Sous Vide and Smoke

I have gotten into smoking and of course love smoked brisket. However, the sometimes long smoke times can be tiresome when you have a house full of family waiting to get their mouths around some brisket. SO I pose this question. If I wanted to smoke and sous vide brisket, what would the process be?

Smoke first?

If so, to what temp?

Then sous vide at what temp?

How long?

Finish back in the smoker for the crust?

Or just on a smoking hot BBQ for sear?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

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Comments

Matthew_Snyder_68770

It depends on how you're treating them, what's in your spice rub, are you brining them, etc.

When I use smoke in combination with sous vide, I like to use it as a finishing step. I've done the smoke part first, as well, but I just like putting the ribs or whatever in the bath and letting them go overnight, then getting the fire going first thing in the morning. By noon when our friends come over I can take the ribs off the cooker and away we go.

That said, as another member asked yesterday, I wouldn't use something like the CS Apartment Rub prior to a long sous vide cook. But that's just my preference.

As far as time/temp goes, you're looking at 150-160 (your preference) for probably no less than a full day. And when you smoke, back way off on the heat (an ice tray can help you maintain humidity and a low temp), like down around 125°-130° F.

Amos_Schorr_168815

With brisket, the exact temp doesn't matter too much, since it's hard to keep it super consistent. Brisket varies wildly in thickness and marbling, which means that the flat will be more well done and more dry than the point. Unless you separate the two before smoking, which isn't a bad idea, but even then there's typically still a good variety in thickness throughout the meat. BBQ pros go by "bounce," which is a wildly unscientific approach, but probably the most consistent one.

Anyway, typical smoking wisdom puts the desired internal temp of a brisket anywhere between 170 and 200 (also depends on how long you cook it for). You also want to make sure you develop the bark. You might want to cook the brisket near the desired temp sous vide, then smoke it for 2 hours at a somewhat higher heat than usual to develop a nice bark (maybe like 300-325).

Matthew_Snyder_68770

Pretty much the exact opposite of my advice. lol

Commence Operation: Confuse The OP

Different strokes.

Carter_elkins_199333

Brisket is all about rendered fat and developed bark imo. Extra moisture is not good for bark development so I would sv first and then develop the bark on the smoker. I wouldn't change the temp on the smoker, I would try to hang in the 225 to 250°f range. I've never done sv and smoke, so this is just my gut feeling. Also part of bark development and maillard reaction is the sugars in th fats Browning and getting sticky creating a crust. I'm not sure how well sv beef will develop. Please post pics when done.

Amos_Schorr_168815

I've never heard of anyone smoking a brisket to 150-160 degrees.

Matthew_Snyder_68770

That's going off the ChefSteps smokerless smoked brisket recipe. They cook it sous vide at 155F.