by robgunby » 09 Feb 2014, 17:33
Hey Si
The mustard sauce was absolutely fantastic, everyone loved it even those who don't like mustard!
The brisket was moist and tender as can be, but lacked a little flavour to my mind. I think this might be due to two things. Firstly, the fire burnt rather oddly, burning to one side rather than evenly as it has in the past. I suspect that was due to the insane wind that was howling around. The smoker was fairly sheltered but the side that took the brunt of it was the side that didn't burn. Unfortunately this led to less smoke in the start of cooking. Secondly, I was using a fruit wood and the brisket could have done with some oak.
Not to worry though - the real star of the show was a ham, home cured by a friend, from a large black. I hadn't hot smoked a ham before, and my friend had never cured one. It was nothing short of a revelation, and the mustard sauce danced on it. Beautiful, one of the tastiest hams I've ever had. The sweet fruity smoke suited it perfectly.
Perhaps, after devouring the whole thing along with 20 smoked and deviled eggs, we just weren't really too passionate about the brisket!
Made some stock by roasting the bones of the ribs off the brisket, and I'm cooking the leftover brisket today in said stock to make a cottage pie. Yum!
Congrats on the win!!