I just started smoking a few months ago with my new WSM and have done ribs, beer can chicken, pork shoulder and brisket. Last week I did a small 4.5 pound brisket over 7.5 hours and let the thickest part of it get to 188 degrees and took it off and double wrapped it and put it in a cooler. It had a good bark and smoke ring, but the thickest part of it was a little too dry. It definitely wasn't falling apart through that part of the brisket. I am wondering what I did wrong? I am wondering if maybe I should have wrapped it in foil when it hit about 140 degrees? Would that have possibly locked in some moisture? Just trying to find out where I could improve it. Thanks!
Brisket
- Thread starter J Causey
- Start date
Monty House
TVWBB Pro
IME, I wrap flats about 150-160 (like yours) and don't wrap packers (flat + point in cryovac).
Foil with a little beef broth, beer or apple juice and let get up close to 200 internal. I think you might be happy.
good luck
Foil with a little beef broth, beer or apple juice and let get up close to 200 internal. I think you might be happy.
good luck
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I do packers (whole briskets) and not brisket pieces. I much prefer cooking at high heat, which requires foiling. I never add liquid.
For a small piece of brisket I suggest foiling, irrespective of the temp you at which you cook. For something small, foil ~150-155. If the brisket piece is small, especially if thin or overtrimmed, a bit of liquid is helpful. If thick and nicely marbled it isn't necessary but you can add liquid if you wish.
After foiling, internal temp won't necessarily tell you when the brisket is done. A probe inserted into the brisket will go in pretty effortlessly when the brisket is tender and juicy.
If your brisket was tough and dry it was undercooked; if stringy and dry it was overcooked.
For best results, it is much easier to cook a larger piece of brisket well - better yet a whole packer, If going with a flat, try to fins something larger, say, 6-7 pounds, thick, and preferably untrimmed.
For a small piece of brisket I suggest foiling, irrespective of the temp you at which you cook. For something small, foil ~150-155. If the brisket piece is small, especially if thin or overtrimmed, a bit of liquid is helpful. If thick and nicely marbled it isn't necessary but you can add liquid if you wish.
After foiling, internal temp won't necessarily tell you when the brisket is done. A probe inserted into the brisket will go in pretty effortlessly when the brisket is tender and juicy.
If your brisket was tough and dry it was undercooked; if stringy and dry it was overcooked.
For best results, it is much easier to cook a larger piece of brisket well - better yet a whole packer, If going with a flat, try to fins something larger, say, 6-7 pounds, thick, and preferably untrimmed.
Thanks guys for the info. What I am really confused on is what I actually bought. I bought a 4.54 pound cryovac brisket that to me appeared to have both the flat and the point. It had that thin layer of fat between the 2. Being so small I thought it had to be just one or the other. I am still a little confused on the difference between the flat and the point though.
Thanks again,
Jamie
Thanks again,
Jamie
Monty House
TVWBB Pro
Jamie, it seems too small for a full "packer," but I have heard of (not seen) brisket flats having a partial chunk of point attached.
I'm with Kevin, in that I almost never cook flats, only whole briskets.
I'm with Kevin, in that I almost never cook flats, only whole briskets.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Well, usually something that small is a flat. That said, I've seen evidence (in pics on the Net as well as the odd store) that seem to remove a large chunk of the point, some of the flat, and call it simply 'brisket'. This isn't something I would buy for smoking.
I don't know where you are located (consider adding a location to your profile) but there are stores that carry whole packers - though you might have to ask at the counter (as for a 'whole brisket', a 'packer brisket' or simply explain; despite what they are called nominally, few if any meat department employees are actually butchers). I do not shop at Walmart but am told that most if not all have whole briskets but you might have to ask at the counter. There might be other possibilities in your area.
I don't know where you are located (consider adding a location to your profile) but there are stores that carry whole packers - though you might have to ask at the counter (as for a 'whole brisket', a 'packer brisket' or simply explain; despite what they are called nominally, few if any meat department employees are actually butchers). I do not shop at Walmart but am told that most if not all have whole briskets but you might have to ask at the counter. There might be other possibilities in your area.