Brisket

[Skipperron]

Brisket is on for 6.5 hrs since 8am.
It took a couple of hours to dial in the temp and get it stable but now CGK holds temp like a champ at 235- 245 deg. and internal temp of meat is at 169deg. Using hickory and pecan.

Just added a slab of bone-in short ribs to the party and now the two cuts cooking side by side.
Got the temp up tp 250 and planning on another 3.5hrs before pulling the brisket off to rest.

This time the plan is to cook through the stall, not to foil. We'll see what happens.


Should have foiled ...

[Ross]

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OK, My local maket finally is carrying some briskets this week. Is $2.99 a decent price. I've never cooked one, but I'm thinking it's time to give it a try.

[Skipperron]

OK, My local maket finally is carrying some briskets this week. Is $2.99 a decent price. I've never cooked one, but I'm thinking it's time to give it a try.

Good luck.

Brisket is still my Nemesis ...

[pkinetics]

Brisket is still my Nemesis ...

Practice Practice Practice... Its a rough life...

Hmm... now I'm wondering... what happens if you inject rendered bacon fat into brisket...

[IrvinF]

That does not sound like something I would try but if it works for you I would love to hear about it.

[smokeyw]

I cook my briskets at 275 to 300 on either my CGK or UDS. If using the CGK I set it up with the smoking stone and a drip pan. I trim most of the fat and always cook fat side down. This gives a sacrificial heat barrier between the brisket and the heat source. Most of the fat drips away. I know some say cook it fat side up so it will baste the meat as it cooks but trust me, the fat just runs off the sides and does nothing to add moisture. The fat rendering inside the meat is what adds moisture. I also foil at about 165 degrees internal temp with just a bit of beef broth in the foil. When the meat is probe tember (usually around 200 degrees), I rest it in the foil for 30 minutes. After that I remove from the foil, dust with a little more rub and put it back on the grate uncovered for about 30 minutes. This firms it up and adds to the bark. At that point I remove it from the grate, refoil it, and put it in a cambro or cooler for at least an hour or until ready to serve. I get juicy great briskets every time.

[smokesalad]

I will try another brisket next week. My first attempt was only OK. It was a bit tough and I thought bitter either from smoke or rub. I plan to go with just salt and pepper this time, minimal trimming, and I'm shooting for the jiggle some folks are talking about. Also some folks are wrapping in paper, I may try that as well. I think we are helping wal-mart sale a lot of pizza pans, I,m on my second. I do add a little water to my drip pan though, even though it may not be necessary. And I will cook at 250-300 until 165 or so, wrap and cook to 200 or so.

[Skipperron]

Brisket 3 Skipper 0

Not sure how you get juicy flaps when cooking to 200 deg.

In brisket attempt # 3 I cooked at about 230-250 degrees, foiled at 160deg. IT with some beef broth and back to the grill. Pulled it off at 194 (total cook time was about 8 hrs for a 6lbs brisket) - seperated the point then foiled back and let the flat rest for about three hours. Before serving, back on to the grill for about 10 minuts on each side to firm up the bark.

But the end result had good flavor but was too dry and tough.

Next time if there is one) I am going to pull it off the grill at 185deg. and see what happens.

[Toe]

I'd bet that you're taking it off too soon, rather than too late.

[IrvinF]

194 seems awful high to me for any kind of beef

[Toe]

For brisket that's often too low. Many aren't done until around 205.

Meathead from AmazingRibs.com: "A lot will depend on the quality of the meat, how moist the air is in the cooker, if you injected, and how long you crutched. Some pitmasters swear the magic number is 203°F, but I've heard skilled cooks tell me every number from 195 to 205°F. Lately I've been taking it over 200°F and liking it a lot."

Harry Soo from Slap Yo' Daddy BBQ basically says forget the damn thermometer and just keep cooking it until it's tender.

BTW, in case anyone doesn't know, slicing brisket across the grain is a must. And for Pete's sake, make sure you're using at least choice brisket, people have enough trouble with this stuff as it is without going down to select.

[Skipperron]

forget the damn thermometer and just keep cooking it until it's tender.

Thats probably a good advise if the brisket is not wrapped in foil.



The brisket I made, and pulled at 194 it was dry and tough and felt overcooked - I just can't see how leaving it to cook longer would make it more tender but I am planning to try again. I guess like anything in life - there are different thoughts about the perfect IT. For example:

"However for a brisket to be truly tender it will need to continue to smoke for longer (target temperature around 185 degrees F.). " http://bbq.about.com/cs/brisket/a/aa111503a.htm


Next time when I feel like beating my forehead against the brisket wall again, maybe I'll try two
briskets side by side. Pull one at 185 and the other at 200.

[Ross]

I plan in following the Pitboys method fairly closely here. A couple things to note on their video, a water tray underneath, frequent basting, and foiling and adding moisture a couple hours before taking it off. Their brisket looks spot on, and I'm hoping I can achieve somewhere close to their results.

[osx-addict]

By the way.. I've heard that WalMart carries Select Briskets and occasionally will have Choice.. I keep forgetting to check when I go there.. We still haven't visited the new Walmart only a few miles from my house that just opened last week -- so now I've got two to checkout.. Of course that is the only place I've found that carries Royal Oak too (and for us on the LA area it's year-round).

[Toe]

Walmart here has briskets in cryovac that aren't marked with a grade. I've always assumed they're select. Sometimes they also have ones marked as choice off in another area.