Question About Probing Brisket


 

Chris M HTX

New member
tldr - What is the best way to probe a wrapped brisket for doneness?

Hi - long time lurker here. I cooked a brisket last night - Swift brand choice grade from HEB (local grocer here in Houston). At ~4.5 hours in, I wrapped in butcher paper once I got to the bark color I wanted, the internal temperature was around 165 degF. It cooked for another 11 hours, and I took it out of the smoker, internal temp of 203 via the thermapen, when I thought the flat was probe tender. It sat in a cooler for 3 hours. Once I unwrapped it, the flat appeared hard and seemed tough. The point definitely had some unrendered fat. I think it was undercooked.

I obviously misinterpreted the probe test, probably caused by the butcher paper. How do yall check for doneness when the brisket is wrapped - unwrap, through the paper, etc? Any advice is welcome. Thanks.
 
I haven’t smoked a brisket in over a year since the price has gone so high but when I did I found little to no difference if I wrapped or not .. so I stopped wrapping them.

I use to smoke three to four brisket a year and would just inject them with beef stock .. apply my rub and put them in the smoker with the temperature probe inserted. Once the IT temperature would reach 190 I would start probing with a toothpick every half hour. There is a very noticeable difference with the resistance you feel once it reaches the proper tenderness. I have had my brisket tender anywhere from 192 to 203 degrees. Every brisket cooks different.
 
Welcome, Chris. I'm assuming that you wrapped the brisket in foil before putting it in the cooler. Did you open the butcher paper and let it cool to around 170 before wrapping? That will stop the cooking process and also give you a chance to probe it without any wrap confusing the issue. There are a lot of factors that can contribute, but if there was still a lot of interior fat running through the point, I'd say you were underdone.

Does your H-E-B sell prime briskets? They have been a bit pricey lately (nearly $5/lb.) but usually quite nice hunks of meat. Since I started cooking with prime, I don't use anything but -- the difference is that great. The nice thing about the primes is that you can cook them until the flat probes with just about no resistance, and the point will still be super moist.

Jeff
 
Thanks for the replies.

J Hasselberger - I did not wrap it in foil. I took it straight off of the cooker and put it in a preheated cooler with towels, without opening it up. Next time, I will open the butcher paper, double check doneness, let it sit, then wrap in foil to the cooler. I appreciate the tip! Also, I usually get prime briskets at Costco. They were pricey - $3.99/lb, and HEB had choice on sale. From now on, I will pay the extra for prime!

I may use the rest for chili, or try putting them in the oven to see if I can "fix" them. Again, thanks everyone for the help.
 
I may use the rest for chili, or try putting them in the oven to see if I can "fix" them. Again, thanks everyone for the help.

Chili and tacos are excellent choices for chopped flat or point. Franklin's Tipsy Texan sandwich is also a fave of mine: Chopped brisket mixed with Franklin Espresso Sauce (H-E-B), topped with a split Texas beef sausage, slaw, pickles, onions, on the round roll of your choice.

Jeff
 
When I cook in paper, which is rare, I use the flop test. That is, I hold the brisket and shake it to see if it is floppy. If it is floppy, it is done or maybe a little overdone. Until then, there's no point in opening up the paper which is more complicated than poking through foil to test for when it is done. Avoid the need to know what temperature it is and probe. It should be obvious it is not ready when you pick it up and shake it.
 
Chris M HTX …. that's a nice price for a prime brisket.
Our Costco doesn't sell prime anymore. Now they sell choice.
 
Welcome, Chris. I'm assuming that you wrapped the brisket in foil before putting it in the cooler. Did you open the butcher paper and let it cool to around 170 before wrapping? That will stop the cooking process and also give you a chance to probe it without any wrap confusing the issue. There are a lot of factors that can contribute, but if there was still a lot of interior fat running through the point, I'd say you were underdone.

Does your H-E-B sell prime briskets? They have been a bit pricey lately (nearly $5/lb.) but usually quite nice hunks of meat. Since I started cooking with prime, I don't use anything but -- the difference is that great. The nice thing about the primes is that you can cook them until the flat probes with just about no resistance, and the point will still be super moist.

