisket cook had a severe case of COVID about six weeks ago and is still recovering, so he bowed out. That left the brisket up to me. So, me being me, I've been cooking a LOT to try to get a competition recipe right. Hopefully I nailed it this time, but only time will tell!

Started with a 12lb HEB Prime and trimmed it down. The night before the cook, I seasoned it just with SPG. and into the fridge it went!
20210919_193220.jpg


The next morning (Monday), I wiped off the moisture and any excess rub and injected the flat, following up with a good coating of 407.
20210920_050818.jpg


While waiting on the pit to get to temp, I was just watching the fire. Thought this was a cool picture. I mean, it was 4:45 on a Monday morning. What else am I going to do?
20210920_051139.jpg


After a quick 7 hours, or so into the paper it went. The flat probed at 165. This was probably the one thing I would do differently. I would have waited for the color in the center to darken just a little bit more before wrapping.
20210920_125324.jpg


After 13 hours, the flat was only probing at 194, but I had to get it off to rest so we could eat, being a week night and all. The flat was a little bit tighter than I like it when I pulled it, so I made sure to warn everyone. But, to my surprise, after about an hour rest it had carried over enough so that it was super tender and not over-done. I forgot to take a picture of it whole when I took it out of the paper, but the bark set well.

Every time I see a picture like this, I think of Gator and a post he made on Facebook some years back about not squishing your brisket to see the juices flow out! :lol: (I think the exact words were "You know those pictures of people squeezing the juice out of their brisket after they cut it? Yeah, don't do that" or something to that effect) Some things just stick with you!
20210920_181424.jpg


My slices were a little bit off, but it was every bit as tender as I was hoping for.
20210920_181611.jpg


Thanks for sticking around this long!
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Re: Competition Practice

Postby OldUsedParts » Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:46 am

Looks great to me, Counselor - - - :tup: :chef: :cheers: :salut: :texas:
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Re: Competition Practice

Postby Rambo » Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:48 am

When you get that bend, you have nailed it. How was your flavor with just straight SPG?
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Re: Competition Practice

Postby TX1911 » Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:57 am

Rambo wrote:When you get that bend, you have nailed it. How was your flavor with just straight SPG?


So, it wasn't just straight SPG. I applied the SPG the night before and let it sit. Ended up sitting for about 8 hours. The next morning, while the pit was heating, I wiped off the moisture and any excess rub that hadn't absorbed or melted into the meat. Then I injected and applied the 407 rub. I had tried the 407 before, and let it sit overnight, but the general consensus was that sitting that long brought too much heat. It's really, really good stuff. I think for our purposes we need to not let it sit as long. A shorter time gets a slight bite of heat at the back end as opposed to a strong feeling.

This is the rub:
https://www.sucklebusters.com/bbq-rubs-seasonings/407-bbq-rub/
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Re: Competition Practice

Postby k.a.m. » Wed Sep 22, 2021 10:01 am

Good looking brisket TX1911. :salut: :salut: :salut:
Which cook-off are you cooking at?
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Re: Competition Practice

Postby TX1911 » Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:02 am

k.a.m. wrote:Good looking brisket TX1911. :salut: :salut: :salut:
Which cook-off are you cooking at?


We'll be out at the Fort Bend County Fair. There are still 2 spots open..... Just sayin' :D
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Re: Competition Practice

Postby k.a.m. » Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:39 am

TX1911 wrote:
k.a.m. wrote:Good looking brisket TX1911. :salut: :salut: :salut:
Which cook-off are you cooking at?


We'll be out at the Fort Bend County Fair. There are still 2 spots open..... Just sayin' :D

Good luck to you!
I will be judging Porter VFW that weekend brother.
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Re: Competition Practice

Postby Norway Joe » Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:55 am

I have very little experience with brisket but this looks fabulous to me. Wish you good luck in the competition.

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Re: Competition Practice

Postby phillymike » Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:59 pm

Very nice. Was that fat side up or down? I agree with the 407. Luv that on my chicken.


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Re: Competition Practice

Postby TX1911 » Thu Sep 23, 2021 11:51 am

phillymike wrote:Very nice. Was that fat side up or down? I agree with the 407. Luv that on my chicken.


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On my offset, I have a deflector plate that runs about 2/3 of the way down the cook chamber, so the heat comes from underneath. So, fat cap down.

On my pellet grill, the heat seems to roll and come from the top more, so there, it's fat side up.
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Re: Competition Practice

Postby TX1911 » Thu Sep 23, 2021 11:54 am

I threw a chicken on last night to hone that. It was not quite as impressive as the brisket. The technique, in my opinion, was about perfect. The color was right, and the moisture was off the chart. I just needed to work on my flavor profiles. The injection I used didn't quite gel with the Clucker Dust and Honey Peach finishing sauce.

20210922_181105.jpg


Another positive, that Honey Peach Finishing Sauce is absolutely amazing! Thanks Dan for another phenomenal competition tool!
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Re: Competition Practice

Postby bsooner75 » Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:52 pm

That’s a heck of a way to Monday


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Re: Competition Practice

Postby flexster » Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:46 pm

Very nice overview of your recent brisket cook. It looks great and I'm sure it was delicious.
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Re: Competition Practice

Postby PinoyPitmaster » Wed Oct 06, 2021 4:55 pm

How did you do? Ribs 6th and brisket 9th alway nice to have a walk up


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Re: Competition Practice

Postby TX1911 » Thu Oct 07, 2021 8:56 am

Not our best showing, to be honest. Chicken did not make top 20 which always bothers me. Ribs did not either, so we have to figure those out. Fajitas were 13th, which was pretty good for our new fajita cook (first time competitor). My brisket was 11th. Highest we've done in that category, but still some work to do.

Congratulations on your walks!
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