That’s sounds like you had enough oil. Must be something else
Don’t have a knee-jerk reaction. Watch the linked video for the preparation of the dough if nothing else. All the ingredients are by weight, not volume. Don’t waste your time with cups-and-spoons recipes.
Lack of heat.
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That looks good. 300F hotter than my prep called for, though.
Poolish/Pouliche
Bring the heat.
Weigh everything.
No such thing as a casual baker.
I didn’t know you were a baker, Charlie.
Cuisine and Pastry at LCB Paris back when it meant something, and then several years’ experience after that in pastry. It’s 2:30 a.m. and I’m up baking now, but just for the family.
Thank you !
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Yesterday’s lesson learned: The amount of wood needed to produce the desired level of smoke flavor is quite small–far less than required in a Texas pit offset. Very easy to overdo in the BGE.
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So, I finally tried the Thermoworks Billows, their blower unit. There are two ways to do this: (1) through the Signals Wi-Fi base unit and the phone app; or (2) through the much simpler and rugged commercial-grade ThermaQ2 4-channel base unit. I have the latter, so I was not able to monitor temperature remotely. With both ways, the base unit adjusts Billows’ fan, informed by an air probe placed next to the food.
I cooked a packer brisket, lighting the charcoal and adjusting the draft and vent as I would have normally for a cook at 225F. The difference is that, once Billows is in place, pretty much all draft has to go though Billows. My Egg’s top daisy wheel damper was set at Thermoworks’ suggestion, i.e., 1/8 open.
Initially, the temp rose to 275F even though the ThermaQ2 was set to 225F. I fiddled repeatedly to get it to come down. I probably fiddled too much, which may have interrupted the system from working right. After almost an hour, I decided 275F would be OK, and left it to cook overnight (I already knew the Egg would hold at least 12 hours).
When I checked it the next morning, though, the readout was EXACTLY the set 225F temperature. I don’t know how long it took to settle in, but the meat temp was just coming up to the point I wanted to wrap to get it through the stall (185F). It went back in, wrapped in foil, and I pulled it when the target 205F was reached. Then the wrapped packet went into a low oven (170F) to hold for another 17 hours.
I can’t say it was the best brisket I ever tasted, but it was close, and definitely the best I’ve made. Droopy moist and good bark. Curiously smoky, considering I’d used only charcoal.
I’m looking forward to trying Billows for multi-stage cooks by adjusting the set temperature up and down. For example, a lot of BBQ preps call for an initial unwrapped phase at 225-250F, then a wrapped “Crutch” phase at up to 350F, followed by grill phase to finish the bark. I think it’ll be simple to just adjust everything using the base unit, and I won’t have to mess with multiple draft/damper changes and babysit.
The only downside I can point to is that there seems to be a tangle of wires: 2 probe leads, an AC cord, a 12V adapter, a USB splitter and 2 USB cables–pretty unsightly. But if you can sleep at night not worrying about temperature fluctuations, it’s worth it.
Impressed with Billows so far!
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Brief sear over charcoal, finish in a low oven wrapped in foil or paper.
Plus liquid smoke and Prague #1, apparently.
I hope you spread the good word among the world’s barbecue places that there is no need for pits.
Coincidentally, our weekend guests were served this brisket. As we ate, one mentioned having done a brisket SV over 36 hours, then briefly smoking it. They said they didn’t like the results.
I do a few briskets during certain holidays, usually sourced from Pat LaFrieda or KMP. Maybe it’s the meat? No complaints so far.
Try a second cut. Do two or more if you need to feed a crowd.
Gorgeous, tasty cut that doesn’t need a ton of smoke, dry rubs, and all the rest.
I’m sure your briskets are good, Charlie.
And I’m pretty sure they’re not what people seek when they want barbecue.
If you think a BGE, and average product, are going to get you there then good luck.
You have no idea what product I’m using, Charlie. And it’s a complete non sequitur to say brisket can be seared and tossed in an oven and emerge like a brisket smoked in a barbecue pit or kamado.
I think you disparage BGEs because it’s me writing about them. You’ve admitted you’ve never used one, remember?
Here to help.
You’re applying a cooking technique that you really don’t quite understand.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing it in a BGE or a hole dug in the ground. You need to understand what you’re doing, and you need to understand your product. You’re just ordering stuff off Amazon and half following instructions from people who barely know what they’re doing.
I won on a BBQ team in Memphis In May back in the 1980s. Does that help?
Winning teams refine in domestic ovens then make it happen outdoors. You really don’t have a clue.
I’ve got chops out the ying-yang.
You have a credit card.
Get the moisture right, the taste close to where you want it, nail down a reliable purveyor, THEN move outdoors.
You’re just slinging stuff against a wall and hoping. It’s really an insult to the animal being cooked.
We won because we knew where to shop. The cooking technique, the equipment — total afterthought.
The Idjits were worried about temperature control. We were getting wasted and having fun.
We knew we’d won when we opened the FedEx package from New York (of all places, given where we were).
Product, Product, Product. Don’t mess it up. Would you even know a lousy brisket if it bit you in the nose? Doubtful. I’ve seen Prime brisket I wouldn’t feed to our sheepdog, Barkley. You’re buying meat and hoping.
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