Jeff
Excellent advice! and I agree, PRIME is King, I'll never go back to choice. And, I'll pay the price for prime. It IS that much worth it.

When I cook in paper, which is rare, I use the flop test. That is, I hold the brisket and shake it to see if it is floppy. If it is floppy, it is done or maybe a little overdone. Until then, there's no point in opening up the paper which is more complicated than poking through foil to test for when it is done. Avoid the need to know what temperature it is and probe. It should be obvious it is not ready when you pick it up and shake it.
I've done this "flop test", as Donna states, and it works well... using a remote (SMOKE by ThermaWorks) gives one reading somewhere, but i test using ThermaPen all over (thru paper).
But the "real" proof to me is in the WIGGLENESS of the beef. It's cool to think you can judge the doneness AND actually BE CORRECT!


Chris M HTX …. that's a nice price for a prime brisket.
Our Costco doesn't sell prime anymore. Now they sell choice.
DanH, the store i shop (New Berlin, SE WI) stopped selling them also... but started again after about 5 months... I'm told now, they will always carry them.
Not sure i believe it.
 
I guess I'm spoiled - Costco in Houston typically has prime at $2.99 - $3.29 per pound! Thanks for all of the tips - I will try the wiggle test next time.
 
The best I can get prime for is 4.99 a lb so I'm jealous. My butcher also sells a upper 2/3rds choice brand for 3.99. After that it's just regular choice at the grocery store, or Sam's. I wish we had Costco or HEB.
 
A couple years ago I stopped trying to "feel" when the brisket is done and started cooking strictly by temperature.
Since then (and I say this with humility) my brisket has been pretty much perfection every time.
My target temperature for the 22" WSM is 230-250 and if it locks in at 235 I consider that perfect, but I don't really mess with it very much.
With the probe in the thick part of the flat and positioned so it won't interfere with wrapping I cook to 170-180 and wrap in foil then let it cook to 200 degrees and then rest it in the cooler for a few hours.
I am not particularly partial to the prime briskets, I cut lots of expensive fat off before I start cooking and they are more greasy when they are done.
I don't have any criticisms of select grade briskets, they require lots less trimming and cook up great.
 
I'm the opposite. I used to go by temperature and switched to feel. Primes tend to probe tender sooner than selects. To each their own. I don't think you can go TOO wrong going by temp, but a lot of factors will influence the temp at which a brisket will be perfect. I much prefer primes, because I love fatty brisket. If you are just into the lean part, you probably won't tell as much difference.
 
And I don't think you can go TOO wrong probing either.
I have mostly just become lazy I guess ��
 
I just bought three prime briskets for the first time at my local Costco (San Leandro, CA) yesterday. They were $3.79/lb. The marbling was okay. Still nothing compared to SRF but maybe the flavor will be better. In any regard, it was way cheaper. Here is how they looked. We will be cooking them tomorrow. Has anyone noticed how small the points were? They were absolutely tiny.

 
I wish I had your briskets in Texas. The USDA establishment number on these briskets is 562 which means they were processed at JBS in Greenbay, WI. I can't link the plant to a particular ranch but its likely to be nearby. Maybe the breed of cows from this particular ranch just has way smaller pectoral minor muscles than the breeds in Texas. Too bad. It is good to know this isn't the case at all Costcos.
 
I wish I had your briskets in Texas. The USDA establishment number on these briskets is 562 which means they were processed at JBS in Greenbay, WI. I can't link the plant to a particular ranch but its likely to be nearby. Maybe the breed of cows from this particular ranch just has way smaller pectoral minor muscles than the breeds in Texas. Too bad. It is good to know this isn't the case at all Costcos.

This has been a recent development at our local store. Several weeks ago I bought a smallish 10-pounder and when I started to trim it, I was pleasantly surprised by the small flat and big point. I have looked at others since and they seem to be cut the same. Not complaining. Pricey though -- $4.99/lb.
 

 

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