2nd try at brisket


 
H

Heath j

New member
Need some advice. I'm going to try smoking a brisket again this weekend. This will be my 2nd attempt. The first time was over the summer i smoked a whole brisket (about 11 #) and don't think i smoked it long enough because it wasn't very tender.

This time around i was thinking i'd just go with a flat. Wondering though if i should wrap in aluminum foil and if so at what temp should i wrap and then at what temp would you recommend pulling it? And how long do i let it rest in the cooler (wrapped in aluminum foil) before slicing?

Thanks in advance for any tips.
 
Heath, I normally cook my briskets (full cuts) until I hit an internal of about 190*F. I keep the smoker at about 260* dome temp. Once at 190, I pull them, wrap in foil with about 3 tablespoons of apple cherry juice, and rest them in a cooler for about 3 hours. Mine turn out juicy and tender.
Hope this helps.
 
Heath,

Most of the time I do the same as Clark with good success. Just had 8 guests from the great state of Texas for the Thanksgiving weekend. You would have thought they were eating brisket for the first time.... and they were visiting us in Florida.
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The little o'l wsm that could......

When in a pinch for time try this. You may not get the bark formation but a tenderness and moisture are achieved.

Good luck!

Q'n, Golf'n & Grill'n.... too many choices!
Gary
 
I did my first brisket not too long ago. It come out pretty decent and everyone thought it was good. Being the critique that I am, I thought it could have been a little more jucier. I'm thinking for my next try at it, I'm going to inject it with apple juice along with also trying the high temp cook. I don't really care if the bark is there on this one. I just want something moist and tender.
 
Ariel, if you do the high heat cook on the brisket I think you'll be pleased. The last time I did them they were really good. I opened the foil to check on them and they were almost like jello. Definitely anxious to do this method again with brisket
 
I have done lots of flats with great consistant result. On the smoker fat side down ( to protect from heat coming from bottom) @235° until the temp hits 165°-170°. Then double wrap in foil with some beef broth mixed with some BBQ sauce. 1/4 cup total. Cook until the temp is 190°-195° or until its fork tender. (That is when it feels like the fork is going into soft butter.) Then wrap with several towels and into a dry cooler, fat side up, for 2 hours minimum 4 is actally better.

Slice and enjoy. This method was promoted by none other than Jim Minion so you know it's good.

Al
 
Paul,
One thing I didn't do was wrap it in foil with some type of liquid after it hit 170. I think I'll try that trick next as well.

Thanks again.
 
Al, were the briskets still wrapped in foil when you wrapped them again with the towels? I know some people who just wrap them puppies in towels and let them sit.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Al Silverman:
I have done lots of flats wuth great consistant result. On the smoker fat side down ( to protect from heat coming from bottom) @235° until the temp hits 165°-170°. Then double wrap in foil with some beef broth mixed with some BBQ sauce. 1/4 cup total. Cook until the temp is 190°-195° or until its fork tender. (That is when it feels like the fork is going into soft butter.) Then wrap with several towels and into a dry cooler, fat side up, for 2 hours minimum 4 is actally better.

Slice and enjoy. This method was promoted by none other than Jim Minion so you know it's good.

Al </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
I started making brisket early on. I would cook the brisket to 190 most of the time it was tender but not juicy. This summer I feel like I made it to the next level. Once the brisket makes it to the upper 180's I start checking for tenderness using a bbq fork. when it feels like a hot knife slicing into butter pull it off. Seems to me like once this is achieved it starts drying out quick. 1-2 degrees past tender is dry. My briskets this summer have all been juicy. Since I have been doing this I have noticed the jiggle that Keri C talked about in another thread.
 
Al sounds great, brisket was my second cook a year ago and came out dry but with a great smoke ring. I followed Chris's Brisket - Midnight Cook recipe and just was not impressed like I was with tri-tip,pork butt ect but everyone talks about how good it is i have got to give it another try.

BTW: What if any rub did you use?

Thanks Mike
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike Waid:
Al sounds great, brisket was my second cook a year ago and came out dry but with a great smoke ring. I followed Chris's Brisket - Midnight Cook recipe and just was not impressed like I was with tri-tip,pork butt ect but everyone talks about how good it is i have got to give it another try.

BTW: What if any rub did you use?

Thanks Mike </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mike,

I use my own rubs,

Al
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Al Silverman:
Yes, the briskets are still in foil when wrapped in towels. Would be really messy otherwise !!!! LOL

Al </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mmmmmm, fuzzy brisket.
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I'm going to have to try the sauce in with the beef broth. I just use broth, but trying different ways is 1/2 the fun, eating being the other 1/2 of course.
 
Making my first attempt today at the high temp brisket. Two real reasons - 1) I always like to try something different and 2) I was going to be pressed for time. As it was I didn’t put the meat on until about 3pm. Started with an 11# packer that I trimmed pretty good hoping that would speed things up. Separated the point and flat as well. Plan to foil at around 170 and them pull around 190 or when "fork tender".

Couple of question, when doing the fork test for tenderness, when do you start and about how often do you test? About how long should I expect the cook to last assuming I stay at around 325 to 350? My assumption is that we won't be having brisket for supper tonight.

Anxious to see how things turn out.

Jerry
 
Here you go...

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> K Kruger
TVWBB Platinum Member
Posted September 30, 2006 06:17 AM Hide Post
Higher/faster has become my method of choice for the no-roll packers I do. Even though they are not graded they come in at mostly mid-level Choice. Prime/Kobe I still do quite slow as I think they benefit from that due to their structure. Choice, imo, is simply not fat/tissue-striated enough anymore.

Anyway, I foil at above 170 then cook till tender. Once foiled, I use the therm to remind me of the first time I'll check but do not pull at any particular temp as the readings do not necessarily coincide with 'done'. To me, it is time@temp that determines doneness when cooking this way, not temp alone.

I Minion the start, cook ~335, sometimes unfoil at finish for bark texture (usually I don't), wrap in towels and rest in the microwave. I recommend partially unwrapping 10-15 min before serving to cool a bit and make slicing smoother. They take 4-4.5 hours tops this way; never had one go longer.

Kevin </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I just happen to reread that thread the other day.

Q'n, Golf'n & Grill'n....too many choices!
Gary
 
Jerry,

I don't actually use a fork to test for fork temder. I use a probe instead as it gives a better feel internally.

You'll likely be done cooking in around 4.5 hours. I did the same size a couple of weeks ago.

You might be eating around 9 pm after rest.
 
I did one yesterday and only part's of it were tender. I did this one with the brisket in the bottom rack this time with a butt on top. Definitely not doing it this way again. I'll stick to how I did it before.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ariel b:
I did one yesterday and only part's of it were tender. I did this one with the brisket in the bottom rack this time with a butt on top. Definitely not doing it this way again. I'll stick to how I did it before. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Sorry you had bad luck. That is my preffered method. I love doing briskets with a butt basting it. I have never had a dry brisket doing that way.
 
Ariel, before you throw the baby out with the bath water analyze your last cook. The window of doneness on a long brisket cook is narrower. Were you able to insert probes in different areas and it slid in like butter? Maybe the procedures you used need to be tweeked or it just was a tough piece of meat. I gather you didn't do the hot and fast method on this one? Butts over brisket is a tried and true method for increasing your chances at a moist brisket on a long cook.<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ariel b:
I did one yesterday and only part's of it were tender. I did this one with the brisket in the bottom rack this time with a butt on top. Definitely not doing it this way again. I'll stick to how I did it before. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
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