CAB


 

Andrew Griffin

New member
Ive done two briskets both 7 pound CAB packers One high heat and one low and slow. Both were not very good. Anyone use CAB and have some advice
 
The Flavor was more roast-like. The edges were falling apart but the inside was a little tough on the heat heat. The low and slow cook turned out realy dry and extra tough.
The best brisket I can find around here is famous daves. Their's doesn't have much smoke flavor but they slice it about a 1/4 inch thick and it just melts in your mouth. Nice and moist, you can feel the fibers in the slice fall apart on your tongue.
I've got an 8 pound CAB in the fridge and its going on sometime this weekend.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Andrew Griffin:
The Flavor was more roast-like. The edges were falling apart but the inside was a little tough on the heat heat. <span class="ev_code_RED">Cooked too fast.....</span> The low and slow cook turned out realy dry and extra tough. <span class="ev_code_RED">Did not cook long enough and at too low temp. </span>
The best brisket I can find around here is famous daves. <span class="ev_code_RED">KEEP TRYING, YOU CAN MAKE a brisket easily superior to their bland, dry garbage! I've had it at a couple functions I've gone too and it doesn't even come close to what YOU can make on a WSM</span> KEEP TRYING, YOU CAN MAKE a brisket easily superior to their bland, dry garbage! Their's doesn't have much smoke flavor but they slice it about a 1/4 inch thick and it just melts in your mouth. Nice and moist, you can feel the fibers in the slice fall apart on your tongue.
I've got an 8 pound CAB in the fridge and its going on sometime this weekend. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Either method low and slow or high heat will work if done correctly. I do not cook briskets at high heat, so can only give you how I do low and slow.

Cook in the smoke in the 245º-260º until you get to 165º, double wrap in foil and continue to cook until you hit 190º, at that point begin to check for doneness by probing the meat. When the probe goes into the brisket with ease, it's done. If there's resistance at 190º, continue cooking and check every 30 minutes.
 
Thanks guys. Hey Larry how long would you think an 8 pounder would take using your method? And how long are you resting? Also do you find that your thermometer reads correcty when the meat is in the foil?
 
First, I have a hard time believing what you're cooking are CAB packers. At 7 lbs, were these packers it would mean the animal was quite young at slaughter, not something ranchers who grow for CAB are likely to do as it is not cost effective. When I see small 'packers' they're not. They're usually some of the flat with some of the point, mostly point and less flat, or vice versa. Cooking dynamics can be different with these. (I could be wrong here but I virtually never see small actual packers.)

Regardless, the results of the HH cook suggest a problem with the procedure (it cooked at too high and/or too long during the unfoiled phase) and with testing for tender.

If the low/slow was dry/chewy/tough it suggests it wasn't cooked long enough. If more dry/stringy it suggests overcooking.

One can usually leave a probe in for low/slow cooks but it is not worth teming HH cooks. It isn't that the probe is wrong, it's that the probe can easily show the meat hitting 200+ not long after foiling. The meat is actually at that temp but far from done. 'Done' has to do with time, not internal temp. A brisket cooking at HH and hitting 200 (or whatever) 10 or 20 min after foiling is not done: the time is insufficient.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Andrew Griffin:
Thanks guys. Hey Larry how long would you think an 8 pounder would take using your method? And how long are you resting? Also do you find that your thermometer reads correcty when the meat is in the foil? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

An 8lber would take between 8-12 hours.

Yes, I try to calibrate my thermometers at least every other cook to ensure accuracy. I also put the meat probe into the thickest part of the flat at an angle to ensure it's not coming close to poking through the other side of the meat, which would/could cause temperature discrepancies.
 
OK. Stupid question here.I have to ask, when foiled how do you check the temp? Do you open th wrap or do you pierce the foil?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Joe Perez:
OK. Stupid question here.I have to ask, when foiled how do you check the temp? Do you open th wrap or do you pierce the foil? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I slide the probe through the foil into the brisket, just make sure you don't poke through the bottom of the brisket or foil.
 

 

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