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Can we talk about using too much wood on a brisket?
I spent two years layering huge chunks of hickory on every smoke, thinking more smoke meant more flavor. Then a buddy from Lockhart tasted my brisket and said it tasted like I was chewing on an ashtray. Are you a heavy wood guy or do you keep it light with just a few chunks?
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avery_lopez2mo ago
Wait, you're telling me you were using huge chunks of hickory for two whole years before anyone told you it was too much? That's wild, I would've figured somebody would've spoken up way sooner, especially if you were sharing that brisket around. I mean, I've definitely over-wooded a few cooks myself, but the idea of going that long without a reality check is honestly kind of impressive in a weird way.
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lucashart2mo ago
...and honestly, I think a lot of folks are just trying to compensate for not knowing what they're doing. You really only need two or three fist sized chunks for a whole packer brisket, maybe four if you're using something mild like apple or cherry. I used to be a heavy wood guy too, but after a few years I realized the meat itself has enough flavor if you just let the fire do its thing and the wood is more of a background note. Keep it simple, your brisket will taste like brisket not like you're licking a campfire.
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evan_burns952mo ago
Used to be a heavy wood guy for years. Piled on oak chunks like I was trying to smoke the brisket from the inside out. Then I tried a brisket from a dude who used maybe two small chunks of pecan the whole cook and it was the best I'd ever had. Totally shifted my view, now I just toss in a couple of modest chunks and let the fire do the real work.
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