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brisket question


 

ScottP

New member
Hello all, I've been lurking on the forums for a while and have gotten tons of great information and have had many successful cooks on my wsm. I am cooking my first brisket right now and have a question. It started as a 12 lb packer and has been on just short of 18 hours at this point. The strange thing is the point seems to be cooking faster than the flat. I am getting about 185 in the point and about 165 in the flat. The tenderness backs this up, the point feels like it should be done but the flat is still tough. Temps have been steady between 225 and 240, i put in about 20 more briquettes a few hours ago.

I figure I will just let it go until its done, but was wondering if anyone knows why the point would be so much higher right now than the flat?
 
I have read where some guys will remove the point from the flat during the cook. IIRC some guys will remove one before the other due to temps and doneness. Vince
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ScottP:
Hello all, I've been lurking on the forums for a while and have gotten tons of great information and have had many successful cooks on my wsm. I am cooking my first brisket right now and have a question. It started as a 12 lb packer and has been on just short of 18 hours at this point. The strange thing is the point seems to be cooking faster than the flat. I am getting about 185 in the point and about 165 in the flat. The tenderness backs this up, the point feels like it should be done but the flat is still tough. Temps have been steady between 225 and 240, i put in about 20 more briquettes a few hours ago.

I figure I will just let it go until its done, but was wondering if anyone knows why the point would be so much higher right now than the flat? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

When cooking a packer brisket you should always measure the flat. 18 hours for a 12lb packer and it's reading 165º at the flat, something is wrong. "Tenderness backs this up"......separate and foil the flat now......you're going to end up with a great point and a dry flat, tough flat. Or better yet, foil the whole brisket 'if' your thermometer is correct. The fat from the point will help recover the flat.
 
hmm....i hadn't even thought about the thermometer, I use this thermometer for homebrewing and have never had a problem with it reading the right boiling point. I just boiled a pot of water to test it, however, and it was only reading about 195, almost 20 degrees lower than it should have.

Shortly after I made the first post I brought the brisket in, foiled it, and put it in a 270 degree oven. After I discovered my thermometer might be off I pulled it out and sure enough the flat was over cooked. It was so dry I could barely cut it because it just fell apart. Oh well, I guess I'll just chalk this one up to a learning experience and take the hint that I should pick up a thermapen
 

 

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