Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (tinagrrl)

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 01:47:31 GMT

The real problem is finding those BIG papers!

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (Twinwillow)

Tue, 18 May 2010 17:16:01 GMT

Ralph Melton

We talked to Wayne at the New Orleans Roadfood Festival, and he said that that was the first event they'd done with the catering smoker; it was less than a year old.

As I thought. Thanks.

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (Ralph Melton)

Tue, 18 May 2010 16:08:13 GMT

We talked to Wayne at the New Orleans Roadfood Festival, and he said that that was the first event they'd done with the catering smoker; it was less than a year old.

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (Twinwillow)

Tue, 18 May 2010 14:18:39 GMT

Thanks for the video link, Ralph. I've been going to LM's for well over 35 years and I'm happy to see Wayne has taken over the family business.
I think I can see now, why Lance left so abruptly after Bobby (Wayne's dad) died.

I see they used a catering smoker for this demo. I've never seen it there before and, it looks quite new. So,I guess Wayne is doing catering as well now. That's something new for LM. But, I'm a little surprised they didn't use the ancient (1949) pits inside the restaurant for the demo. They have so much character and age worthy patina.

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (Twinwillow)

Tue, 18 May 2010 13:49:49 GMT

Louie Mueller's brisket is the (arguably) best damn BBQ brisket on the planet!

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (mayor al)

Tue, 18 May 2010 13:08:43 GMT

Mueller's makes some of the best BBQ I have ever had the good fortune to enjoy. I have had the Brisket there several times, both the 'lean' and the 'fatty'. Of the two offerings I like the 'fatty' a bit better as it is 'more moist'. Add a Beef Rib or two and you have the makings of a great Beef BBQ dinner.

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (boyardee65)

Mon, 17 May 2010 00:20:47 GMT

I used to have a New Braunsfeld smoker a few years ago when I lived in Wickenburg AZ. I sold it before I moved to AK. I used to do brisket in it overnight. Had to stay up all night and watch it. I used mesqite wood aged for at least a year or two from my Mom's grove. Came out great every time!

I miss not having a smoker! I might just have to build one.

David o.

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (bartl)

Mon, 03 May 2010 00:21:11 GMT

I have one question about smoking a brisket: Which end do you light, and which end do you put in your mouth?

More seriously, I first had smoked brisket when helping out at a boomerang throwing demo for a group of Hasidic Jews for their Lag B'omer outing (Lag B'omer is a Jewish holiday often celebrated by outdoor activities, traditionally archery, but seems to include thrown and hand launched objects). Was looking forward to doing another demo last Sunday (not to mention the smoked brisket), but the Hasidim canceled on us; they ended up going to some huge celebration in Brooklyn.

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (MikeS.)

Sun, 02 May 2010 22:13:04 GMT

I love brisket, been cooking my own for years now. These instructions are what I've used. I use Kingsford charcoal and large lumps of wet hickory.

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (russ2304)

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:52:36 GMT

Ralph Melton

Texas Monthly has an article coming up on how to smoke a brisket, as instructed by Louie Mueller Barbecue.

The article (registration required to read it all) is at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.texasmonthly.com%2Fpreview%2F2010-05-01%2Fthemanual&h=8a5d9 . My favorite quote: "If you can poke your finger at least an inch deep into it, the brisket should be tender."

There's a video to go with it at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.texasmonthly.com%2Fmultimedia&h=8a5d9 ; I found the video even more useful and entertaining than the article.

Smoking a Brisket How to smoke the perfect brisket.
by Andrea Valdez
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Smoking A Brisket
Illustrations by Frank Chimero

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The Manual 2.0 (May 2010) »

The sacred cow of Texas barbecue is brisket, but smoking one to perfection can be tough. So what’s the secret? “Keep it simple,” says Wayne Mueller, the third-generation owner of Louie Mueller Barbecue, in Taylor. “It’s simple ingredients cooked with a simple process that simply requires patience and practice.” Start with an untrimmed, or packer’s cut, brisket that is well marbled and has at least a quarter-inch-thick fat cap. (When cooking, place the fat cap up so the juices are absorbed into the meat.) Create a dry rub using one part salt and nine parts coarse-ground pepper, then liberally coat the meat with the seasoning and massage it in. Now you’re ready to smoke a brisket that’s a cut above.
1. The Wood Build your fire using regional hardwoods, such as mesquite in the west, hickory in the east, and post oak and pecan in Central Texas. “Never use
conifers, like pine, because they emit a distasteful resin that permeates the food,” Mueller says. When the coals glow red, the smoking can begin.
2. Direct Heat Most backyard barbecuers use this method, but the brisket can quickly dry out because the meat sits directly over the coals. Avoid over-cooking by soaking some wood chips in water (or in fruit juice for an extra layer of flavor) and adding them to the embers. The damp wood smolders and permeates the brisket with smoke. You can also offset the heat by raking the coals to opposite sides of the pit. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours per pound, at a temperature between 200 and 250 degrees, adding both dry and soaked wood chips as necessary to keep the temperature consistent.
3. Indirect Heat This process, which employs an extension firebox on a smoker, produces fantastic barbecue but proves fickle even to practiced pitmasters; variables such as humidity and the size of the brisket can throw off results. “Rule number one is, open the pit as little as possible,” Mueller says. The temperature should always stay the same—between 250 and 325 degrees—and heat escapes when you open the lid. Cook for 60 to 90 minutes per pound, until the internal meat temperature is at least 180 degrees. You can also use Mueller’s feel test: “If you can poke your finger at least an inch deep into it, the brisket should be tender.”

Re:Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (JRPfeff)

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:25:18 GMT

Thanks for the link Ralph. I need all the help I can get with my brisket.

Jim

Louie Mueller: How To Smoke a Brisket (Ralph Melton)

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:40:03 GMT

Texas Monthly has an article coming up on how to smoke a brisket, as instructed by Louie Mueller Barbecue.

The article (registration required to read it all) is at http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2010-05-01/themanual . My favorite quote: "If you can poke your finger at least an inch deep into it, the brisket should be tender."

There's a video to go with it at http://www.texasmonthly.com/multimedia/video/themanual20/14646 ; I found the video even more useful and entertaining than the article.