First Brisket Flat was dry, and seemed over-cooked

[Dave Pasma]

I am new to this forum. Very good information in here. Thanks so far.

I cooked my first brisket. It was a 3 lb. flat. I followed a recipe in a book. I slashed the fat cap and brined it overnight. The dry rub was salt and pepper.

I cooked it fat-side down for about 12 hours. The temp (vertical with dial meat therm) never got above 150.

We ran out of time, pulled it, foiled it, and rested it in a cooler.

When we sliced it, to me, it was dry, and not very tender.

When I BBQ in my 22" Weber, I use 2 bricks to create a place for coals. That takes up about 1/3 of the total circle. Works pretty well, and using the Minion method, I can keep the grate temp down around 225. I also use a small water pan above the coals on the cooking grate, and a bigger foil pan below the meat.

Any suggestions for my 2nd try? I am thinking already I should cook a packer, not just a flat. What else?

 

[Dave/G]

A 3lb piece of flat is not a good candidate for smoking. Go for at least a 5 lber if not larger and the thickest one you can find. I only cook flats high heat using foil. Yours was severely over done cooking for 12 hours

 

[Mark Q]

I've never tried to smoke just a flat. I've always done a 10-12 pound packer. In addition to the foil and high heat previously mentioned I've heard of people wrapping a flat in bacon prior to smoking to try to prevent it drying out. Either way, 3 pounds of meat cooking for 12 hours is bound to be overcooked. I'd check the accuracy of that thermometer as well.

Don't let one misfire stop you from trying again. Next time follow one of the recipies on this site. A properly cooked brisket is delicious.

 

[Phil Perrin]

Even at a very low temp,I think 12 hours was way too long. I cook 2-2 1/2 pound flats all the time. I rub them and cover with bacon. About 6 hours at 225° and they come out very nice.

 

[Dave Pasma]

Thanks for the very good input.

I usually read many many articles before attempting to cook new things. I also talk about it to anyone that may be able to provide advice.

I saw a lot written about briskets taking upwards of 18 hours, and people told me I needed to cook it L&S for at least 12-hours.

I didn't do a "reality check" with common sense to realize that a 3-5lb. flat should not take 12 hours to cook through at 225.

Having said that, I now know that one or both of 2 things caused me to petrify the brisket. First, perhaps my Weber OTG was hotter than I thought it was - using a 10" b-metal thermometer through the top vent. Second, my bi-metal meat therm - inserted vertically into the brisket may not be accurate.

Any thoughts?

I know I need to (at minimum), get a better (digital) meat therm. I will also, (out of pure curiosity), check the one I used with ice water and boiling water.

What still makes me scratch my head a bit is the internal temperature. I checked it regularly after about hour 6. It eventually got up to around 170, but then stopped. Could this just be therm inaccuracy? Was the internal temp actually very close to the cooking temperature? Then as it stayed there, it started to dry out?

 

[Dave Pasma]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Phil Perrin:
Even at a very low temp,I think 12 hours was way too long. I cook 2-2 1/2 pound flats all the time. I rub them and cover with bacon. About 6 hours at 225° and they come out very nice. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Covering with bacon sounds like a great idea. Who doesn't like bacon? Does the bacon prevent smoke from getting into the brisket?

 

[Steven P (Tupelo)]

I've smoked several flats, but I like them at about 7 pounds. I've had great results smoking them at 260ish for 10 to 11 hours.