Showing posts with label Brisket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brisket. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Smoking Brisket Island Style


On Guam, we have a different style of smoking brisket. We slice it up, marinade it or just dry rub it, hang it or lay if flat over a smokey, open fire and smoke it until the grillmaster has it where he wants it.

Here is one process that I did recently. 

First of all, I wanted the finished product a little dry and not too plump. This is what I carry with me when I am out in the field fighting fires. This is my chow. I did not want to marinade it. I only dry rubbed it with my secret Rueben's Rub. Here are the ingredients for my rub....Sea Salt, Kosher Salt, Garlic Powder (granulated), Black Pepper, Celery Salt, MSG (Accent), Parsley Flakes and Onion Powder.

Here are the photos....

Started out with a 10 lb. brisket. I did not trim it at all.

I am going to slice it against the grain. Here you can see which way the grain runs.

Close up of the grain.

Try to slice at about 1/4 inch thick pieces.

This shows the fat marbling of the flat. 

Here are the slices. Still a little ways to go.

Once sliced, I add my seasoning. I use freshly ground black pepper. Nothing beats the fresh stuff.

All seasoned and ready to be hung over the fire for smoking.

Here is my famous uglier that thou pit. Meat is already laid out on the hanging grill. This open fire pit concept allows for a mellow smoke flavor.

Here is my fire. Wood is wet (soaked). The wood used is our local Tangantangan wood. Similar in aroma and flavor to red oak. I also use dried, whole coconut for aroma and flavoring. Coconut is the bomb!!

Close up of the brisker all laid out on the suspended grill.

Finished product.

Close up.

Now this is one style. This could take anywhere from 4-8 hours depending on how you want it cooked and how tender you want it. Another style is to marinade the meat and smoke it just long enough for the meat to cook tender and remain plump so that you can grill it at another time.

Here is the marinade that I use for this...

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup Brown sugar
20 to 30 thinly sliced pieces of fresh papaya for tenderizing.

Mix this in the bowl containing your brisket.

Then apply your seasoning to taste because the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauces are already salty.

You can also hang these slices of brisket from small hooks as shown below. The grillmaster here is Ray Garrido and he is known for his fantastic, smoked brisket.

Grillmaster Ray

His smoked brisket hanging over the fire pit.

And that's how its done here on Guam. Yes, we still smoke the whole brisket the conventional way but, it is not that popular here for BBQs because it takes too long. That is just too much work for the average everyday BBQ here. We could be eating and drinking already.....

But it is all GOOD no matter which way you grill, smoke or BBQ that's for sure!!!

Until next time....

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Brisket Smoking Live on Guam....Right Now!!!!

Hey, thought I would do something different. Got a 16 lb. brisker on the pit right now as I type. Since I am on Guam, the time is 0755hrs Saturday morning, 4:30pm Friday afternoon, Texas time. I dropped the brisket at 0730hrs. Splashed a ton of Worcestshire sauce and rub it very thick, paste like, with Bob-BQN's Brisket dust, recipe on my other post "Rubs".

I will take pictures every 2 hours as this is happening. I'm thinking 12 hrs minimum, but it depends when I reach the right internal temp.

Here are some photos that I already took...


Brisket all splashed up with Worcestershire sauce


Rubbed and ready to go


Another angle


On the grill ready for a 12 hr massage


Plenty of hickory smoke coming out of this puppy


Lid temp


Grill temp

Well that is what I had at start up. I will keep you all posted on the progress with photos every couple of hours.

I know what some of you are thinking, is he really going to smoke on that pit. Believe me, I am going to make my own smoker in a couple of weeks. Gathering up the materials now. But in the meantime, as I have in the past, I'll make anything work. You all have done the same. This ain't my first ballgame, if you know what I mean.

See ya in a couple of hours....



PS....the rub recipe is right here.  AKA Bob-BQN's Brisket Dust. 


UPDATE # 1!!!!!!


Well gang, here are a couple of photos of the brisket 2.5 hours into the smoke..





Heat holding about 210F.

Sorry for the photo quality. I am a little shaky at the moment. Brushcutting the yard.

Hope you're enjoying the show.

Adios, see ya in a couple more hours.....



UPDATE #2!!!!!! 5 hours into it!!!


Well after 5 hours, everything is holding up just fine. Temp between 200-220. That's close enough for me.

Here are updated photos...









Well that's it for now. Next update in about another 2 hours.  


Adios.....



UPDATE # 3... 7.5 HOURS GONE BY....GETTING CLOSER!!!


Yeah....inching closer. Got the temp gauge inserted.
Fire still good at around 210.

Here are the latest pics....






I was lifting up the corner to look under and it just broke off. Very tasty.



You know that feeling you get when you just want to try one piece but shouldn't. That's where I'm at right now. Patience Phantom, Patience.

Be back in a couple of hours.



UPDATE # 4!!!! BBQING BRISKET!!!! 9 hrs down, about 3 to go.

Well, we're almost there. After 9 hours of smoking, it's time to wrap her up. Got the foil out and she's a wrap.



Only about 3 hours left in the plan. I want 185-190F. Hopefully I won't have to go too much longer that the 3 hours. Should work out just about right.

Later...



UPDATE #5.....12 hrs total cooking time.

Well, the brisket is OFF THE FIRE!!! Now we're talking. Took it off at 7:30pm at 195 F internal. Time was right at 12 hrs.

Now she is resting for about 1 hour and then it's slicing time.


Resting for 1 hour


Temp is right at 195 F. The camera angle makes it look a little higher.

So now that the brisket is inside the house resting and spreading that brisket smell all over, I'm not the only one suffering now.

In less than an hour, she will go under the knife.

Soon, real soon.



The Finale!!!


Well...the deed is done. The brisket has that great smokey flavor and Bob-BQN's rub is off the hook!!! Very tender and moist. Not a very dark smoke ring on this one but let's just say it was a baby ring.

Here are a few pics..


Just unwrapped






Falls apart with just finger pressure


Separated the flat and the point so that I could slice across the grains. Chopped up the end in smaller pieces for sampling.


Flat slices


The point slices were well marbled and very juicy.

Well after 12 hours of cooking I would have to give this BBQ a thumbs up. Everything came together.

Hope you all enjoyed the posts. We're enjoying the brisket.

Tomorrow, brisket fried rice and maybe some sandwiches.

Thanks and hats off to Bob-BQN for providing me the rub recipe.

Over and out from Guam.



Until next time....

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Firefighter BBQ at Shelton, Asan, Guam

You probably know already that we firefighters need very little reason to get together for a BBQ. Well one such BBQ was held at the "fisherman's hut" at an area known locally as "Shelton" in Asan, Guam.

On any typical day there would be anywhere from 5-10 fisherman fishing the area directly in front of the hut. But not on this day. It was reserved for our BBQ so we had the whole beach to ourselves. Here are a few of the pics from that day....

Like I said, we had a nice empty beach to enjoy.

Looking to the north, the beach is still empty.

Grill Master, Frank Santos, taking care of business.

Little bit of smoked meat getting heated up.

Frank also has some brisket chunks on the BarBe.

This brisket was grilled to perfection and it was so very tender. I still don't know how Frank did it.

It is definitely 'Happy Hour" with these guys.

Grill Masters Frank Santos and Andrew Palomo

These firefighters are really having a great time!!!!

The food was great, the drinks were cold and the company was the best. What more could you ask for....Well maybe we could ask to DO IT AGAIN!!!!!

Until next time....