Any way to save bark on high heat brisket cooks?

[Teddy J.]

I've been a high heat devotee from the start for brisket packers and have had tremendous success. They have all turned out great, and have never contemplated doing a low and slow cook for brisket, except for the sake of good bark.

Is it possible to bring the brisket to 'just near' tender, and then unfoil, lower the heat down and cook for another 30min or so to stiffen up the bark?

 

[K Kruger]

Yes. And it may not take that long, depending on cooker temp.

 

[Dave Russell]

Try to find a big enough pan, keeping in mind that there will be some meat shrinkage before you need it.

The last couple of flat cooks I used one after the meat temp got above 160. I added some liquid and covered tightly with the fat up for a good while, and flipped and took the foil off toward the end, making it easy to check for tenderness and look at the bark. I haven't been doing it long enough to have a good idea on time estimates yet, though.

This is antedotal, but I got better bark when I cooked at 275 instead of 350, like so many are doing. I did something different when I prepared the hi heat brisket though, so that might've been the difference.

 

[Teddy J.]

Thanks for the advice.

Kevin - I've been cooking my briskets from the start verbatim your high heat method. Any recommendations on temp? Would be much easier if I could finish high heat rather than lowering temp if possible.

 

[K Kruger]

Usually removing the lid to check on then remove the briskets is enough to fan the flames, as it were. Recover immediately when you remove the brisket to hold heat, unwrap, then get it back in quickly. The temp should stabilize ~ where it was or slightly higher. For me that's ~ 350-360. Good.

Time depends on how moist the surface is and the nature of the bark ingredients. Check in 10 min, then every 5 thereafter. Check quickly to avoid losing heat.