Wood Preference for Kansas City Style BBQ?

[whiskeycharlie]

Whiskey Charlie here.

I'm thinking about smoking some KC brisket and burnt ends. Any suggestions for wood? Hickory, oak, etc.? All input welcome.

Thanks,
wc

[ncsmoker]

High WC wood type is always a preference of the smoker. But here goes nothing. In Texas they use both hickory and oak, mostly oak. KC I believe they use both also. I like oak with some apple thrown in.

Are you smoking a whole brisket 10lbs. or more or a flat 6-8lbs. The whole one which I like to do will take about 18 hrs. and I keep smoke on it for at least 10 of those. The flat will take about 9 hrs. for a 6lb one and I would keep smoke on it for at least 6hrs.

Burnt ends are usually made from the point of the whole brisket. It is the part that sits on top the flat with the muscle running in the opposite direction. What I do is when the brisket reaches 185-190 I take it off cut off the point and throw it back on the grill. Then I wrap the flat in HD foil and a heavy towel. This will allow the meat to carry over cook and reach 200 and let the juices equalize. Then fix the point into burnt ends however you like.

NC

[whiskeycharlie]

NC,

Thanks for the response. Oak and apple sounds like a plan. I wasn't sure if there were "wood conventions", like to be authentic KC style I had to use certain woods.

I'm going to do a whole brisket. This is for a potluck at work on August 7th. Last week I brought in leftovers from a 9 1/2 pound pork shoulder I hickory smoked. That got their attention! There's been requests for a rerun but I thought I'd go beef instead of pork this time. We've got a few folks that won't do pig meat.

Thanks for the hints in paragraphs two and three; very helpful.

Respectfully submitted,
Whiskey Charlie