brisket advice

[Dukeconnor]

3 Strps to smoke a Brisket

1. Patience
2. Patience
3. Patience

It will be done when it's donee

[downzero]

well i blew it. It was in the smoker most of the day. Started it at 200 for 2 hours 225 for two hours 250 for two then i kicked it up to 275 to bring it to 200. I ended up rushing it and bringing to 350 to make supper time and took it out and let it sit for an hour on the stove vs letting it cool in the smoker. Tasted good but it wasnt tender. I bought two of them. I started at 8am for this one. Next time im starting at about 5am and will use a bit more paitents. One thing ive learned smoking is that patients truely is a virtue. Rushing it was a dumb move.

What was the internal temperature of the meat? You keep talking about time, but time does not matter when it comes to bbq. When it's done, it's done.

[Lloyd Smale]

Keep on trying!

The only way to kill a brisket is to rush it. I have never been able to hit a deadline for when a brisket is supposed to be done. To many factors, humidity, temp inside and outside the cooker, the cut characteristics of the meat, the biological makeup of the meat, fuel humidity, temp veriations etc...kind of like shooting long range.

As stated by GWPERCLE "low and slow". The biggest factor is reaching the temp of 190. Some take it higher up to 200ish then pull from smoker and let sit. But it is the slow long rise to that temp that does the work. If the internal temp at the thickest part is not reached over time then the tissues and fat do not break down and the fat does not render. You can always do a probe test. The meat probe should slide into the meat like a hot knife in butter at the thick part, if it does not then it is not ready.

The letting it sit part is also crucial as it allows the temp to reach max then slowly cool down. This effect will allow the meat to reabsorbed the juice's. If you cut to early the meat, especially the flat, dries out.

Most of the time I start the brisket on Saturday AM 4 or 5ish and end up finishing very late Saturday or early Sunday AM. This is for a trimmed weight of around 13 LBS. I normally buy an untrimmed packer and trim to my liking. End up eating for Sunday late lunch or dinner.

Question: Did you buy the briskets trimmed or self trim a packer? Was the fat line that runs between the point and flat trimmed out? Reason I ask is that if that fat line (not sure on the terminology) is not mostly removed, it will never render as it is very thick and hard.

it wasnt trimmed and maybe some of my problem too came from me removing to much of the fat cap. I trimmed it before i looked to see what should be trimmed. It wasnt a whole brisket. I think it weighted 10lbs. I bought 3 of them so still have two to play with. What i did with the left overs was i took a razor knife and cut it into real thin slices and tried it on a burger bun. cut that thin it was then tender. But im still kicking myself in the you know what.

[Pinger87]

Low heat and time is a jiggly brisket's best friend.

[MaryB]

This is a tool I use for the long overnight cooks with my Traeger, allows me to keep an eye on pit temp and meat temp and has awesome range. I did a test and walked 3 blocks away and into a friends house and the remote was still reading just fine. No it is not cheap but good quality equipment never is. I picked up the X4 version so I can have pit temp and 3 meat probes for the days I do whole chickens, or 2 chuck roasts...

https://www.thermoworks.com/smokex

[Lloyd Smale]

This is a tool I use for the long overnight cooks with my Traeger, allows me to keep an eye on pit temp and meat temp and has awesome range. I did a test and walked 3 blocks away and into a friends house and the remote was still reading just fine. No it is not cheap but good quality equipment never is. I picked up the X4 version so I can have pit temp and 3 meat probes for the days I do whole chickens, or 2 chuck roasts...

https://www.thermoworks.com/smokex

ive got the same thing mary. Makes all day smoking much nicer when you can sit in the house and not have to run out every 1/2 hour to check temps.

[dale2242]

My grandson has a Traeger app. on his phone that allows him to control the smoker from anywhere.
My Pit Boss doesn`t have that capability.

[reloader28]

It dont have to take near as long as what everyone says. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Myron Mixons book. I dont like the guy but he has won more trophies than all other competitors combined and it is the best brisket Ive ever had

[MaryB]

I have done fast cook... slow cooked is better... connective tissue breaks down better.

[Lloyd Smale]

would it be sacrilege to pressure cook it for a 1/2 hour before you throw it in the smoker?

[kenton]

In my experience when the meat hits 170 it is half way to 190 time wise, those last few degrees seem to take forever. If you are looking to cheat a little, sous vide works pretty well. Cook it in the sous vide over night and throw it in the smoker for a few hours for a nice smoke ring and crust.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous_vide

I finally convinced my wife that BBQ is done when the BBQ is done, there is no rushing it. If it is a family meal, dinner gets pushed back till it is done. If it is a turkey for Thanksgiving, I start 1-2 hours before I think i should and hope for the best.

Also slicing thin is a classic way to hide a tough brisket. Happens in a lot of restaurants I have been to.

[dale2242]

Lloyd, Yes, pressure cooking would be sacrilege.
I my opinion....dale

[downzero]

would it be sacrilege to pressure cook it for a 1/2 hour before you throw it in the smoker?

The most recent comment I saw on my smoking meat group was "If I had a wife who cooked a brisket in a pressure cooker, I'd find a new wife."

Maybe a bit over the top but it should make the point. The only way to cook a brisket is over a wood fire.

[Finster101]

would it be sacrilege to pressure cook it for a 1/2 hour before you throw it in the smoker?

A pox upon you for such sacrilege. When it hits "the stall" about 170 pull it and wrap it in foil if you want to speed it up a bit. Check out Amazingribs.com for some excellent tips, methods and rubs. They have not done me wrong yet. Doing a turkey on the grill for Christmas dinner using the Simon and Garfunkel rub I found there.

[Lloyd Smale]

What was the internal temperature of the meat? You keep talking about time, but time does not matter when it comes to bbq. When it's done, it's done.

200 degrees

[Lloyd Smale]

A pox upon you for such sacrilege. When it hits "the stall" about 170 pull it and wrap it in foil if you want to speed it up a bit. Check out Amazingribs.com for some excellent tips, methods and rubs. They have not done me wrong yet. Doing a turkey on the grill for Christmas dinner using the Simon and Garfunkel rub I found there.

i did that. When it stalled i wrapped it in parchment paper and put it back until it hit 200. Then i let it rest for a 1/2 hour. i think i made two mistakes. when it stall and i wrapped it up and put it back it was going so slow that i cranked the heat up to 350 to speed up the cooking and from what ive read i should have let it rest for at least an hour.