thanks for all the replies!
i will definitely try a larger cut of meat. im going to try to pass a local butcher on my way home from lunch and see what they have available and pricing. ive never been to a butcher shop before.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by James Harvey:
Go grab a full pork butt around 7lbs and cook it up. It's pretty tough to ruin this past being edible. If you aren't comfortable doing an overnighter, get up really early (4am) and put it on by 5am. Cooking within the Smoke Range you should be finished by dinner.
Once you've cooked a bigger hunk of meat and been happy with the result you"ll be more confident with more traditional amounts for future smokes.
Good Luck,
James </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
4-5am is when i go to sleep. lol
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Paul K:
Jason,
As the others have written, a larger brisket or a whole brisket can make the cook easier. What you most likely purchased was a 'flat'. This is the leaner end of the brisket. Those are typically trimmed of their exterior fat. The interior marbling is still there and will provide moistness to your meat if given sufficient time to render. If you want to try another one of these, you might consider your same set up, but after about 2 hours, foil the brisket and then continue to smoke it until either the internal temp of the meat reaches around 200 or you're able to stick a thermo probe easily into the meat. Either way, checking for tenderness is your key. When the probe goes in with no resistance, then the brisket is done. You wrote it was dry, was it tough as well? Most likely it was still undercooked.
Paul </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
yes it was pretty tough. i pulled it out of the smoker at 162F because it wouldnt go any higher. the meat had already been in there for 3.5 hours so i thought it would get even more dry if i left it in there for longer.