brisket questions


 
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I smoked a whole brisket yesterday. The point was delicious and moist. The same could not be said for the flat. It was dry and I'm wondering if I made a mistake. 190 degF is considered well done for beef. However,various sources say to pull the brisket out at 205-210 degF. Why? When I inserted a thin metal skewer into the brisket side at 190 degF, it slid in quite easily. I was tempted to pull the brisket off, but I let it cook until 198 degF, about an hour more. What is your technique for determining when to pull a whole brisket off?
Should I have used the Texas crutch and civered the flat while the point cooked some more? Should I butcher the flat and point sections and smoke them separately?
 
Hi Roy,
I am no expert at brisket, but I usually pull my brisket once they reach about 190. And I always take the temperature reading in the flat end, not the point. The fat in the point can give you a false reading. No two briskets are the same, so not all of them will be done at 190, but most of them are. The probe sliding in real easy was a good sign that it was done, unless it was in fat. You can also tell if a brisket is done by using the fork twist method to test the resistance. If the cooking fork twists through the meat easily, it's done.
 
As far as internal temps go the thing you have to figure in is the cut you are cooking.
Leans cuts of beef would be very well done at 190?
but a tough chunk of beef like a brisket has to be taken to higher temps. A sirloin roast would be burned up at 190? internal but a brisket can be ready from about 185? on the low end to 205? on the high end. The difference for this is the amount of fat in the brisket.
If you use a probe (like the probe on a Polder) and insert it into flat and feels tender then pull
the brisket, that could be anytime once the internal temp reaches 185? or higher. If you leave it on too long then it starts to dry out.
You could have used up all the internal fat and be drying out the brisket once it hit the higher temp.
Use temp as one of the guides use feel also.
Hope this helps
Jim
 
Hey Roy!

I will always pull my brisket when the flat registers 185? and my probe slides in easily.

Then I will remove the point and put it back on for another hour or 2. A full brisket has 2 very distinctly different cuts of meat...the point is loaded with internal fat that is very hard to overcook(much like a pork butt) while the flat is very lean with hardly any internal fat.

It is my belief that these cuts are done at different times. I like my flats sliced and if you go too high on the temp, the slices will fall apart. Whereas I like the point for pulled beef, which requires temps in excess of 200?.

Once I have removed the flat, I will lay out a large sheet of foil, place it on that and then dump 1/2 cup of beef broth on top. Wrap tightly and wrap again in towel and into the ice chest for 1 hour.

When I slice to serve, I use the accumulated drippings and brush them on each slice.

Keep in mind, my above comments are for competition brisket..which to me is the hardest meat to cook. Many home cooks like their briskets to be falling apart tender and that is fine....it just won't win any competitions so I prepare differently.

I was once told that the test for award winning brisket is to take a slice, pick it up between both hands. The slice must stay together(no falling apart!) yet with the slighest tug, it must separate easily. VERY hard to accomplish.
 
Roy can't help you with the internal temps, because we don't use thermometers. Just use the old fashioned way of touch. On briskets we use the "Magic" fork. But Stogie is correct about the difference in cooking at home and competition cooking. We had to toughen up our food for competition, cause like he said, it was too tender. Same with chicken, etc. We did go from cooking our briskets (competition) in the WSM instead of the offset.
 
Let me say that cooking competition brisket I pull when the flat is done and I don't worry about the point, don't even stick the point for internal temp. If you can cut a 1/4 inch slice and can pull it and get a small amount of resistance before it comes apart it is near perfect for texture, but admit it, brisket are not all created equal, we did a case of CABs for a catering, did not take the same care as you would for competition. Those were 6 of the best
brisket that we have ever done and we have won brisket more than once or twice.
jim
 
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