Dry Brisket


 
M

M Sample

New member
I have mastered ribs and pulled pork . However the ideal brisket continues to elude me . My third and latest attempt :

Got a 6 lb flat from a local butcher shop . Had a nice quarter inch fat cap on it, which I left in order that it would render during the cook. I applied a coating of Worcestershire sauce and let it sink in for a bit ; applied a rub on top of that .

Put it on the bottom rack ( fat side down ) with two 4 hour batches of baby backs on top . Cooker ran between 220-240 the whole time . This was despite a light wind and 20 degree temps outside . Was using a mix of lump and briquets with some apple wood chunks. I kept the water pan topped off. I basted every couple hours with a spray bottle of apple juice. I turned it once halfway through .

After about 8 hours the temp was 186 . I foiled it and finished it off on indirect heat from my gas grill to a temp of 207 internal ( the grill was at 300 ) . This only took about a half hour.

I wrapped it in a towel and let it rest for an hour in a cooler . I unwrapped it and there was about a cup of juices in the foil. When I cut it, the temp was about 175 . While it had a decent smoke ring and taste, and was fairly tender, it was still a bit on the dry side . I am used to, and prefer, the stuff that practically falls apart and steams when you cut into it .

Did I wait too long to foil it ? I realize that part of brisket cooking is luck of the draw with regards to the brisket you get .
 
I'd would skip the flat, and go with a full packer. Smart and Final is where I buy my brisket (google it). Place fat side down, on the top rack. Smoke overnight, with a Brinkmann pan, for 12 hrs. 9:00pm-9:00am works for me. Wrap brisket in foil, place in 300F oven, until brisket is 198-200f, then rest 2-3 hrs in ice chest cooler.
This seems to work very well with me. Killer smoke ring, moist and tender brisket. No complants. Good Luck. let us know how it works out with you.
 
I think you did wait too long to foil it, and maybe more important, you took it to too high internal temp. Probably around 190 is better to preserve moisture.

Flats, however, can be tricky, but they're what's most often available around my area.

Paul
 
Once the brisket reached 186 internal you should have wrapped it but it should have come off the cooker and let rest in a dry cooler for approx 4 hours. By putting back on the cooker and taking to 207 internal over cooked the brisket and dried it out.

I pull at 190 internal and foil to go into dry cooler (you were 4 degrees from the point). Once a brisket reaches 200 degrees it starts dring out much quicker.

Jim
 
I don't bother with flats since I can buy a full packer for about the same price as a flat. I also cook fat side down the whole time.

Personally I have found that if I cook using a thermometer I usually end up with dry brisket. I haven't preformed any scientific study but I find that once the brisket becomes tender it takes little time for it to dry out. Since each brisket is different a set temp won't do.

To cook til it is tender. This is how I do it. At the 1 hour per pound mark say a 10 pound brisket then at 10 hours I take a temp reading to see where I am at. Once it gets to 180 I stop taking temps and just use the thermometer as a tester. When the probe goes into the meat like it is butter that has been setting out your brisket is done. Take it off and foil with the fatcap up. My first half dozen or so briskets were good tastin but on the dry side. When I stopped using the temp and going the above method I have them WOWin. Makes a huge difference IMO.
 
I did one brisket and took it up to 200 as per recipe.

I was dry for me.

What are anyones thoughts going to 180

I like more rare than well done
 
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