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[Chris__M]

In 2018, I bought the basic Anova Sous Vide (bluetooth, no wifi) and had quite a bit of fun with it. But like my smokers, it has been pretty inactive for the last 2 years.

Anyway, a few weeks ago, I had a meat delivery from my friends at Turner & George, and had some fun playing with the new grill, which I detailed in an earlier post. I also had order placed with another online Butcher here, Tom Hickson, but when it arrived, the weather turned cold and wet.

I'm a bit of a fair-weather outdoor cook, so apart from the St Louis ribs, which I cooked last week, most of the delivery was frozen. A large brisket was cut into 3 pieces - 2 for the freezer, and one for the fridge.

So that piece of brisket went into the bath last night, it has been chugging along at a solid 155°F all day, and I plan to let it go overnight; so something like 32-36 hours.

I then plan to finish it on the grill. I haven't decided yet whether to let it cool first, and try and then get some smoke on it; or just carry on by applying a rub and then putting it on the grill to put a crust on it.

It is the longest sous vide I remember doing, and I feel like the kid in the car saying "Are we there yet?"

Today was supposed to be very wet, and was at times, with thunder and lightning. But in between times, there was bright sunshine and blue skies. A very odd day. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny, and the it all goes to xxxx again after that - no surprise, as I am on holiday from work this coming week.

[Bentley]

Are you looking at using it like you would a traditionally BBQed brisket?

[BigDave83]

If you want smoke on it, i would ice it down well. Once iced down you could stuff in the fridge and then cook when you want bringing the temp back up to 150 ish.

Hope you share a few pics of this.

I have not done brisket in a long time. i am the only one that will eat it here.

[Chris__M]

Are you looking at using it like you would a traditionally BBQed brisket?

That's the main intention, although I'm just seeing where it takes me.

Due to a week and a half of bad weather and being busy at work (I'm on holiday this week, so last week was brutal), I ended up with a nice brisket being delivered, and no opportunity/inclination to cook it. So I cut it in 3 pieces -  sacrilegious, but brisket is a fairly new thing for me, so I figured it gave me 3 opportunities to experiment. Two went in the freezer, this is the bit that didn't.

[Chris__M]

If you want smoke on it, i would ice it down well. Once iced down you could stuff in the fridge and then cook when you want bringing the temp back up to 150 ish.

Hope you share a few pics of this.

I have not done brisket in a long time. i am the only one that will eat it here.

Thanks. I figured I needed to cool it down for it to be able to take smoke, but it is nice to have experienced voices confirm this.

It's a small piece of brisket, but even so, I am going to do 3 things with it.

1. After it is rested, cut off a mouthful. I am just curious as to what it is like straight out of sous vide, although I know it will look unappetising.
2. Cut of a slightly larger piece, about half a steak, and sear it in my air fryer. Again, not BBQ, but it would give me an idea of what it would be like simply seared and not smoked, without starting the grill.
3. Cool the rest down, and apply rub and refrigerate, then smoke for 3 hours, before increasing the temperature to finish it off.

I've just taken it out, after 33.5 hours in the sous vide, and it is resting in the pouch.

[Chris__M]

My little Sous Vide set up.

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The brisket out of the pouch. The amount of juice surprised me, but I can always use stock.

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As I said, a mouthful to taste, a bit to air-fry, the rest to chill and smoke.

All in all, I think it looks good. This was cooked at 155°C for 33.5 hours.

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A morsel for the chef. My word, that tasted so.... beefy! Excellent, and a nice texture - pull apart, but not mushy.

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My "steaklet", after 10 minutes in the air-fryer. I cooked it to 5, and it wasn't how I wanted it. I think 10 was perhaps over the top, but not horribly so. A lovely crust, still gorgeous inside. A nice start to the morning. [Edit: Thinking about it, the amount of crust *would* have been appropriate for a larger piece of meat, with soft meat beneath. So still lessons learned.]

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The rest is now in the fridge. That is a project for later in the day.

[BigDave83]

That looks great, did you do any type of seasoning before the SV? I have come to like to put some of whatever I will be finishing with i the smoker or on the grill.

As I said I usually don't make brisket, but I go to a few laces that make it and it is very good to me. I will usually buy some extra and then the next day low temp i the pan let it warm through and some of the fats come out and it browns up, really good eats. I like to do the same with the left over pulled pork, skillet to warm and crisp up a bit, toss a flour tortilla on top once close done to steam a bit, then put it all together with some yellow mustard, provolone and a good Clausen type pickle spear. Even a little horseradish at times if I think about it.

[Chris__M]

That looks great, did you do any type of seasoning before the SV? I have come to like to put some of whatever I will be finishing with i the smoker or on the grill.

As I said I usually don't make brisket, but I go to a few laces that make it and it is very good to me. I will usually buy some extra and then the next day low temp i the pan let it warm through and some of the fats come out and it browns up, really good eats. I like to do the same with the left over pulled pork, skillet to warm and crisp up a bit, toss a flour tortilla on top once close done to steam a bit, then put it all together with some yellow mustard, provolone and a good Clausen type pickle spear. Even a little horseradish at times if I think about it.

I didn't, simply because I'd cut it up and vacuum packed before the thought occurred to me to try sous vide. I think next time, I will season it before packing.

But the remaining piece has now been seasoned with one of my new favourite rubs from UK supplier Firefly - their Kansas rub, which is:

Dark Muscovado Sugar, Cane Sugar, Paprika, Sea Salt, Hickory Smoked Salt, Onion, Celery, Black Pepper, Anaheim Chilli, Mustard, Smoked Paprika, White Pepper, Ginger, Allspice, Cayenne.

It is sitting in the fridge at the moment, absorbing it, and I'll probably put it on the grill tomorrow - a supermarket delivery will bring me some other little things that can sit in there at the same time.

[Chris__M]

Oh well, plans change.

I was busy today, car shopping, so grabbed a bite to eat when I got home, then went out again.

The brisket has been in the fridge all day, covered in dry rub, which is now a kind of wet rub, with the fat and juice from the meat.

And although it was due to go on the grill tomorrow. I can't stop stealing a slice of it, and then another slice.

Yes, it isn't BBQ, but it is delicious.

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[Chris__M]

I've plenty more brisket in the freezer.... I'll do another one.

[Brushpopper]

Good plan.  Practice is what I call it.