First brisket on the WSM........a disaster

[Drew Get]

This weekend I attempted my first brisket, key word attempted. If I were making a saddle it would of been pretty good.

Since this was to be my first try at brisket I decided to get a small one. I purchased a trimmed half brisket from my grocery store. I thought I was doing everything right I rubbed it about 12 hours prior to cooking it wrapped it up and put it in the fridge. I woke up the next day sat the meat out. I built and stabilized the cooker at 250. Brisket went on it cooked for about 4 hours (3 lb brisket) I pulled it when I had an average temp reading of about 175 degrees. Once I pulled it I wrapped it tightly in foil and then wrapped it in some towels to hold the heat. I stored it like this for about 1.5 hours. When I went to cut it I found that it was terrible. Any I ideas what when wrong and how I can avoid this in the future.
Thanks

 

[Chris SnB]

In my experience (and my opinion) brisket needs to hit 190-195 internal to be done. Also, I like to inject prior to the cook and wrap it at about 160-165 internal during the cook.

Don't let it get you down, brisket can be tough to cook.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

I agree. Don't throw it out. Wrap it back up and cook it longer -- past done -- into tender.

 

[Al Silverman]

Undercooked. Temp does not indicate tenderness or doneness. Its tender when a probe goes into the meat as if it were going into soft butter.

Try again...don't be discouraged.

 

[Drew Get]

I agree. Don't throw it out. Wrap it back up and cook it longer -- past done -- into tender.[/QUOT

So it becomes tender at a higher temp?

 

[Tony R]

I agree. Don't throw it out. Wrap it back up and cook it longer -- past done -- into tender.[/QUOT

So it becomes tender at a higher temp?

For brisket and pork butter yes.

 

[Dave Alvarado]

This weekend I attempted my first brisket, key word attempted. If I were making a saddle it would of been pretty good.

Since this was to be my first try at brisket I decided to get a small one. I purchased a trimmed half brisket from my grocery store. I thought I was doing everything right I rubbed it about 12 hours prior to cooking it wrapped it up and put it in the fridge. I woke up the next day sat the meat out. I built and stabilized the cooker at 250. Brisket went on it cooked for about 4 hours (3 lb brisket) I pulled it when I had an average temp reading of about 175 degrees. Once I pulled it I wrapped it tightly in foil and then wrapped it in some towels to hold the heat. I stored it like this for about 1.5 hours. When I went to cut it I found that it was terrible. Any I ideas what when wrong and how I can avoid this in the future.
Thanks

Welcome to the club! My first brisket was almost exactly the same experience as yours.

Some stuff I learned:

- Cook full packers, not half flats.

- Don't ever pull the meat off based on the probe temp. Brisket is done when it's done. But from experience, 175F isn't anywhere close to done.

 

[Chris Nauman]

I did the same oops with my first attempt at ribs, pulled them at 170... I still can't even think of eating them.

190 is where I pulled my first brisket, turned out good, people went for seconds, but I felt I could have went a little longer - 195 maybe. Poke test said tender, but one area was still a little tougher than I cared for.

 

[russ olin]

i did a brisket sunday on the pbc pulled it at 165 foiled it back on till 200 most tender brisket you could want 5 to 6 hours coo k time at 280 try it this way

 

[Bob Sample]

Do yourself a favour and quit using a thermometer when cooking BBQ. Only temperature you should worry about is the pit temperature and you shouldn't get to hung up on that one either. Cook until probe tender and you'll get it right everytime.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

I agree. Don't throw it out. Wrap it back up and cook it longer -- past done -- into tender.

So it becomes tender at a higher temp?

Yes sir. Probe tender is more in the high 190* low 200* range. You still have a way to go. As others have said, temp is an indicator to start checking for tenderness.

Here's a link to one article you might check out which describes one process. There are a many others on the Internet as well as TVWB. HTH

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brisket1.html

 

[Gene_N]

Make KC burnt ends with it. That's is what I do...

Yes, I agree, it appears to be undercooked. Cook to 190-195 internal temp then test with probe or fork for tenderness. If you overcook a brisket, it will fall apart like a pork butt.

 

[Bill Schultz]

I always do what an old Guy around here that has been smoking meats for several decades told me to do. Once that thermometer hits the beginning of the range of when it could possibly be done pull that sucker out of the meat and check with a probe every fifteen minutes. For me with a brisket that is 185. After that the thermometer is useless.

 

[Dave Alvarado]

Just so you know, if a brisket is tough but slices cleanly, it's undercooked. If it's tough and crumbles at the edges (or just falls apart) when slicing, it's overcooked.

 

[JasonQuevada]

sounds like we had similar experiences on our first time. i would have never thought it was undercooked. i'll try again for longer next time...

 

[Kenny S]

I have cooked 6 briskets and only one turned out really good. Don't give up.

 

[Jason H.]

I made a brisket once and never did it again. It came out great but my cook time was closer to 18 hours and not really worth it imo. If you want good brisket go get it from a good bbq restaurant. That is one of the few things that if I get a craving for it I go pay someone else to watch a smoker for almost a day. If you want good pork/chicken do it in your own smoker.

That being said on your next you might want to look at a brine/marinade overnight and then pull it and rub it before smoking. Also were you making sure you cut across the grain? Just a few degrees off can REALLY change the mouth feel of even the best BBQ.

 

[Lew]

To me, time spent barbecuing is always worth it. If you love brisket but don't want to wait, try the high heat method.

I made a brisket once and never did it again. It came out great but my cook time was closer to 18 hours and not really worth it imo. If you want good brisket go get it from a good bbq restaurant. That is one of the few things that if I get a craving for it I go pay someone else to watch a smoker for almost a day. If you want good pork/chicken do it in your own smoker.

That being said on your next you might want to look at a brine/marinade overnight and then pull it and rub it before smoking. Also were you making sure you cut across the grain? Just a few degrees off can REALLY change the mouth feel of even the best BBQ.

 

[Alan F]

You did everything right but next time cook it to 200. And you can foil at 160.

 

[Gary S]

Drew I have always found it easier to cook a full packer than just a flat. Don't be discouraged it's a skill that only comes from experience, in this case your experience and the others here.