Brisket problems


 
B

Brett James

New member
Smoked a whole packer brisket for the second time yesterday and had the same issue as the first. Brisket was 10 pounds before trimming. I smoked it for about 9.5 hours at a steady 240-260 temp. After removing from the smoker, I measured the temp in several areas with the ThermaPen and got 198-202 degrees all over the brisket.

The flat came out fine with a nice smoke ring, tasted good, bark was good. However, the point, like my first brisket, was just super fatty. I thought maybe 20% of the point produced decent slices and then I got another 10% that I felt could be chopped up for tacos or whatever.

But the rest of the point? Just incredibly fatty and not edible in my opinion. I ended up tossing a bunch of it. I'm very discouraged by these two brisket cooks. I know the point is supposed to be "marbled", but my goodness, my points have been way beyond that.

Any advice? Maybe I'm cooking at too high of a temp? Not long enough? I could've gone longer in terms of fuel, but like I said, the temps were already in the 200 range.

Help me before I give up on briskets forever! :-)
 
I don't think you are doing anything wrong. It may be the meat you are starting with. If you don't think the point is rendered enough and if its too fatty for you there is an easy and tasty solution. Make burnt ends!
 
Fat and collagens start to break down around 175. It takes time for them to do so. Cooking too fast can result in what you describe. If you ever watch a BBQ competition show, the competitors usually cook at a higher temp for a shorter period, but they slice the flat and send only burnt ends from the point.

You could pull the point like a pork butt, that'd let you remove the fat as you go. Nothing like some good BBQ beef sammiches!
 
As simple as a brisket cook should be I have had issues on my two attempts. My problem seems to be not cooking long enough. Don't give up, just practice some more. Its frustrating though when your cook last that long and your not happy with the results.
 
Brett
You are my MYTH!
Are You saying us your flat is almost perfect BUT point not??
Thats exactly the 99% opposite than other BBQers
We fight every time with ugly flat but we are survived by our moist flavourful point.
IMO, You are a lucky/skilled BBQer.
You can always arrange some solution to make the point taste better. For example, just separate it and smoke 2 more hours or till connective/fat has melted better
 
Dustin Dorsey said:
I don't think you are doing anything wrong. It may be the meat you are starting with. If you don't think the point is rendered enough and if its too fatty for you there is an easy and tasty solution. Make burnt ends!
Click to expand...

Yep. Don't pitch that that point separate it and throw it back on for 2-3 hrs or what ever it takes to render that fat out. You were so close to perfect it sounds like.
 
Yea I suppose I could separate the flat/point and continue cooking the point. Seems like cheating though. I've watched a lot of Aaron Franklin on YouTube so maybe I just have unreal expectations for my own brisket. It seems like he just cranks out perfect briskets all the way through. Probably what makes his award-winning.

Do you guys often separate the flat/point at some timepoint? Before cooking even? Or are you able to cook it well on both sides without manipulation?
 
I cook them together and I prefer slices with both. The fatty part is fatty. Some people don't like that which is why I suggested burnt ends. Wrapping with butcher paper might help. I cook about 226 to 250. Some people say cooking hotter is better for fat rendering. Some people say cooking lower for longer helps. I'm not sure.
 
You have to remember that Arron is cooking a brisket that is almost the best money can buy. If you buy one from say Snake River Farms you will see how stupid easy it is to have that brisket your talking about. But for me just choice from the grocery store is all I can afford like most everybody else here we just do the best we can. You did better than you think.
 
DaveW - The flat is pretty tender. It wasn't a "simple tug" to pull it apart but it was fairly easily pulled apart.

Dale - I actually had USDA Prime from Costco which was only $3.79 per pound. Was hoping for better results because of that.

I guess I'll keep on trying -- will probably go the burnt ends route next time.

Thanks everyone!
 
Brett James said:
Yea I suppose I could separate the flat/point and continue cooking the point. Seems like cheating though. I've watched a lot of Aaron Franklin on YouTube so maybe I just have unreal expectations for my own brisket. It seems like he just cranks out perfect briskets all the way through. Probably what makes his award-winning.
Do you guys often separate the flat/point at some timepoint? Before cooking even? Or are you able to cook it well on both sides without manipulation?
Click to expand...
There is no such thing as cheating when it comes to cooking BBQ (in your backyard) so get that notion out of your head.
I watch BBQ shows and videos too, and I particularly like the Franklin videos.
That man cooks more briskets every day than I will cook for the rest of my life....just sayin'.....he better be able to knock it out of the park 99+% of the time.
I have cooked a couple of Costco prime packers, I think they are fairly fatty in general and the points were very fatty.
They tasted good though.
I have good luck with choice and select packers from Walmart, I trim less fat off of them than the prime packers too so I don't feel like I am throwing as much money in the trash.

You made a comment that the flat slices took a little more than a tug to break, that might be a little on the undercooked side.
 
Charles H. said:
You made a comment that the flat slices took a little more than a tug to break, that might be a little on the undercooked side.
Click to expand...

I am wondering about that myself. The flat slice should pull apart with a fairly easy tug. Maybe you are not cooking the brisket long enough. Also, what type of cooker are you using? Franklin faces the point toward the heat source so his points will get a bit more heat then his flats. Also you can hold for 1-2 hours wrapped in towels and placed in a cooler-this will help to render more of the fat. Oh by the way, are you trimming out the big hunk of fat that lies between the point and the flat. I think its called the deckle? But as others have said, The point is suppose to contain more fat. If its not to your liking separate and put the point back on for a couple more hours and make burnt ends.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top